The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-12
WILL RAGSDALE IS
HELD WITHOUT BOND
Habeas Corpus Proceedings
to Be Brought in Effort
to Secure His Release

viii W. l;agsdale, charged with the
murder of James w. McCouley. was
hound over without bond at preliminary
trial held yesterday before Justice of the
Peace w. $. Russell.
The defendant attorney, w s. Welch
of Bessemer, gave notice that habeas cor
pus proceedings would be instituted at
once, seeking the release of Ragsdale on
bond.
Young RagSdale belongs to one of the
best known families in the county and is
the son of r.. b. flagsdale of Bessemer.
He was employed as timekeeper at the
Thomas furnaces and the killing followed
a difficulty with McCouley. who was a
gang foreman at the furnaces. which was
brought about by a disagreement about
the time of some OF the laborers working
under McCouley. Ragsdale was badly
cut during the fatal difficulty.
right to secure those papers except
by an order of court. However he said
that he gave Mr.. Clabaugh every ia
cility that he possessed to go through
the records He testified that he went
to lunch with the special agent for the
department of Justice and assured him
that the stenographers in his office
We're at his service to get up any data
or whatever information he wanted.
He said that he assisted in packing the
papers that Clabaugh finally decided
to carry to Washington. The witness
added that he told Clabaugh that he
was willing to send the whole office
of the grocers' association to Washing
ton. In reference to the visit of Mr..
Clabaugh Mr.. McLaurin said that he
never denied the special agent any cir
culars that had been issued and that the
statement that two failed to be In
cluded in the papers delivered to the
government was a mistake insofar as
he was concerned as he never attempt-
ed to place any obstacle in the way
of the special agent.
Papers Are introduced
Papers were introduced written by
Mr.. McIAurin criticising the depart
ment of justice and the press for pub
licity given the negotiation that re-
suited in the issuance of the decree
He said that he was assured that the
whole conference would be kept se-
cret but that 1t leaked out in Wash
ington. The witness related a confer
ence held with the editor of local
afternoon paper relative to the pub
lication of story that the associa-
tion had been dissolved. He said that
he kept the conferences in Washing
ton In confidence.
Mr.. McLaurin asserted that he never
attempted to influence any manufac-
turer about fixing prices or selling only
to exclusive wholesale dealers. He ex-
planned that IL the jobbers were forced
out of business 1T would mean the ruin
OF great many small retailers He
analyzed the distribution of goods
through jobbing channels and said IL
was a sound economic method in which
the consumers were carefully taken
care of.
Mr. McLaurin identified scores of
documents relative to the suit. Some
of the written testimony was printed
pamphlets as to the proceedings of the
association and letters written to vari-
Gus persons, manufacturers and others.
The defense was highly pleased with
the testimony of Mr. McLaurin and be-
lieves great deal of light has been
thrown on the case. He was cross
examined by Mr.. Street in most care
full way and the district attorney
seemed to think that he had also se-
cured some good data from the chief
witness for the defense
Court will open at Q o'clock this
morning and IL necessary a short night
session will be held.