The Cairo bulletin., 1911-06-03
Negro Witnesses For Defense
Contradict Him And Themselves
In important Details
Sensational Scene In Court When One Negro
Claimed TO Have Been Intimidated--
Be Impeached Today Arguments
This Afternoon

was not getting anything for his te5-
timony except his expenses; he WIS
not promised anything, had been in
Jonesboro once since BanKson mas
been in Jail here; was in the court
room, did not talk the case over with
anyone as to what he was 10 tes-
tify.
Bankson was real sich yesterday
temperature was 103, pulse rate l4o.
That explains his taking the tablets
mentioned yesterday.
Another Negro Witness.
| Dick Morrison another negro, fol
4 lowed Fuqua on the stand. He is
PRESIDENT of Cairo; was not acquainted
with Sergeant French; said he knew
Abner C. Banson at the time of the
! killing Witness was coming up Com
merciai avenue, he learned there was
| fighting at the Police headquarters;
! witness rushed up there; first thing
he saw when he got there was some
one shoot; saw a scrambling around
there on the right side of the room
when ne shot; witness saw no iicks
struck; saw Bankson 5ane his hand
back after SHOT; didn't know any
one else except Sergeant French;
didn't see Sergeant French do any
thing, didn't see any fone hit Bankson;
witness said Atty, Wilson for the
people, talked to atm after the peo-
pie closed their case yesterday.
Substantiona Scene.
Witness was asked by counsel for
defense What Wilson said to him
Objected to by the peoples attorneys
said Wilson talked to him for some
time, Attorney for defense stated
they had been surprised at The vii.
ness's testimony and limited that tine
witness had been unduly infuenced;
Counsel Hileman asked witness fF ne
didn't tell him (the attorney the
evening before that he, the witness,
had seen Sergeant French strike the
defendant; objected TO by the peo-
ple the COURT sent the jury from the
ROOM the matter war argued as TO
whether or not the details could De
gone into as to how the witness
come to testify differently rom VIVA,
he had led the side that had MIN
summoned to believe he would testi
fly. The witness was examined in the
absence of the jury, as to statements
he had made to counsel for defense.
The witness became terribly fright
ened; the court questioned the Wit
ness closely and advised him to tell
all he knew, in fact commanded him
TO do so. The witness said he was
afraid to tell all he kncw,or ne he
intimated that much The court
warned him, and asked him if he was
now willing to go ahead and tell all
he knew, the whole truth, without rs.
eo'lN W ohy oLalCiiCit ne may HdNt
made to anyone else. Witness said
some colored men and one white man
in Cairo had told him that he Jhad
better have nothing to do with the
matter; witness declared 10 rne court
that he had told the Jury the trtrt1l;
witness found notes at different
times, stuck in the keyhole of his
door and other places telling or
warning him to be careful If he want
ed to live in Cairo. Witness finally
said that the statement he had
made to Attorney Miller in Mound
City was true, and thar ne would tell
the jury the truth. 1t, was evident
that the witness was badly scared
and thought he would perjure himseiE
II he stated anything contrary to any
former statements he had rAa.e.
The Jury was brought back, witness
stated that he saw French hit Bank.
son in the face; saw Bankson stag.
ger; French turned and starred To-
ward desk on the south side OF the
room; saw Bankson shoot; saw some
men grab Bankson; heard the pistol
go off twice during the scurre. didn't
!. remember hearing any one cry out OF
any time.
On cross-examination for proseca-
tion witness said he was AZ years old,
lived in Cairo all his Mfe; had been
!, sick 2 years, has worked as porter
in Cairo; takes an active interest III
~r~---s SAe --4A-.
J (ContinHed on sixth page.)