The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-03-25
Man Arrested For Obtaining
Money Under False Pretenses
Was Acquitted by Jury.
One CASE ONLY WAS
TRIED YESTERDAY
Were Several Canes Pending, But t
is Probable That Others Will Now
Be .Withdrawn.-Jury Out Five
Hours

The case of the State VS.. j. M. Bat
tersby, charged with obtaining money
under false pretenses, and which mas
been pending in the court of Justice
of the Peace Bolton for the past sew
eral weeks, was brought to trial yes
terday, and resulted in an acquittal OF
the defendant.
While there were several separate
charges for this offense preferred
against Battersby, only one was tried
yesterday, the case taken up being
that of the Peoples Laundry, and II
is understood that the evidence in all
the cases is practically the same IL
this should be true, it is thought very
probable that since his acquittaI yes
terday, the other charges against the
defendant will be withdrawn and the
cases thrown out of court.
Several hours were consumed In
the hearing of this case, and many
witnesses, both for the prosecution
and the defense were examined, the
case being tried by Jury. The prose-
cution was conducted by Messrs.
Stevens, Stevens & Currie, while
Clyde R. Conner and Currie & Currle,
represented the defense.
1t will be remembered that some
time ago j. M. Battersby came to Hat
tiesburg for the purpose OF getting
out some kind of advertising pamph-
let The booklet was to contain ad-
vertisements of local business con-
Germs, and it was represented by Mr..
Battersby that after the book should
have been printed the Hotel Hatties-
burg was to see that it was distribut ed.
Evidence adduced at the trial yes
terday showed that Battersby had Sc
cured several contracts for advertis-
ing space from local business con
Germs: that he had collected for GER
tain number of these advertisements
before the book had been published
in fact, it was shown that the pamph
let had not been issued at all, and II
was contended, under the circum
stances, that Battersby had commit
ted felonious act by accepting mon
ey without giving value for the same
This was the line of argument ad
vanced by the prosecution.
The defense introduced witnesses
to show that while Battersby had ac
tually collected money from advertfs
ers before the booklet had been pub
lished, this fact was known to the ad
vertiser at the time the payment was
made and it was attempted to show
that no Misrepresentation was made
by the defendant when he collected
money in advance for something
which he promised to deliver at ;
future date.
1t was shown that Battersby hat
actually made an effort to have tn,
book published; that he had had con
siderable of the work done in Hat
tiesburg, and that,-in order to ge
the work completed as soon as poss
lie, and to avoid further delays, h
had finally taken the job to Mobil
End placed it with a printer at tina
place. 1t was proven that this ha
J actually been done; that Battersb
h7d deposited with the Mobile print o
contracts amounting to $4,000 to st
c"re pavmert for the work, and tina
the said printer had executed a cor
tr'ct with Battersby for the compile
: tion and delivery of the pamphlet.
!, Attorneys for both sides argued tn
: case at length, reviewed Ghe testimt
4 nv and boiled down the evieence, an
. the case went to the jury at o'cloc
: yesterday afternoon. Five of the jur
I favored an acquittal at the beginnin,
: and one favored conviction. The jur
!. was out nearly five hours, but finall
rendered verdict generating the d.
o fendant from all guilt in the matte
7. and he was therefore discharged.
d This case has perhaps occasione
e more discussion in this city than an
e which has occurred here during tn
It past several months, and its outcon
y has been awaited with more than o
d dinary interest by the general publ