Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-02-25
CONTEMPT CHARGE
MAY COME FROM 4
NEWSPAPER STORY.

ATLANTA, Ga, Feb. 24.-Will Judge
Ben H. Hill, of Fulton superior court
find Governor Hugh M. Dorsey
in contempt of court, if he discovers
that the governor-elect was response
BILE for the publication in the Atlanta
Constitution of an affidavit bearing on
the Boots Rogers highway robbery
trial which he had refused to allow
the governor-elect to put before the
trial jury?
Judge Hill announced yesterday, af-
ter he had declared mistrial in the
Rogers case because of the publica-
ton of the affidavit, that he was go
ing to investigate the circumstances
surrounding its publication" and that
if he found that anyone connected
with the defense was responsible for
its publication he would hold the par
ty or parties in contempt"
And now the Atlanta bar and the
Atlanta public are awaiting with keen
interest the next development. They
are waiting to see whether Judge Hill
discovers that the governor-elect was
responsible for the publication of the
affidavit; and to see whether the judge
will hold the governor-elect in con-
tempt of court and "send him to Jail,
as the Judge openly declared yester-
day he would do, should he find that
anyone connected with the defense"
inspired the publication.
A Wide Interest
Involving. as it does, so many prom
inent and notorious personages and
parties, the case has stirred more in
terest than any court trial since the
Frank case, in which Governor-elect
Dorsey won his spurs and his subse-
quent political triumph.
Boots Rogers. who was Dorsey's star
witness in the Frank trial, is indicted
for holding up factory paymaster
and robbing him of $1,000. The pay
master has identified Rogers as the
guilty man. Come to trial, Rogers is
represented by Governor-elect Dorsey.
Taking the stand in his own defense,
Rogers proclaims his innocence ana
accuses one B. ]. Yarter, taxl-cao
driver, not only of this but also an
other payroll robbery. Rogers asserts
that he and Detectives Pat Campbell
and John Starnes who worked up the
evidence for Dorsey in the Frank case,
autographed Yarter and overheard
him confess the two robberies to a wo-
nan connected with counterfeitlng
case. AS counsel for Rogers, Gov
erpor-elect Dorsey undertakes to put
I'm Campbell and Starnes as witnesses
TO corroborate Rogers photograph
story, Judge Hill rules them out.
When that trial adjourns for the day,
Judge Hill allows the jury to go home
warning them to read no newspapers.
Next morning the Atlanta Constitu-
ton comes out with Campbells am
Cavit relating the photograph plant
and over it a headline reading var
ter Admits Robbing Boykin, States
Campbell" On re-convening the trlal
Judge Hill demands to know if the
Jury have seen the publication, three
of them admit they read the head
line" which was on the front page
and Judge Hill declares mistrial. fol-
lowing which he announces that ne
will undertake to find out if anyone
connected with the defense was re-
sponsible for the publication of the al
fidayit.
B0ykin is Hunting.
Meanwhile, Solicitor John A. BoyhlI
who is prosecuting Rogers, and VINO
took occasion in the course of the trial
to rap City Detectives Campbell and
c+arneS for busying themselves 10