The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-10-30

H w ~
for four years. When asked if it was
not a fact that Tally & Mayson We're
counsel in the Cox case, and if Mr..
Tally and not Mr.. Davis did not take
the lead in the conduct of the case,
Mr.. Bennett said he believed that
was so.
Charles Poole, county jailer, did not
I think johnson was a fair judge and
, thought he showed partially.
Jim Pickett, a negro, who was fined
$50 during his absence in Oklahoma,
for retailing, did not know anything.
| This case was one for which Judge
/ johnson has been greatly criticised,
on account of the seeming smallness
of the fine. The matter was cleared
up when D. w. Draughn, attorney for
| Pickett took the stand and stated that
Judge Johnson knew absolutely moth
ing about the case, that he (Draughn)
knew Pickett was leaving the juris-
, diction of the court, and had an agree
ment with his client to enter a plea
! of guilty and pay whatever fine was
assessed; that an understanding was
had with the district attorney as to
the disposition of the case. Draughn
testified that his fee and the anticipat-
, ed fine was fully protected by a deed
of trust given by Pickett. 1t had been
charged that Davis was Pickett's at
| torney, but the investigation devel-
oped otherwise.
R. ]. Bishop, local attorney, testi-
fed at length in regard to the Pickett
case.
F. c. Cooper, constable, did not
think Judge Johnson fair; said he
showed Partially to Davis and that
he Cooper had lost confidence in the
/ Judge when the latter was police JUS
tice of this city.
DR.. Queen had civil suit appealed
from magistrates court by the defen-
dant and instead of judgment of mag
istrate being reversed he had been
notified he was taxed with cost.
R. D. Lanier, D. B. Cooley, Henry
Hilburn, lawyers, and Luther Hill,
all of Laurel; P. A. McSwain, lawyer
of New Augusta, and John A. Yeager
of Seminary, paid tribute to Judge
Johnson's character as a man and
jurist.
Wednesday Afternoon Session.
At the close of the second days pro-
ceedngs in the investigation of the
charges of misconduct in office against
Judge Paul 3. johnson, of this city, it
was the general opinion among his
friends and many of his former politi-
cal enemies that nothing had been in
troduced that would substantiate any
of the Clark charges. Wednesday
night it was almost unanimously CON
ceded that the accused jurist, even
after those witnesses had testified
whom it was thought would offer most
damaging evidence, was in a much
stronger position than at anytime since
the charges were preferred. In fact
that he stood in a fairer light before
his countrymen that at any time since
he was elevated to the bench, three
years ago
Many citizens of this city and county,
who for the past several months had
heard various rumors against the
Judge and in a measure had become
suspicious of him on account of the
persistency of these reports, openly ex-
pressed themselves as having all ques-
ton of his integrity and honesty of
purpose removed from their minds.
The testimony of many witnesses,
known to be politically and personally
opposed to Judge Johnson, it was stat
; ed by the non-partisans, had convinc-
ed them of the groundlessness of the
charges.
After the Clark charges had been
thoroughly thrashed out it became evil
dent to many observers, who attended
the hearing with open minds, that the
whole matter had simmered down and
would finally hinge on Judge Johnson S
participation in the transaction where.
by he and ]. E. Davis, a lawyer of
Mothers advice