The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-25

Stanza railway line, Field Marshal Won
Mackensen, Berlin records, has thrown
his men across the Danube at several
places, but just where is not stated.
Bucharest says that an attempt by
the Germans to cross the Danube at
Zimnitza. 20 miles southwest of Buch-
Arrest, failed. Fighting has been re-
ported in the region Of Silistria, on
Thompson this afternoon that after
the adjournment of court she sought
an introduction and with much ex-
uberance said, "Oh, 1 think you are
the grandest thing in the world"
To the men present Solicitor Thomp-
son did not appear to be particularly
grand" He appeared to be personifl-
cation of the calm, resourceful, mex
orable hand of the law.
He took hold of Overton, on the witness
stand in cross-exar1ination, at 1890 o clock
this morning and he never relinqulshed
his grasp on the defendant until after
o o'clock this afternoon. He took up the
story that Overton related under the
friendly guidance of Judge B. NJ Allen.
his leading counsel ana proceeded to
clarity the details of the killing Mr.
Thompson is the thunderous sort of a
He did not bully Overflow
But he was persistent. He wanted to
know everything to the minutest detail
and when he got through Overton had
told many things he had not
telling when he took the
stand.
OVERTON TELLS STORY
Overton got on the witness stand at
900 o'clock this morning. After statlns
that he was 4S years old and had lived in
Huntsville for 43 years. and related his
various positions up to this year, he
stated that he had known Judge Tom
Lawler for the past 20 years. He stated
that there was nothing unusual about his
campaign for probate judge against Judge
Lawler, and that he had never had any
trouble with the deceased prior to the
campaign. After the campaign Overton
testified he congratulated John Lawler,
a brother of the dead official on his
brothers victory at the polls.
IT told him. said Overton, that 1t
only took me an hour or two to forget
ADMITTED HANDING NOTE
Overton admitted giving Judge Lawler
a note on Wednesday afternoon, June "a,
and that the note read: Meet me In the
vault in basement" but that he mad
written such a note only after Judge
Lawler had brushed by him few mo-
81 want to see you for a few minutes"
Overton told of the meeting in the vault
and stated that Judge LAWYER wanted MS
aid and cooperation to nullify the work
of the present grand jury, which Overton
said Lawler admitted had already in
dicted him, and brought impeachment
proceedings against him.,
He also made an appointment to meet
me at Senator Spragins' office at o'clock
land that We
were to meet with Senator Sprag1ns to
arrange a plan whereby the grand jury
would do us no harm.
DO you mean to tell this jury said
Solicitor Thompson In cross-examlnatioIi'
that Judge Lawler proposed that you
and he should meet with Senator Spraglns
on Wednesday night, to arrange plan
to nullify the efforts of the county
SOLICITOR"
II object" roared Judge Allen.
DID NOT HAVE CONFERENCE
eve were to meet at Senator Spragins'
Office finally admitted Overton. but
he did not show up. but went to the
chautauqua, and Judge Lawler drove OIL
in my buggy down the Whitesburg PIKE;
On direct examination Overton said;
IT met Judge Lawler in the basement,
and he said, got your message from
and he said, 7 got your message from
I had congratulated his brother. fhe
Judge stated he had told Senator Spraglns
he was willing to meet me, but that
there had been no special reason Tor IL
then. But now there was reason, as
the grand jury was trying to destroy the
both of us, and that they mao inolceeu
him and recommended his impeachment
and also that the grand jury had waited
on him to get some testimony against me
hut that he had refused to give it, and
that now the time had arrived when we
could be of service to each other, and
to meet him at the office or senator
Spragins at o clock that night and thai
he would arrange the meeting. l Wen
to supper and returned and went to the
square where saw Judge Belts. The
chautauqua was in session. I went to
drug store and took drink, saw few
lights burning in the courthouse, ano
went to the office of Senator Spragins.
ut was dark and Judge Lawler came
up suddenly and said Senator Spragin'
had gone to the chautauqua. He sale
he had telephoned Mr.. Fletcher. sug
gested that we go to the chautauqua, bu
we separated and / went to my buggy
and a few minutes later he Joined ms
and said let's drive some. AS we drove
he said he was tired and wanted no more
trouble and he suggested we drive on thu
Whitesburg pike. 1t Is 10 miles t.
Whitesburg He stated that If l woule
indicate my political desires he woult
meet me the next morning in the Office
of Senator Spragins and arrange to re
tire at the end of the term and then II
support me provided we got together t.
render the work of the grand jury use
less. He said he wanted to complete MI
administration without trouble.
"At the ferry 1 stopped and suggested
that we had gone far enough. | crossed
the bridge alone, and when l came back
we walked toward the bridge, where W
again talked about the grand jury. Judg
Lawler told me that two of the CRANE
Jurors had voted for Drake, four for hin
and IL for me, and that we should map ou
q plan to see these men before morning Il
influence them not to bring in an un
favorable report. He discussed this op
Grafton in detail, and said the grand jur,
could do us no harm il we stood to
gether.
HE wanted me to see the u men VIII
voted for, named Acuff, Powers ant
Williamson. answered / could not thinl
of waking man in the middle of tn
night because he had voted for me t
influence him regarding his work as
grand Juror. He then insisted. and
told him in a positive way that I ha,
my own way of doing things, and h
then stated if the grand jury ruined hir
he would hold me personally responsible
| said, let us go, and then the judg
caught me and began cutting me. trie
to retreat and tripped and fell. He GU
me several times and we scuffled and &c
near the bridge railing.
JrcED PISTOL. AS CHR