Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-06-14
TRIAL PROBABLY WILL
END SATURDAY NIGHT
Capt. Berkeley Hopes to Have De-
cision Rendered This Week-West
and Ford Tell of Conference With
Secretary Harris Day Before Send
inq Of "Pink Slip"

ley announced yesterday that ne
hoped and expected to see the insur-
ance trial concluded and the decision
of the court rendered not later than
next Saturday night. The common
wealth in all probability will rest It's
case tomorrow evening. and, while the
attorneys for the defense have given
no intlmation as TO what testimony
they expect TO introduce. it Is hoped
that the ev dence for the defense can
be heard in two days. As practlcally
ell of the tnesses for the common
wealth have been insurance men, a
large part of the testimony already
brought out has been such as the
defense would offer.
Because of the heavy regular Mon
dsy police court docket, and IN ORDER
to allow the witnesses and defend
ants from a distance to spend Sunday
with their families. Justice Brown did
not take UP the case of the under
writers yesterday morning. The N
surance" sess. on did not begin until
. o'clock in the afternoon.
Three Important Witnesses.
Three important witnesses were .ex-
amined yesterday. Chief of Police
Reynolds identified the defendants as
the men who surrendered themselves
to him as officers or members of the
Southeastern Underwriters AssOcia-
{ on at Hot Springs. The object OF
this was to establish the connection
between the defendants end the as
ISOLATION. Ii was necessary 10 90
this. as the defendants have neither
denied nor admitted that they are
connected with the association TO
which so much OF the evidence in this
case has referred.
Messrs. West and Ford told of a
conference they had with a. ii. Har-
ris. secretary of the Virginia commit
tee of the underwriters association,
on the 6-y before the recent increase
of ten percent in local insurance
r.tes. They sad they assured Mr..
Harris that if the city's license tax
ordinance worked a hardship upon
my "ONAN
undertake TO have amends made
when the next ordinance wss consid-
cred. The next day came the famous
pink slip
Tomorrow one of the important
witnesses for the commonwealth Will
be judge Martin Williams. member
OF the house OF delegates from Giles
county, and a brother of the State
attorney general.
w. Lee Powell Recalled.
Although Mr. Bachelor had not re-
turned from Williamsburg when court
convened at 2:10 O'Clock yesterday af-
;ernoon. Mr. Reed, OF counsel for de-
tense agreed TO 90 on with the trial
and w. Lee Powell. of the Powell
Trust Company, was recalled TO the
stand. Captain Berkeley asked him
/. IL was not a fact that when the
council imposed tax of 800 ON each
company several years ago the assoc
iation added twenty-five cents on
each sl0G of insurance because OF
this tax and the witness replied that
he was not quite clear on this point.
Captain Berkeley asked the witness
II the agents here were not called
upon by the association to sign an
agreement that they would not take
the agency OF insurance companies
which paid more than fifteen per
cent. commission and Mr.. Powell
said that he did not think that his
firm was called upon TO sign such an
agreement. but that he understood
that some of the agents here had
signed such ali agreement. lie could
Lot remember in what year this agree
r1ent was made.
Never Loboied Before Legislature.
Asked by Capt. Berkeley II ne had
been before the legislature In the in
;erest Of the repeal Of the Wharton
law. the witness said that he had not
Mr.. Powell said that he had never
been before the legislature in the In
ierest Of am insurance legislation
nor had he beca invited n 20 before
the legislature in the interest 81 such
j. gislation- Witness said he had never
entered into an agreement with local
agents not 10 tell what commissions
they received nor had be ever been
asked TO enter into such an agree
ment.
Mr.. Powell was asked Il Il vas not
Z fac; that the city ere department
gocs 70 fires outside Of the city limits
ard replied that he could not recall
having seen the ere department haht-
ing fires without the city limits. re
nad some houses a. Dawson CITY
which burned several years ago and
The hrc department did not 70 there
nere vas no water for the depart
'nent 90 use had u gone. BE- aid. He
oid not know that the department
etaried 10 the are and fhe sarirc
became stalled on the wav.
Would No, bppiy Incrssre.
Reply 10 Question 81 Captain Bsrko.
icy. Ar. Powell said hr could mo-
rnmemhor uhnfhn~ - - -. -. -.