El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-27
JURY ACQUIT5
LAWYER WEEKS
Takes Them Only Seven
Minutes to Decide Against
ParTal Mexican.

After seven minutes Of deliberation.
the jury at noon Saturday brought in
a verdict of not guilty in the case Of
John F. Weeks, an attorney, charged
with the embezzlement Of s12S belong
ing to Nictoriano Ramos.
The arguments were short, consuming
less than an hour. Prior to the argu-
Fnents attorneys for the defence asked
TOT an instructed verdict of not guilty,
( winch Judge W. D. Howe, sitting as spe-
cal Judge IN the Saith district court, de-
med 1t was nearly - o'clock when the
case was given TO the jury and seven
minutes later thew filed IN.
Weeks Asked stiff Fee.
" men vs. eekS went on the stand Fri
Jay afternoon in his own defence he
tesufied that he became interested in
tne case OF Ramos and Saenz through
man named Sandoval, whom he had
previously represented. SandoTal told
nm. he stated. that he had some
5Ilenos who were in trouble with the
Separ tnent OF justice and who were
oelng held in the city jail and wanted
an attorney. On the representation
and solicitation Of Sandoval, he went
q lne Jail and talked with Saenz and
ramos IT told them ne continued,
mat IN view Of the character OF the
charges again them. I would not rep
resent them without a good stuff Zee
made arrangements for a $500 re-
retainer fee. II I succeeded in in Sc
sIrlng their release. the fee would be
be only $500 o."
Claims Men Were Satisfied.
eeks reviewed the conferences
he-a with the men and with military
and federal authorities and told of
receiving Sl52s from Ramos and Civ
ing him a receipt He also told Of Sc
curing Slzoe Of money supposed to be-
after the men had been informed
OF Gen Bells desire that they be de-
ported and they had consented 10 cross
the riveE. he and I J. Ayers, OF the
treasury department, he stated. flg-
ured out what was due the men after
Withholding the fees At the bridge,
I he stated, he turned over all the money
10 the men with the exception OF the
$1,000 attorneys fee ana S29 to pay
expenses incurred weeks declared
that his partner, Charles owen. had
nothing TO do with the negotiations
with Ramos and Saenz. he declared
that the men were wiling TO 90 back
20 Mexico of their own vOlitiOn and
that they were satisfied with all ar
engagements made.
Pinkney says Weeks Took Money.
: l. Pinkney OF the United states
secret service. went on the ST. Fri
dav afternoon He told OF making an
INVESTIGATION Of the charges brought
against Ramos and SaenZ. and OF telling
Weeks that he had no charges 10 pre-
fer against him He had taken charge
Of Sl30O-5o belonging 10 the men and
turned Ii over 10 LlElN the luAA-H 1Lat-
tiOn. taking their receipts for II, ne
said After this was done Weeks took
possession OF the money, he said
As they were leaving the police sta
ton the witness continued, Weeks SAID .
ct hope they kick the -- across :
the river
After I got 10 my office he phOned /.
me saving he understood that there 3
was $1,000 more belonging 70 nose
men" the witness said Il told MN 1
didn't have it, Later he phoned me tnat I
they wanted TO put the men across the /
river and wanted to get hold Of Mr.
AYERS said Found No Charges /
I. J. Ayers. special inspector OF the {
United States treasury department
told of first hearing Of the two men on !
Friday and that on Saturday ne ana
Mr.. Pinkney made a sort cf-joint inyes,
tigation. and he determined they nao
no charges against them
About 4;30 Saturday afternoon M
weeks came to my office and said he
had an order for some money 1 was
holding He said the army mad no
charges agiusr the men and he wanted
70 turn the money over 10 the men
had 1920 claimed by Saenz. I got II
from Mrs. Miller. who runs the Del no
hotel and had given her receipt lor
IT I Wouldn't turn the money over 10
M Weeks there. but went with him 10
the police station and there IN the
presence of the men the money was
turned over
Weeks Went 10 Bridge
In the cross examination he stated
that Afr. Weeks handed the men re
cent for the money. Mr.. weeks tolq
them the attorneys fee was $lvou anu
they agreed TO that M Weeks ana
figured that the amount due them Vas
sIa9Q after the fee had been taken out
Mr. Weeks agreed to go with them 70
the bridge and said he would turn the
balance over TO them there
Capt J. 3 Allison provost marshal
reviewed the events leading up 70 the
investig cation by the federal ana mil
ftary authorities He told OF witness
ing the turning over OF SlSV5-9u us -lI;
Pfnlznev The Nexicans then seemed
10 want more money and spoke OF
5000" he continued Mr. Weeks wrote
out an order for 1920 and the Me1lcahs
signed it
Gen. Bell Decided to DePOrt Men.
Later. he said. Cen Bell called him
over the telephone and said ne had oe-
cided TO have the MeXlcans uepoIteu-
He saw Mr. Berkshire OF the lInIhlsIa-
ton service he said, and he had some
Doubt about IT. He then saw city de-
fective VareIs. he said, ard told him 70
inform Ramos and Saenz that Cen Bell
wanted them deported, that IT would
take 10 DAYS TO get an order from I
washington for their deportation, but
that # they were willing TO go OF their
own accord. they would be put across
At once To this they agreed
The witness told OF Mr. Ayers COM
Ing 10 the station and Of turning *lzOO
over 10 the MeXicans- This money ne
said. finally passed into Weeks hands
When the men had secured their bag
gage at the hotel and were ready 10 go
across. Capt Allison said that he was
told 10 get the two envelopes in which (
the money had been placed and bring
them along. He gave them 10 Weeks
At the police station and Weeks handed /
the envelopes 10 the men at the bridge
Had these envelopes anything In 4
them" asked assistant district attor-
ney Del Harrington
They had something in them, the
witness replied
What did Mr. Weeks 90 towards OBJ .
tanning the release or the mem
Nothing
I AWTFR WEEKS. UNDER TRIAL
HTWSELFs CLIENTS CASE DELAYED {
Delay in trying the cases Of W c
l-flenn and LacE RUSSELL he'd TO |