The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-12-24
BREWER DECLARES
!. HOBBS ADMITTED To
|. HIM HE WAS GUILTY
The Governor of Mississippi
Takes Stand in Bribery
Trial
THE PROSECUTION
CLOSES IT'S CASE
College Classmate of Hobbs Last to
Testify-Two Stenographerst Said
They Took Notes Tending to
Show Guilt of the Senator


vieksburg Miss December 23.-Earl
Brewer. governor of Mississippi testified
today in the trial of Senator G. y
Hobbs that Hobbs had admitted to him
plored him to help him out of his trouble
After this testimony and that of the Rev.
IT. H. Webb. a college classmate of
Hobbs to the effect that Hobbs had told
him "he would never drop anything put
| into his hands," the state In the trial of
the senator on a charge of receiving and
soliciting a bribe closed its case
You know you have the goods on Bilbo
and me. l came here TO the legislature
good man. l came here with Biibo.
He is the crooRedest member of human
ity. He has led me 20 the doors of the
penitentiary. Now he kicks me out. II
you will help me | will go out on tho
stump for governor against Bilbo." This
was part of the striking recital of Gov
ernor Brewer.
Governor Begins Story
When Governor Brewer spoke of Hobbs
and Bilbo, who is lieutenant governor
and Jointly indicted with Hobbs on the
bribery charge, he succumbed to his emo
tions and one of the defense's attor-
neys accused him of crying The COVER
nor was forced to deny he was crying.
Tears came into the eyes of Hobbs as
he listened to the governors recital
The governor began his story at the
time he said Stephen Castleman of Bel
zoni, Miss, told him Hobbs had said hs
would accept money to use his influence
for a new county bill in which Castleman
was interested. Asked why he did not
take steps to have Hobbs arrested then,
he said he was satisfied others were i'm
plieated and he wanted to get them all.
He said he had arranged with detectives
to get evidence, of further conferences
Casteman told him he and Hobbs were
to have and that he did not want to take
the matter into the courts until he was
sure he had evidence sufficient for a con-
viction.s After this had been arrang-ds
and records OF conversations between Gaxl
tleman and Hobbs had been recorded
through telephonie devices, the governor
said he took the matter before the War
rem county grand jury.
1t was when this special grand jury
was Investigating the case that Hobbs
went to Jackson, Miss and confessed.
according to the governor. The governor
said he advised Hobbs to see some friend
TO arrange for bail.
Governor Brewer said Hobbs had been
a friend of his politically and his only
motive for bringing the matter to the
attention of the grand jury was in fur
therance of what he interpreted to be his
duty as governor.
Stenographers Testify
Earlier in the day three persons who
said they heard conversations between
Castleman and Hobbs through a secret
telephone, had testified. They were w.
l.. Douglas and J. G.. Gernhauser, stem
ogra pher and Sheriff Middleton of Kinds
county. The stenographers read notes
they said they took Of three
conversations According to these
notes. Castleman was willing to give and
Hobbs to receive a bribe, but apparently
they were suspicious of each other. Sher-
iff Middleton said he listened to the con-
versations but took no notes. He cor
roborated the testimony of the two stem
ographers.
The Rev. H. II. Webb said he met
Hobbs in Hazlehurst, Miss, after Hobbs
had BEEN elected senator but before lie
had been sworn in Mr. Webb formerly
resided at Belzoni, where he was pastor
of the Baptist church. BelZOni was TO
have been the seat of the new county
that It was proposed to form and over
which the bribing is alleged to have been
done
what will you people down there pay
to have the county bill passed." MIR. Webb
said Hobbs asked him. Mr.. Webb said
Hobbs then laughed and apparently
thought nothing of the remark. He said
it did not occur to him that Hobbs
might have meant what he said until a
few minutes later when Mr. Webb said
Hobbs remarked: Il wouldn't take a
bribe, but | would not drop anything
placed in my hand The conversation
then turned to other things. Mr.. Webb
said
Detective Saw Money Passed
The state introduced today it's only tes-
timony tending to show that the actual
cash was handed to Hobbs by Castle
man. All other testimony has been to the
effect that passage of currency was
planned. Frank Cancannon, a detective.
said he saw Castleman hand Hobbs sl0J
in the lobby of a hotel at Jackson and
was standing close enough to count the
money when Hobbs ran the bills through
his fingers.
Hardly a question of the states attor-
ney was put to Governor brewer with
out an objection being raised, and it took
three hours for him to finish testifying
The defense expects to begin introducing
II r.rftt tom