Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-07-17
Hobbs On Stand.

Hobbs On Stand.
When the exchange Of legal hostili.
ties and amenities incident to the trial
of Lieut.-Gov. BiIbo ceased. upon ad-
journment Of court by Judge Teat,
there was no one connected with the
case who was sufficiently posted to be
able to predict when the end of the
trial would be reached. However, it
seems to be a pretty safe conjecture
that it will be a week before the case
gets to the jury.
The situation up to the present Is
this: Each side has put on what it
believes is its strongest direct evi.
dence, which is that of Stephen B,
Castleman, "the man with the roll"
who has figured as the star witness
on the stand for the prosecution dur
ing the double section trial in two
counties, and G. A. Hobbs, who has
testified once in his own defense and
again this week in behalf of his friend
and his alleged co-conspirator, who
was jointly indicted with him.
There is one more important de-
Tense witness to be heard, which is
Theo. G. Bilbo himself, who will doubt
less be placed on the stand soon.
While the state has not disclosed its
line of rebuttal testimony, it is said
there are several other witnesses on
that side of the fence to be heard.
Whether this will include Miss Matte
Plunkett, state librarian, whose name
was first on the list of state witnesses,
Is considered doubtful. This lady was
wanted by the state, but for some rea-
son, not satisfactorily explained, she
was not accessible, and, so far as is
known. is still missing. There Is cor
siderable curiosity as to her where
abouts, indefinite and current rumor
placing her In Birmingham, Ala, where
she may possibly be.
The absence of this important wit
ness has really been one of the seri-
GUS situations of this noted trial, for
the reason that each side seems to
have built considerably on her part in
the drama.
There Is a probability that the state
will recall Castleman, who has been
waiting around for two days, having
been advised to remain, and also that
Ira Sample, the mystery man." and a
few others viii be called on. It Is also
considered possible that Gov. Brewer
will be on the list of rebuttal wit
nesses and that Senator Hobbs will be
recalled by the defense in sur-rebut-
tai.
The probabilities are that there will
be some further clashings and ex-
changes Of hostilities before the case
is ended, while the battle royal will
come when the time for instructions
to the jury is reached.
1t was gathered that there will be
no further character testimony offered
Of any kind, either by the state or
the defense. The defense mad sum-
moned some 500 witnesses of this
kind, and it was stated that practically
all Of these witnesses have been ex-
cused, and have been advised that
they may return to their homes.
The proceedings were featureless
after Senator Hobbs was excused. fol-
Hwing his seven hours OF testimony,
direct and cross. He made a remarka-
bly, cool witness and showed no dispo-
sition to run counter to the court in
his statements to the jury. He stuck
to his story, refuting outright many
Of the statements of C%astleman, deny.
ing the payment Of any money or the
completely of Bilbo in his transactions
with the Bohemian.