The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-03-10

Omitted Press Leased wtre.)
SEATTLE, March 10.
Sensation followed sensation
swiftly today in the cross-ex-
animation of Logan Billings
ley, Bookkeeping king, in the
booze graft conspiracy trial OF
Mayor Gill, Chief OF Police
Rockingham, ex-Sheriff Hodge
and City Detectives Peyser,
POOIman, McLennan and
Doom.
First camo the declaration by
Bilingsley that his attorney,
George Vandeveer, who has been a
close friend Of the mayors for a
number of years, made all prelim-
mary arrangements for the city's
compromise with the Billingsley
brothers and told Logan not to Of
fer Gill less than $500 when he
went to the mayor for incriminat-
ing evidence SURRENDERED to him
on August 80.
Called Himself Allen.
Then came with startling
abruptness the revelation that
Billingsley went to Portland, Oct.
IA, 1916, with a woman not his
wife and registered at the Oregon
hotel as CLAY Allen and wife"
Clay Allen is U. S. district attor-
ney here in charge of Billingsley'
prosecution. He said Allen was
one of his aliases.
That Billingsley and his broth
ers had held at least three confer
| ences at night in the office of
Acknowledgement Maurice Thomp-
son of the National Guard with
Police Sergeant Putnam, of the
| dry squad, at which evidence was
gone over, was also alleged.
The Vanderveer charge was
brought out by Attorney Tucker
before he completed his cross-ex.
animation on behalf of Mayor
Gill. The next two startling bits
of testimony were brought out by
Attorney Walter Fulton on behalf
of the chief of police.
Sandwiched in between the fin
ish of fuckers examination and
that of Fulton which was still in
progress at noon, came that of At
torney Bell, representing Hodge.
Billingsley' said his contribution
of $1,000 to Hodges campaign
fund when the latter was running
for governor in the primaries last
fall and his loan of $500 to him
were made without any promise
Or agreement.
That the government is count
ing on other witnesses to sustain
it's charge against Hodge was in
Dictated.
No mercy was shown Billings
ley by Tucker and Fulton in their
efforts to show him up as the
slayer of his father-in-law, desert
| er of his wife and a baby boy,
wholesale briber of policemen in
three dry states where he sold
whisky as a bootlegger, and as a
| constant Trainer of false charges
and suits made necessary by the
character of the business he has
followed.
NOT q IttIe GEORGE.
They Numbered at him cease
lessly in an effort to get direct an
swers to their questions which
we're adroitly framed to show him
as thoroughly undependable as a
witness and without conscience, as
the corrupter of public officials.
| II don't claim to be a young
George Washington was one of
Billingsley's stock replies when he
was pressed to admit he was a
common liar"
Court adjourned at 1890 p. m.
until Monday morning.
Attorney Sarcastic.
Bilingsley, head of giant whis-
ky syndicate, which operated here,
had testified that he corrupted the
officials and received protection
after paying Gill $4,000, Aug. 80.
Have you ever been charged
with anything more serious than
MURDER" demanded Attorney
Wilmon Tucker, who is defending
Gill, in going into Billingsley's
Oklahoma record.
NO." drawled Billingsley, II
don't think / have"
1t was brought out and Billings
ley admitted, that he killed his
father-in-law after being charged
with a statutory offense before he
married his first wife. Billings
ley was first convicted and later
acquitted on manslaughter
charges.
But he held hts own with clever
ingenuity against the opening on
slaughts of the defense.
How many times were you ar
rested in Oklahoma" Tucker
asked Billingsley.
More times than your records
will show" was the quick reply.
TODAY'S CLEARINGS