The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-04-05
c1VTEHPT CASE IS PENDING
,,-rcE woRRILL sUsPENDs EN-
,,opCE,IENT OF ORDER.
MY DAYS Given in Which to Pre-
l"'n'' I'D Present Bill of Excep-
lions No Bond Required.


nare and Present Bill OF Excep-
tiors. No Bond Required.
rso proceedings of contempt that
nora brought against ]. M Bell and
A Loyless, president and vice
. of the Southern Life lnsur-
1oa company, for alleged failure to
aI 49, over certain books to 5. Il.
Cbristie, receiver of the company
are ~ SclIl result of the hearing before
Luz Worrill last Tuesday afternoon
Juus4 fbat Messrs. Bell and Loyless
was was oven until Saturday, April LIST,
welG nrodnce the books, and upon
tIoir failure to do SO TO De taken
!n'i custody and held by the sherln
, ~ an attachment saturday
~ Judge Worrill upon petit
t4on of their attorneys, Messrs. Ed
Lon and Wilkinson, suspended the
Ts We of the order and ex-
e sln1ad for twenty days the time in
1 1hiob n present a bill of exceptions.
W. bond was required of the defend
ants. 4.oou, Nro.srs
7ovless and Bell were accompanied
~ ~ CTtbbert by a dozen or so of their
fpiends. Messrs. A. ]. Baldwin, j. S.
Iowrey. B. B. Perry, A. J. Hill, J. Q.
Dean. ]. W. Glass, j. R. Mercer, T.
Il pickett. w. Z. Riordan, E. l..
Rainey and others being among the
nnmher. and several joined the par
ty at Shellman.
The Hearing on Tuesday.
At the hearing Tuesday evidence
was introduced by the prosecution
m the effect that the receiver did
mot have in his possession a certain
number of day books that were used
nv the Southern Life Insurance Com
many in the first two or three years
If IFS existence, and that the officers
Of the company had failed to produce
these books when they were demand
ed Of them.
The defendants claimed that Meth
er of them were able to produce the
books, and set up the fact that they
did not have active charge of the
office: that J. M. Bell was the preBi-
dent of the First State Bank, which
was at the same time in the pre-
ude to liquidation, and that he did
not have the time to devote to the
business. 1t was contended that S.
A. Loyless was manager of agencies,
and was not familiar with the books,
and it was claimed that neither of
them had keys to the building, or
knew the combination of the safe
where the books were kept.
1t was also claimed that the books
missing were only day books and
blotters, and that the entire record
of the office could be ascertained by
reference to a duplicate set of books,
known as registers, wherein all poll
cies and assessments were entered;
and it was further contended that
the receiver received thirty or forty
books, and that these books showed
all that was necessary for him to
know.
1t was shown that T. E. Gurr
was the manager, that his death was
sudden, that at his death the COM
pany became demoralifized, and that
1t was in charge of various people.
One receiver had had the books in
charge, and it was not shown that
either of the defendants actually re-
ceIyed them. Messrs. Bell and 10y
less contended that Mr.. Christie
could have misplaced the books, as
jneTe was sale of the safe and re-
moyaI of the books to other places,
and they cOntended that a large
amount OF the papers, literature and
records were found scattered over
tne town and at the city's dump heap.
Both OF the defendants swore posi-
lively that they did not have the
DOCKS, did not know where they were
and could not produce them; thai
lhey did not destroy them or permit
any one else to do so.
mere was no evidence that either
oi the defendants had the books
,"hen the receiver was appointed or
AdS mad them since that date.
II was rather significant fact that
allorneys representing creditors OF
Ine company and who were not at
toIIeys Tor the receiver appeared and
IooA an active part in the case, and
II IS reported on the streets that they
nave been making vigorous efforts
" compromise their claims.
IL is probable that the defendants
WIZ ask the judge to reopen the case
On april 21st and let them make
further showing.