The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-08-22
VOTERS TESTIMONY,
Anti Chairman Appears Before
House Committee.


Jacob F. Wolters of Houston, chair.
man of the Prohibition associa'
ton during the recent campaign, tes-
titled before the house investigation
committee voluntarily and read his
testimony, which embraced 3, COS words.
After finishing he said: "Geatlemen,
that concludes my testimony"
In the statement Mr.. Wolters told
of his work against the submission
proposition in 1908 and in the prohi-
bition campaign of more recent date,
as chairman of the anti prohibition
lists. He said that he collected all
money possible to defray the expense
of the campaign and would have col
lected more had it been possible. " He
did not say how much was collected,
In regard to the Sam Levy" let
tiers read before the committee by
Cone Johnson, the anti chairman's
statement sets forth that Fort Worth
gentleman had pledged himself to
raise 81, 500 in north Texas to help de-
fray the expenses of members or rep
resentatives of the anti committee in
perfecting the work of the organiza-
ton, and that another gentleman
hadEagreed to raise like amount IN
south Texas" He said the cores
pondence relative to the matter was in
part represented by the two letters
submitted by Mr.. Johnson,
In February of 1909, according to
the statement, Mr. VOTERS room at
the Driskill hotel in Austin ''was en-
tered by burglar and the letters
submitted by Mr.. Johnson, along with
other papers, stolen. In his comment
upon this his statement runs thus:
1.-The rule of law is that possession
of recently stolen property, unac-
companied by a reasonable explana-
ton of possession, establishes prima
facie evidence of theft against the per-
son in possession. Cone Johnson'e
explanation of the possession of the
stolen letters is that someone gave
them to him aud that he promised that
someone not to reveal his name.
Whether this is a reasonable explain
alton depends, of course. upon the
viewpoint of men who want to Judge.
But it is an admission that he re-
ceived propersy, which on its very face
and by reason of its nature, he knew
did not belong to the man who COVE
it to him and the possession of which
he must have known had been wrong
fully, If not feloniously, obtained, be-
cause, according to his own statement,
the person demanded and received
pledge that he would reveal his iden-
tity. The law denounces receiving and
retention of stolen property as crime
of the same class as theft. Cone john
son must choose his class. The facts
put him in one or the other
Mr.. Wolters denied the authority of
the committee to investigate alleged
violations of the law relating to the
election of July %. and he also de-
MED the authority of the committee to
proceed under any statute enacted by
the legislature. He declared, howevsr,
that every dollar collected and spent
W AiA1 OuA Ing uhO Obiu pdlSd Was law
fully expended. He further declared
that no voter or official was corrupt
ed or sought to be corrupted.
He declared that he did not nor
did anyone under his direction ex-
ert any influence whatever or attempt
SO to do upon any member of either
branch of the legisl ature to vote in
opposition to submission.
Mr.. VOTERS was placed upon the
stand and gave an account of the. or
ganiZation of forces to defeat submis-
sion; saying it was done prin eipally
by letter and conference; that he was
elected state chairman of the antis at
the convention held in October, 1908,
and also named number of the mem
berS of the executive committee