The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-03
DEFENSE OPENS
 IN MAJORS TRIAL Many Witnesses Alta .k Character of Crane HARRISON DISPUTED Witnesses Tell of Alleged Conserya- tions With Engineer of Wrecked
 Train Which Conflict With
 His Testimony

1 The defense in the trial of William Nabors. who is accused of wrecling fast passenger train of the Louisville and Nashville railroad at Cunningham switch on December s, 1909, opened its case yes terday.
 1 number of witnesses were put on I the stand early in the day to tell of the | character of Thomas Crane, the witness I for the state, who testified Saturday that l Majors had made a confession to him in 1 the county jail of his guilt. The witnesses were unanimous in their testimony that Cranes reputation in his community is
 Lad. and that they would not believe his evidence given under oath in a court of justice.
 Crane himself was called to the stand at the opening of court to finish his cross examination, which was vigorous. He was asked about statements that he is said to have made to various parties since I Friday, when he first conferred with the attorneys for the prosecution, to the ef- feet that he expected to have his bail | fixed soon and to go home to his wife. Ed Irving, the negro brakeman on the freight train which colided with the pas senger train in the Cunningham switch siding, was put on by the defense, and testified to seeing Majors in the engine l just before the train entered the siding and also short time afterward. Witnesses were examined also with a view to impeaching the engineer of the wrecked freight, T. V. Harrison, who tes- | tified for the state that when the train
 came to a stop Majors was not on the engine, that he came back in about five minutes and left again, and was away | from the engine when the collision oe- cured. Several witnesses told of conver- setions with Harrison in which they said
 Harrison said that Majors was innocent, | that he was not out of his hearing all the tune they were at Cunningham. A wit
 ness was put on the stand who swore that | Harrison, on the preliminary hearing of Will Teague, who was first charged with wrecking the train, testified that Majors
 was not out of his hearing all of the time they were at the siding.
 Delay in Opening There was some delay in opening court yesterday morning. The trial was trans ferred from the first division courtroom
 to the second, and the change entailed
 some loss or time. Efforts were made
 during the day to secure better room on
 account of the crowded condition of the
 second division room, but failed. Attorney B. M. Allen, who has been as
 sisting in the examination of witnesses Tor the prosecution, was not in court yes-
 terday, and it was explained that he was necessarily absent in Demopois. where q
 case involving the property of his brother
 in-law is being tried.
 court opened at 9:45 o'clock and the de-
 Tense asked for Witness Thomas crana
 the last witness put on the stand bv the
 prosecution, stating that his cross exam ination had not been finished. An ofYioar
 was sent to the county jail and returned m short time with the witness MT King for the defense questioned
 the witness.
 You have been refused bond, haven't you?"
 None has been given"
 Judge Nesmith denied you bond didn't he?"
 Well, l never got none."
 "Who are you indicted for kling?o "Walter Wlnn"
 Do you know MT. S. S. Cade in the county jai?"
 "Yes, sir
 Did you talk to Mir Cade Friday even-
 ing?"
 "Malbe 1 did
 Did you tell him you would be with your wife Sunday, that your bail had been fixed and was a small one?' T never told him no such as that" He was asked whether he told various
 men confined in jail that he was going
 home Saturday afternoon if things went
 like he thought they would; he would get
 bail and would go home Saturday. To some of the questions he said he reck-
 oned he did make the statement he de-
 nied making the statement to others. Didn't you tell MT. Powell that you had something to say to thim about Ma
 bors, and that if he would tip the matter