St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1914-01-03
TESTIMONY IN
THE HOBBS
BRIBERY
CASE {.
MISS PLCNKETT MAKES A SEN.
sATIONAL WITNESS Against
STATE SENATOR HOBBS.
POSES IS FRIEND
COMPELLED TO TESTIFY
ooyS ut Was Over Ny Phone That
Hobbs Tclephoned to
Castleman.

Hobbs Tclephoned to
Castleman.
Vicksburg, Miss, Dec. IT."
was over my phone that Hobbs tel
phoned Castleman. Hobbs told n
he was in this fight to the death.
WAS afraid Hobbs would shoot til
governor. Hobbs said they go
him"
With these damaging statemen,
delivered from the witness stand b
Mis- Matte Plunkett. librarian 1
the Mississippi State Library. th
State in tho opinion Of the prosecu1
Ing attorneys. greatly strengthene
its case against Senator Hobbs.
This witness had been his ccnfider
tsal friend and advisor, and she wa
eorroborating the testimony Of tn
Governor Of the State.
Shortly after 8 p. m. the Stat
closed its case and the defense az
nrunced that Senator Hobbs al
Mayor Swep. J. Taylor. Of Jackson
would be called Monday and tn
cumming up would then be started
Climax Comes Like
Bolt, from SKY.
The day hid moved along smooth
y for the defense and It. was COY,
sedef that the testimony Of Lleutea
ant Governor Bilbo had aided 1t ma
tertal1y. 1t hal been rumoreG abou
inst Governor Brewer was sending
train load Of Witnesses, and IU:,.
lumber of them came. They test
nod to the good character Ut Steve
!. Castleman, the Dclzoni man, who
.AaEss Hobbs solicited and received s
tfibe from him. and another train.
load, more or less was OIL hand tt
testify that Cestleman's reputation
: 5br truth Ind veracity was no: good
IN the community n which he lives.
"A ~ common consent the defendan,
EAA had the better OF the argument
ail It was conceded that the best
die State. could hope for was "hune
Jury. The Attorneys for the de.
Tense and tho accused senator were
3ubilaht,, they had made out a strong
iisbb. i Filq.h.d a.
SIG Takes Stand.
Then Just Is the shades Of even
! iDE were deepening and the !awy ers
had to draw into the circle of cleo
t1ie Light from above their table, like
: bolt from the blue. Miss P!.:nket
vhzked down the elsie and took the
witness stand.
= The most tensely dramatic situa-
li0As 1nithes trial WAS at hand. and,
uneonseiously, this was felt By the
least eintsrested spectator in the
courtroom. A. the state librarian
Svofe TO tell the truth-the whole
eYuthLtho silence was absolute.
Not . jufyman stirred In his seat.
A representative Of the people
81 three counties of the State OF
Aieslssippi Was on trial, charged
With accepting = bride. The gov.
efnoF so1 the state had taken the
stand against him. and the lieu-
tenant governor, Jointly accused,
had attempted to save him. Now,
@hiG ffi6hd and confident was point
ing tho Accusing finger.
Not two feet. away from the wo-
man In the case sat the accused
legislator. flushed to the roots of his
sparse black hair, and with his keen,
piercing eyes glued on the twelve
men IN whom his fate IL locked. 1t
VAS the hrst time he had showed
emotion.
Minister Proved
Defense Witness.
The ono woman In Mississippi,
Who could effectively support the in
1ietments against him. was barring
The alleged secrets to the Jury and a
courtroom.
A few minutes before he sat un-
moved, while the friend Of his youth
'la9smAto and former companion Dill |
DRIED him before the world. All |
he sacred traditions treasured up in |
college had been cast to
ne wind when Rev. Homer H. Webb.
Baptist minister from Hatttesburr:.
old the jury the senator had talk ed
It the county bill and the use Of
money even before the legislature
I 1912 met.
Close upon the heels of this
eamc the woman who had said he
had told her all. and asked Pier to
intercede with the governor in hts
behalf and whom, she claj ms. he
threatened with q pistol.
Backed against the wall. ac.
eording to her testimony. thrown
hut BY his alleged false friends.
e was to Miss Plunke4 t Hobbs
looked for sympathy AZ I'd advice.
She gave It freely and then aired
both sides on the stanil today.
Miss Plunket has b. zen state Il
'arian for the past 70 urteen years.
10 u said to know me- re about Mis-
Bsippi politics than anyone else in
. state. About Yer has been
|elded one Of the bi'tterest political
hts Of recent times. Miss Punk i!
IL the unofficial " Bunty" OF Mis- ;
.eippi. and. It is 80 Id by Bilbo adj .
rents. she has bee n pulling the
rings during tho present admin
ration.
r Rtory Backs Il
! tho 0oyernor's. &
Tho story told by Miss Plunkett
I1nft11eea tAe DvaFnr's with the t
eepxon Of his statdmsnt that she