The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-19
BIRMINGHAM MAN
TEST|F|ES IN CASE
Operator Identifies Message
Sent by Gurganus
ACID TO STOP DOGS
Wallace and Jones Confirm Story
Told by Davis on Stand Wednes-
day-Parlor Car Service on
Local to Birmingham
ACID TO STOP DOGS

Tuscaloosa. September 1s.-CSpecial)
Mack Wallace. who is under indictment
for conspiracy; George Jones. who is
serving sentence of 40 years; Tom Man
ly Cant, serving life sentence, all for
alleged connection with the holdup and
murder of w. B. Turner. We're witnesses
! for the state in the trial of Dr. w. NJ.
Gurganus, charged with murder for the
same crime. The witnesses were intro
duced in the order named at the session
of court this morning. Later in the day
the state placed Mrs. Riley Davis. niece
of DR.. Gurganus, and the wife of Riley
Davis, who is serving life sentence for
the murder of Turner, on the stand. The
other witnesses introduced by the state
| today were Henneger, druggist at Oak
man; and Mcknight, telegraph oper-
ator, who received the messages for the
Western Union at Birmingham.
The principal developments of the ses-
sions today were the substantiation in
all details of Importance of the testi-
mony yesterday afternoon given by Davis.
one of the states chief witnesses. Wal
lace and Jones were each on the stand
for some time and they confirmed the
/
of their connection with the crime. Cant
also added to the corroborative testi-
mony, and in his testimony it developed
| for the first time that the state has in
/ it's possession a telegram sent to Cant
! just before the holdup Jones stated that
he was induced to take part in the holdup
by DIR. Gurganus and Riley Davis and
| he told of the different conferences held
with DR.. Gurganus, Cant and Davis about
the holdup.
Jones testified that the overalls he
wore on the day of the crime were
| furnished by Gurganus as We're also
| the pepper, carbolic acid and other
ldrugs to throw the dogs off the trail.
Mack Wallace stated that he was
one of the original conspirators but
he said that his wife found out what
he was going to do and threatened to
expose the entire affair unless he kept
out of it.
Tom Cant told of his plans with
lGurganus to rob Turner and claimed
that Gurganus originated the plot and
took him in, agreeing to divide the
money. Mrs Riley Davis testified
among other things that Gurganus
told her to keep her mouth shut and
have her husband Riley Davis, do
the same thing or they would set him
(Gurganus) into trouble.
Henneger, a drug clerk at Oakman,
testified that he sold to DIR. Gurganus
in February the time claimed by Da-
Wis and Jones' some pepper, carbolic
acid, strychnine and other drugs which
the witness for the state claimed were
used to throw the dogs off the trail
! Mcknight. who receives the mes
sages of the Western Union in Bir-
mingham Identified telegram writ
ten in manuscript which he stated was
handed him at the window on the date
named at the top of the message. de
testified that he could not Identify the
man who gave it to him as he received
several hundred a day.
Manly Cant stated that he received the
telegram and that it was sent by Gurga-
nus. The message was sent to Cant at
Searles and asked him to meet the sender
at a certain place. Cant said he met the
train and Gurganus was there. They
| then held the conference when the final
| details of the robbery were planned,
stated Cant. The telegram was signed
| IS. w. Herren." Court then recessed
/ until O'Clock this afternoon, and the
| state will continue to introduce testi-
mony. 1t is stated that the evidence Of
| the state may all be introduced by tonight
| and tomorrow the defense will begin its
case.
| A night session of the court was
held tonight. adjournment not being
| taken until after 10 o'clock. -fhe de-
| fense took the entire time introducing
| witnesses who testified to The good
! character of DIR. Gurganus Several also
| testified that the character of the diff
ferent witnesses for the state vas bad
About 20 character witnesses have been
introduced by the defense.
! The state this afternoon placed Sher
iff Palmer and Deputy Jones on the
stand to prove that Gurganus fled from
his home and remained in hiding
some time after the crime Both wit
Sfo cd IA bf.
country but could not capture Cur
ganus. w. Herren, whose name was
signed to the telegram sent to Cant
a few DAYS before the murder of Tur-
ner testified that he had sent no such
message He said he was with Cur
ganus in Birmin CHAM the day the mes
sage was sent from that place. He
further stated that Gurganus left him
for a short time about noon, which
was the time the message was filed
This was the message referred to by
Cant and the Western Union operator
/ earlier in the day.
| j. P. Crutcher. agent for the Alabama
Great Southern here received notice this
afternoon from the passenger agent OF
the road, that parlor car service would
be inaugurated at an early date between
Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. The citi-
zens of this city have pettioned the road
for this improvement several times, but
no definite action was taken until today.
The announcement states that a parlor
car has been purchased from the Pull,
man company and will be ready for serv-
ice at an early date. The car will leave
Tuscaloosa on train No. each morning
at $3.50 o'clock and will return In the
afternoon on the train which reaches this
city at 6:20 o'clock.
The recent improvements made by the
| Louisville and Nashville between Tusca-
loosa and Birmingham and this added
convenience on the Alabama Great South
ern will give a very satisfactory passen-
ger service from Tuscaloosa to Birminr
ham, there being a total of IA trains daily
operating between the two cities now