Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-05-27
CHANGE Plea TO
mot GUILTY.
Surprise Sprung In "Cold Check"
Cases When Hubert McCalPs
Case Is Called In Court.

The "cold check" cases took a
surprising turn when circuit court
was reconvened, this afternoon.
Hubert Mccall, who was indicted
in two cases, withdrew his plea
of not guilty, made at his examin-
ing trial, and on previous arraign-
ment before this court, and enter
ed a plea of not guilty. The
charge against him will there
fore, be tried out on its merits.
There was some delay in secur-
ing a jury. The regular panel
was exhausted before IL men
could be found who had not form
ed and expressed an opinion in the
case. Most of those who were
excused, said that they had heard
the cases talked of or had read of
it in the newspapers.
1t was three o'clock before the
jury was finally completed, and
attorneys began statements sof
the case. Mccall is charged with
obtaining goods under false pre-.
lenses from Hamilton Bros, of
this city, by giving them check
on the State Bank &. Trust Co..
of this city, when he had no funds
therein. The check was for $44s50'
and was in payment for some
shoes and suit he bought from
them, it is alleged, under the alias
of Charley Johnson. the name.
that is signed to the check.
The court room was packed
again to itAcapacity this after
noon, when the cases were called
Hubert Mccall and his wife, Alice
Mccall, who is also under indicts
ment ona similar charge, sat be-.
hind their attorneys.
They had their two babies IN
their laps. One is little boy Of
two years and the other is a little
girl of four. Both slept in their
parents arms; wholly unaware of
the serious predicament that they
faced, The mother cried all dur
ing the examination of the jury
men. Judge He Rice, of this
city, is sitting with the counsel
for the defendantss during this
trial. issssssss ss.-51 E1z-s
The statements Of attorneys to
the jury was beginning as the
Daily Registers rzport for today
closed.
Coy Hatton Gwh Three Years.
Gov Hatton was given three years
in the penitsntiary BY a jury in cir
: euit court this morning on his plea OF
guilty of having given a fraudulent
check for $44 to Hamilton Bros. OF
this city, for goods obtained.
Hatton's case. was the first of the
four "cold checks" cases to be given
to a jury for judgement, when the
trials of the indictments against them
were called by Judge Shackelford this
morning. There is one other indict-
ment against Hatton; in fact, two
against each of the defendants, the
others being Hatton's wife anc
Hubert and Alice Mccall. Judge
Shackelford- passed hearing Of thu
other cases until after dinner, as the
attorneys were engaged in lengthy
conferences.
An immense crowd was in ths
circuit court room when these cases
were called this morning. No case II
some time has attracted so much in
terest. 1t is understood that an ef
fort is being made to have the twt
men tried, and the cases agains
their wives continued if possible. ON
of the women has four-months' oil
baby, it is claimed, and the other ha'
two very small children. In addition
to this plea, which is being made b:
the attorneys for the defense, it i
claimed that the two families have ou
a large crop of tobacco, which will b
utterly lost if all are sent to the peni
tentiary.
The four defendants appeared il
court this morning when their name
were called. and thus upset predic
tions of many that siicy would forfei
their $4,000 bond, and skip out rathe
than face certain penitentiary terms
They were represented by an array Q
able counsel. In addition to Attorne
A. r. Burnam, Jr., of this city, Al
torney Mat Walton, of Lexington
again appeared for them and thes
two very prominent lawyers were as
sisted by County Attorney w. e. Ban
ter, of Jessamine county.
~ A former demurrer to the indlc'
ment was entered by Attorney Bul
nam, but promptly overruled by tt
court. Hubert Mccall then signed a
affidavit setting forth grounds for
continuance of the cases outline
above.