The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-27
MISSISSIPPI SUIT
 DRAGGING SLOWLY
Seems to Be Getting Along Very Well Without All the
 Insurance Companies

insurance C0inpdflleS
 Jackson, Miss, June 26.-(SpecialO The billion dollar antitrust suit in- stituted six months ago by State Rev. evnue Agent Stokes V. Robertson against the nearly 150 fire insur- ance companies then doing business in Mississippi, is dragging its slow length along toward the supreme court, but unless better progress is made during the last half of the year than was made during the first half, 1t will be six more long months be- fore it reaches that tribunal.
 Several things have eonspired to cause slow progress. In the first place 6 number of interlocutory mo- tions have been made, to which de- murrers were flied thus forcing the court into side issues that ptoved to | be of absorbing interest. The com | panies were enjoined from withdraw | ing from the state, the proposition to appoint three receivers to take charge of the funds caught in the l hands of the local agents was fought stuhbornly, but won there was then | wrangla as to whether the revenue agent or the insurance commissioner | should have first whack at the funds, | Nlie lstAtI WAHuADS. dS d ldTBe sun was to be applied to past due taxes l for the privilege of doing business, a large number of depositions were to- be taken, many of them in New York and ether cities that happen to be the headauarters Of the companies, and these ne to be read to the court. l During the entire week just eended Maj. A. A Weille, director general of the Mississippi rating and advis- ory bureau, has been on the witness | box by the state
 | Take, Litue Interest
 l The people of Mississippi are talk
 ing very little interest in this case and the only persons to be found around the chaneery courtroom are Judge V, ]. Stricker. two or three attorneys for each side and the stenosrapher. When the suit was first filed last January it was pre- | dicted that the state would be ruined eYeTlastin gly that no business man could get fire insurance and that business would stagnate. None of that has come to pass. Governor Rus sell was appealed to for special session of the leg sislature so that present antitrust laws miglSt be re- pealed. on which it was said the in- suranca companies would be kind
 
 l help her over the rough places they seemed to imagine had been made by tneir Withdrawal. But Governor Russell refused, and the disastrous pfedletions made have not material ized.
 A QuadrupIe Murder
 For the first time in the history of Mississippi courts one man is on trial for the murder of four differ 1 ent persons at one and the same tune. few weeks ago negro named Gus Davis was arrested. charged with the murders. Feeling ran high in lazoo county and his case was sent tc Hinds on change or venue A special venire was drawn and jury secured in short oroer. Davis had quarrel with Mack Gibson in his cabin home grabbed a shotgun and shot him through the heart Gibson,s wife ran from the house and was also shot down Davis then threw the | bama.
 T am not contendlng that the roads already constructed with fed eral aid in Alabama, or in any other state. are being maintained exactly | as they should be, but l do insist that the present federal aid law is doing great good and is far better for the masses or the people in Alabama and Tn the other states than the Town send national highway bill. which sounds the death knell of federal aid for rural postroads and farm-to- market roads in the various states. Under the present law the south ern states can obtain federal aid for the construction of postroads and 1arm- market roads. Under the present law the people of the states build these roads where the local au- thorities think they are most needed. and the different sections can obtain federal aid for the building of such rural postroads and farm to market rcads if they can raise the money to match the federal fund. Under the proposed law, however, the present cooperative plan between state and federal government is destroyed, and not dollar can be obtained for the building of rural postroads and farm to- market roads in any state in the union.
 'In view of the confusing and ir- relevant statements now being circu- lated by MT. Rountree through the press of Alabama regarding the is-. sue peiore the senate, reel It my duty to acquaint the people of the state which the truth regarding the present and proposed law on the sub ject of federal aid in the building of public roads in the various states" PATTON PAYS POLITICAL
 PENALTY BY LOSING OFFICE
 Washington, June 26.-(Special. )-- The Senate has confirmed the ap-