Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-11-12
jurors CONVICT
and ASK PARDON
a. G.. Russell Found Guilty
of Misappropriating
Public Funds
J u r O RS MFRCIFUL
Sign Petition To Governor HAYS Ask
ing That Prison Sentence Re
Suspended.

The jury in the A. G. Russell case
returned verdict into the circuit
court at 6:30 o'clock. 1t was the min
| mum as to the fine and penitcntary
| tentence. Under the Improvement
| District law the jury could have given
| him a fine of not less than $500, and
not more than $4,000, and one year
to ten years in the penitentiary The
| jury reported a verdict of a fine of
$500 and one year in the penitentiary,
and Immediately afterwards each of
the twelve jurors, with r. S. James as,
foreman, signed a petition to Cover
nor Hays asking that he grant Russell
a full and free pardon as to the one
year Imprisonment. The petition is
as follows:
| Governor Geo w. Hays,
Your Excellency:
We the undersigned, members of the
petit jury that tried A. G. Russell on
|
bezzlement most respectfully petition
you to grant him full and free par
| dan as to the sentence of one year
we had to give him along with the
sum of $500 as fine under the law.
We believe that mercy should be ex-
| tended him, but not in our power is it
| to do so as a jury. We respectfully
ask that you pardon that part Of our
verdict which gives him a term in the
penitentiary. He is a man of family,
a wife and FIVE children, and he is
their only support. We shall ever
pray that you grant this request.
Signed: T. S. James, Foreman; j.
w. Watson, F. B. Ezell, Fl. l.. Reeves,
l.. M. Kelly, J. /. Higgins, S. j. Dor
man. Thos. s. Groves, J. M. Greenlee,
S. G. Purcell, j. d. Cherry and G. H..
Burks.
In the court room during the trial
were Russell's wife and their three
! children. His mother, Mrs. M. j..
Russell, was also present. She came
| in while District Attorney Parham
| was making his speech to the jury
and wept as he denounced her son.
Russell, who appeared to be greatly
worried, was accompanied by his bro
Their when he entered the court room
and his brother remained throughout
the days session.
District Attorney Parham in his
opening statement said that the state
would show that Russell was guilty
of misapproprating the improvement
district funds, that he had admitted 1t
himself; that evidence would be pre-
scented to show that Russell had stat
ed that he had lost the money In an in
vestment, strict violation of the
law; and he argued that because he
was member of church should not
condone his act nor lessen his pun
ishment. Russell's own records would
convict the defendant of the charge
said the prosecutor.
Attorney A. H. Rowell, who with
Attorneys Kerwin and Gould defend
ed Russell, opened his statement by
declaring that the defendant was de-
serving Of sympathy and that he
would show that he has not violated
the law. Gle was not short cent
when arrested" said Mr.. Rowell. "Mr.
Russell made mistake like many
other men have done and we will show
that he had $4,000 in Pine Bluff
bank at one time, more than enough
to reimburse these districts. None of
you, gentlemen of the jury. has rep
utation more spotless than the de-
PENDANT
During the testimony taking that
followed the introduction of witnesses
counsel for defense made repeated eff
forts to question witnesses regarding
the payment Of money to settle the
shortages, but each time Judge Grace
sustained the objection of District At
torney Parham.
"The court has held repeatedly that
the payment Of this money has moth
ing to do with this case" said Judge
Grace. "This csourt is not collect
ing agency. Even il the defendant had
the money in the bank it has not bear
ing on this trial. The point is, did or
| did not the defendant use this money!?