The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-09
Caused by Elkourie's Answer

Mr.. Bowman came into the room after
DR.. II. A. Elkourie, on the witness stand,
was compelled to answer a question of
Judge Zef CASTOR, as to whether or not
he knew by hearsay of any gamblers in
Birmingham. Dr. Elkourie etated he had
heard it said that Mr.. Bowman" was a
gambler. Later he stated that he had
also heard that Dick Wray was a gam
bier.
Soon after Mr.. Bowman was told by
someone on the streets that he and Dick
Wray had been mentioned as two of the
gamblers of Birmingham and immediate
ly Mr.. Bowman came to the city hall
The stenographic report of the affair,
as taken by Jack Stallings of Stallings
& Brazelton. court reporters, is as fol-
lows:
Captain White: Mr.. Bowman said he
wanted to make a statement now. 1t
seems his name was connected with it
someway this morning. 1t is all right
with me to let him come in.
Commissioner Weatherly: see no OBJ
lection. (Mr. Bowman then entered the
courtroom.)
Commissioner Weatherly: Do you wish
to make a statement?
Mr.. Bowman: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Weatherly: All right, We
would be glad to hear you.
Mr.. Bowman: | understood there was
name was mentioned this morning.
don't know exactly what was said and
| would be glad to hear 1t, questions and
answers. (The stenographer stated that
he did not have the notes of the morning
session with him, but could give a mar
rative of the testimony in which Mr.. Bow
mans name was mentioned. He was d.
rected to do so by the commssion.)
Mr. Bowman: Didn't he say his in
ation or Testimony Uas ha oad o,
something he saw published the other
day in the newspaper?
Captain White: No. sir, he did not He
said in that connection you could not de-
pend upon hearsay and he was giving IL
from hearsay
Asks Point of Information
Mr. Bowman: | really cannot see why
/ should have been brought into the mat
ter at all. If it is the scope and pur-
pose of this investigation to ascertain
frcm personal knowledge and hearsay
about these matters and things l would
like for the commission to tell me IL that
is So
Commissioner Lane: So far as I am
concerned, Mr.. Bowman, have ruled that
hearsay evidence would be excluded al
together.
Captain White: But majority of tho
commission has held otherwise.
Commissioner Weatherly: The commits
sion has let in some hearsay testimony
on both sides. This came up in this way,
the witness had been asked about his
knowledge about gambling conditions and
made some statement in reference to it,
and on cross-examination he was asked
who he had heard of as being gamblers
Mr. Bowman But evidently from the
answers he made when asked IL he had
heard of anybody that were gamblers
To- l. T. III l.. l. L.
was one and Dick Wray was another
sounds very much to me like he had been
coached.
While l have played poker everybody
in this town knows l have practiced law
for 26 years for living. 1 never made
a cent in my life gambling / am not a
gambler and don't know how to play
poker. have got a little wife living up
here on the hill that hate to have morti-
fed and subjected to that kind of thing.
l imagine 1t was brought about by reason
of the fact came in here and sat by Mr..
Bodeker a little while this morning.
There was a vacant chair and 1t was the
first time had been up here and wanted
10 listen to the proceedings The next
thing after went out that was developed
here.
Commissioner Weatherly: I will state
DR.. Elkourie was summoned as a wit
ness.
Can Tell Some Things
Mr.. Bowman: l understand that I can
tell you about a good many people have
heard of playing poker and doing worse
things,.i If you want to find people whose
morals want to be paraded before the
community. and want to notify their fam
lilies OF 1t. can tell you of some people
connected with this prosecution, I have
heard things worse than playing poker
do not really think there is any particu-
lar harm in playing poker myself
Commissioner Lane: / think the whole