The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-11-19
BRIEFS WILL Be
FILED IN LOAN
SHARK CASES
FOUR CASES SUBMITTED TO
JUDGE kIRKE MONROE WITH
OUT A JURY. A. WILSON AND
C. M. WILSON, JR, ACQUITTED.

Evidence in the cases against a
school Of alleged loan sharks" who
were recently indicted by the circuit
court grand Jury, was heard yesterday
, in the court of record by Judge Kirke
Monroe. who acquitted two of the de-
PENDANTS and ordered the county So
licitor and attorney for the defendants
to submit briefs to him within the
next few days. The two defendants
acquitted were ]. \. Wilson and C.
NJ. Wilson, Jr., local representatives
OF the Interstate Security Company.
They were charged with entering into
a conspiracy with the loan men to
commit usury
The defendants, all charged with
conspiring to commit usury, were
grouped into four cases, as follows.
Gid Strickland and Fletcher Bowman:
G. o. Johan and Fletcher Bowman:
r. J. Owens, j. A. Wilson and ].
b. Lassiter; ]. 3. Waddell, c. NJ.
Wilson, Jr., and J.. B. Lassiter.
All four cases were submitted to
the court without q Jury. There is
no dispute about the facts, the con-
tention OF the counsel for the defend
ants being that the business as now
conducted is not violation Of the law,
contending that they only purchase
salaries and that in making loans on
personal property they only charge ten
per cent interest, the title to the prop
erty being guaranteed by another con-
lender of the money.
The contention of the state is that
these are subterfuges and mere de-
vices to avoid the law, the transaction
being in reality a loan.
The information filed against the
defendants charged them with con-
spring to loan money at a higher rate
or interest than allowed under the law
by contracts. contrivances and devices,
directly and Indirectly, by way OF COM |
discount exchange, interest, |
assignments of salary, inspection fees |
and other fees and otherwise, but in |
discharging J. A. Wilson and c. NJ. |
Wilson, Jr., Judge Monroe said there |
was no evidence to connect them with |
the lending of the money to borrow |
ers. They are the Pensacola repre- |
sentatives of the Interstate Security |
Company, foreign concern, and is |
the money lenders for certain fee |
paid by the borrower. It was brought /
out in the evidence that these are the |
only two companies Of the kind that |
have furnished guarantees to the |
men and also they are |
the only two doing business in the /
city. According to the evidences when |
q loan was desired on personaF prop
ertys the customer was told to go to /
one of these concerns to get title |
fee
The evidence also showed that when
a salary assignment was made to the
loan men 1t was not filed with the |
employer Of the borrower in two or
three days after the paper was issued. !
as J. B. Lassiter, owner of more than
one loan agency in this city. testified
he had instructed J. B. Waddell and
r. J. Owens. his local representatives.
to do over a year ago. LaSsiter, who
lives in Birmingham, was closely
questioned by Solicitor Loftin. He
testified that 1t was only a day or
two ago that he had learned that
Waddell and Owens had violated his
specific instructions to file the salary
assignment with the employer in two
Or three days after the loan was made.
Lassiter said that since his arrival in
Pensacola day or so ago he has re-
proved WaddelI and Owens for not
carrying out his instructions. They
are still in his employ. Lassiter also
said that he did not know that if
salary assignment was filed with
railroad company that it meant the
discharge Of the employee.
Other Cases.
J. b. Barnes, Of Century, white,
pleaded guilty to the charge of butch
sring cattle without notifying the in
spector. He was fined SIS and costs or
thirty days.
Chas. p. Hendricks, young white
nan of this city, charged with steal
ng a pair of second hand shoes from
IN express fish car, also pleaded guilty.
He was fined costs of court or ten
lays, further sentence being suspend
cd He paid the costs
Court adjourned until 10 o'clock this
CSH WK KRR |,