The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-14
Governor Threatened
 Oakley Counsel Is
 RumOr, Says Hill
tcontinued from Page One)

him twice, we called him thrice to come,
 to be here so that we might use MT.
 Lacy and have the benefit of his testi- mony. We failed to get any response from him except in an indirect way, to the effect that he would be here on last Wednesday. We then tried to get him over the long distance phone; we failed again in our efforts to get him. We then sent gentleman to Birmingham to get him, and our information was that he
 was tied up in the Birmin gham court, United States court. and he could not come. So we did everything that we
 could to get counsel here who was dis interested altogether in the Oakley
 case, so that he could advise MT. Lacy as to his rights in testifying, but that result failed, your honor, and for that
 reason, in view of these rumors of threats that have come to us, l think it nothing but fair, at least to me as [
 was the one designed to develop this
 case to tell in open court why it was
 We did not have the testimony of MT.
 Lacy.
 b So far as the threats were concerned, we paid little heed to them. Whether or not they were made we know not; they come to LIS from sources that 1 have just stated to your honor, and I think therefore in justice to me at least and perhaps to other counsel In this case that this statement should be made 60 your honor in open court. The Court: Have you any objection to stating who was the lawyer you tele- graphed and telephoned to? MT. Wiley Hill: Colonel Stallngs. | MT. White I wish to state on behalf of the state. if your honor please, l did | not hear what MT. Hill said about ! threats-I was back in the other room What did he say?
 Mir Wiley Hill: I will repeat it, cap- tain, that there had come to us rumors that the governor of the state had made ithreats against counsel for the defend ant in the event anything should be developed in this case that was detri- mental to his interest; that those ru- mors, according to my information, had found play or place in the public print
 and they had come to us from various sources. As to whether or not they are well founded, of course, we know not. MT. White: Well. do you believe it? l Mir. Wiley Hill: In answer to that question I state this, your honor, that my idea of manhood is this not to make threats to the back, and I cannot con- ceive of a man, with manhood in him
 making threats to the back. No threats have been made to our face. MT. White Didn't you state in there | (jury room) awhile ago that you did 1 not believe word of it? | MT. Wiley Hill: I said this. your hon. | or, in the room little whole ago, that whether they were true or not it should | be brought to the public mind Captain White said that was absolutely rot, l believe.
 Mr. White: said it was the veries.
 rot.
 MT Wiley Hill: then stated if 1t was | 1t would do no harm as it had found
 it's way into the public mind in this ] state, to have the utterance made that | they were unfounded. | MT. White: You have not answered
 my question yet, whether you believed | them.
 ! Mr. Wiley Hill: can conceive that ! the governor is a man with manhood in
 him; I cannot conceive that the threats
 emanated from him.
 1 Mr. White: We'll, you have not said ! whether you did not state in there that
 you did not believe 1t. l Mir Wiley Hill: Others said that; ] 1 held my peace.
 Mir White: Your side said it? 1 MT. Wiley Hill: Maybe our counsel
 said 1t, and every counsel for the state
 said that it was the merest rot; held
 my peace,
 Mir. White: .'I think you said you dit 1 not believe it."
 l MT. William W. Hill: No. said it'' l MT. White: Everybody concurred witt | me; nobody dissented 10 my statement ! that 1t was rot, and the merest. idlest | unfounded rumor, and that Is true. and every man in Alabama that knows tn, governor of Alabama knows that it is rot | It is false; he is not the man to do it | found out from him since they made | the statement that it was false" | MT. Wiley Hill: ''Very well, your honor | if it was false, all right enough
 SAYS THAT TT
 OUGHT TO END IT | MT. Rushton: That ought to end it
 and certainly hope so. This is all il l seems to me- very unseemly." | MT. White: T think 1t Is out of place
 and that is why I said that would not get up here and make any statement about it-'
 The Court: 'No action of the court is l asked, Mir. Hill?"
 | MT. Wiley Hill: "No.'' Mir. White: "I wish 70 state for the state, and those representing the state that nothing would have pleased us more tan to have MT. Lacy put upon the wit iiess stand"
 1. MT. Wiley Hill: That privilege was
 
 defendant"
 Mir. White: "A man that we had al ready convicted and sentenced to the pen itentiary would not likely be very favor- Able to the state"
 MT. Wiley Hill: "witn the number of charges still hanging over his head. the state of Alabama having charge of those prosecutions. it seems to me that if any
 thing would move them it would be to go
 the course that might be mapped out by
 the man with club over his head.''
 Solicitor Seibels: T am holding the
 club over his head if anybody is hold
 ing it. Nobody else.-
 The Court: "The court will always grant
 the privilege to any offlcer to make state
 ments, but no request has been made in
 this matter and I do Aot see any action
 that the court is called upon to take.
 So we will close the matter, and take
 up the argument in this case