Graham guardian., 1918-02-08
THESUPERIOR COURT
Jury Finds Neaves, Chapman
and Elkins Not Guilty
Of Bootlegging

The trial of Francis Neaves,
Arthur Bennett, Frank Gregory,
w. E. Chapman and Fred Elkins,
who were arrested December %,
1917, on their way here with a
cargo of whiskey, and lodged in
Jail on a charge of transporting
liquor into the State, came up for
trial in the Superior Court Tues
day morning.
Counsel for defendants, Nor
man Johnson. of Globe, presented
affidavits of three citizens, who
swore that a fair trial could not
be secured before Judge Nc
Alister, who was therefore dis
qualified and Judge Frank Laine
was telephoned to come over
from Clifton and try the case.
Judge Laine arrived Tuesday
evening and the case went to
trial Wednesday morning. A
jury was secured and the rest OF
the day was taken up hearing
evidence in the case.
One of the defendants, Francis
Neaves. was not present, having
been arrested in Globe on a charge
of stealing the automobile which
accompanied the auto containing
the whiskey which was brought
into the State from New Mexico,
and extradition papers from the
governor of New Mexico being
honored by Governor H u n t,
Neaves was taken to Deming to
stand trial.
1t developed that there was
very little evidence against Frank
Gregory and the case against
him was dismissed.
Arthur Bennett, one of the de-
PENDANTS, then pleaded guilty and
stated that Neaves, Chapman
and Elkins were innocent in the
matter.
The trial proceeded with Chap
man, Neaves and Elkins as de-
PENDANTS and continued during
yesterday until the afternoon,
when it went to the jury.
The jury returned with ver-
dict of not guilty at 4:30 p. M.
and Neaves, Chapman and Elkins
were cleared of the charge.
Arthur Bennett, who pleaded
guilty. was sentenced at $50 this
morning to pay a fine of $3.50. 90
and fifteen months in Jail. On
account of today being a legal
holiday, Judge Laine may have
to resentence Bennett.
The trial Of Walter Chesser, on
the charge of transporting liquor
from Pima to Hot Springs came
up for trial yesterday while the
first jury was out.
Chesser's capture was effected
by Deputy Sheriff Kempton, who
was returning home Saturday
evening from below Hot Springs.
Deputy Kempton was informed
by a man, as he was crossing
the river, that a trunk full of
whiskey had been unloaded from
the evening train at Pima and
was on its way to Hot Springs.
He Immediately returned to Eden
and secured a search warrant
and then started for Hot Springs.
On the road. returning to Eden,
he met Alec Waters, who had
taken Chesser and the trunk to
Hot Springs. Taking Waters
with him, he continued on until
he reached the Springs, where
he met Chesser coming out of
the hotel and placed him under
arrest. The trunk was found in
the bath house.
Chesser denied the trunk was
his property, but Walters identi-
fed him as the man who gave
him the check for the trunk and
that he had taken him and the
trunk to Hot Springs.
Deputy Kempton brought Ches-
ser and the trunk here to the
county Jail Chesser gave a cash
bond of $1,000 Monday for his
appearance in court Tuesday
morning. He failed to show up
Tuesday morning and his bail
was forfeited.
His case came up for trial
yesterday afternoon. a jury was
secured and 4:45 o'clock, the case
was placed in the hands of the
jury, which returned to the court
court at 500 o'clock with ver-
dict of guilty.
This man Chesser is not the
Walter Chesser who formerly
lived here, but is a saloonkeeper
in Lordsburg, N. NJ. and the
alleged partner of Jim Cash, form
er sheriff of Greenlee county.
v ednesday morning, Lucy
Cameron the nonular female