Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-02-13
STATES JAIL PRICE
 OF HIS SUPPORT OF SENATOR NEWBERRy
Witness Declares He was Civ. en Choice of Free
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Grand Rapids, Mich, Feb. 12.-Wil- liam H. McKeighan, former alderman and mayor of Flint, Mich, who ir August, 1918, was under sentence to the penitentiary for assault and rob bery, leader in the Newberry cleo tions conspiracy trial, today said that if he supported Truman H. Newber- ry in the primary his case would be reversed by the state supreme court, but otherwise he would "be left to go to jail"
 Fletcher is state labor commission CT, with offices at Lansing. The witness said the remark was made in the presence of Paul King, Newber- ry campaign manager; Fred Castater. a Detroit alderman, and Fred Henry of Flint, deputy under Fletcher. All three are also defendants. The incident, McKeighan said, occurred behind the prescription case of a drug store.
 Under cross examination McKeigh- an said he knew nothing against the integrity of the Michigan supreme court or any member of it and when asked if he believed Fletchers state ment, replied:
 Politics is funny. I was taking no chances"
 The testimony came to an end which comparatively few witnesses were heard. w. J. Crotty, a former employe of the Newberry estate, told tpvi hrvfs fund by John Newberry, brother of $15,000 and $20,000 by June 15, 1918. told of his conviction on the assault and robbery charge and said he was facing from two to 15 years in pris- on when the four defendants called on him before the primaries of Au-I gust 27, 1918.
 "I was in the front part of the stire when Henry entered and ask ed to speak to me in private" said McKeighan. "We stepped behind the prescription case and he told me that there were three gentlemen out side who wanted to see me, but that they did not wish to be seen visiting me and asked if I would wait behind the case for them. I said would and Henry went out and returned with Fletcher, Castrator and King.
 Iron Rough Spots.
 "It was about a week or 10 days before the primary. King said he was making his last trip through the state ironing out the rough spots spots the boys couldn't smooth out. l yn hn fhnvnpht hn hol n,I md see what was the matter. l old him there was nothing the mat ,er, but that I couldn't do anything Tor him as I was not for Newberry. King told me big expense ac- count would be allowed for my work ITS if did not need any money my 'elf and told him l didn't need that was not for New perry and didn't intend to be. { Fletcher spoke up and said: T old you before we came up here hat there was no use talking money o him. know how to straighten Jim out. McKeighan has been with ne before. He knows how I stand n Lansing and regardless of whether lewberry goes as United States enator, we will still retain power n the state of Michigan: and he .nows well enough that his case is Ip in the supreme court and am in hape so'I can see whether it is af- irmed or reversed, and that if he vants to get out and work for New 'erry we will see he doesn't go to ail. His case will be reversed. Newberry carries the state f Michigan or not, it doesn't matter. f you carry this district for us we vill take care of you; if you don't ou are going to jail
 McKeighan said Fletcher added hat "he didn't care to have me prom SC what would do, because they yould know by watching the returns,' "Atfer this talk what did you do ?" sked Judge Eichhorn.
 "Why I figures it was safe to lay on the safe side of it so,we kind f decided we would be for New erry," McKeighan said. "Two of ny main supporters in the different lections happened to be in the ront part of the store and I walked ut in front. told them of the con- 'ersation, what it meant, the way it vas put up to me. Now, I says we letter see that Newberry gets a cry good vote up here; don't care whether he wins or not"
 "Was the district carried for New ,erry ?"
 "It was." What became of your case!'' [ "It was reversed"