Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-09-16
FAIRFIELD CASE STILL IN
HANDS OF JURY
CONTINUED from Page y

II. DO.WClo, II. ,. Newton, l.. L.
Huff, G. w. Cook, w T Cater, A.
NJ. Braydon, I. NJ. Hyde, Charles Ma
nooch, Roy Deesc, J. O. Milligan, G
5. Smith, J. M. Berry, B. w. Mayo
and w M Martin testified that they
did not enter into any agreement with
Fairfield or anybody else to damage
the property Of the A. B. & A. rail
road or to interfere with any of its
present employees.
O. D. German chairman of the
Brotherhood of Railway Photographers
testified that he had not formed nor
entered into any conspiracy to pre-
vent Receiver Bugg from operating
the road.
The defense made d strenuous effort
to get in testimony from the witnesses
to the effect that the strike which be-
gan last March was justified by the
acts of the officials of the rail road
but Judge Cover sustained the objec-
tons of Solicitor General Wall to
the admission of this testimony and
ruled it out,
The court held that the walkout OF
the strikers was not an issue in the
trial of Fairfield The jury was sent
from the room while counsel for the
state and defense argued on this issue
Following a short recess, during
which attorneys for the defense con
suited with Fairfield, the defendant
too kthe stand. His statement lasted
for more than an hour, When Fairfield
started on his statement his attorneys
went into consultation and Solicitor
General Wall retired to the grand
Jury room to take up the alleged Reed
murder case.
Fairfield began his statement with
a rather long-drawn-out history of
his life leading up to the arriva' n
Fitzgerald in March of last year
'SA yDouJ vi Sdi'lESd
81 belong to union he stated
because I think it is a right step for
laboring man. Doctors. Mcrch-
ants, druggists, capitalists and every
body else are organized. Labor has
Just as much right to be organized
as any other bransh of people. We
arc organized to protect ourselves,
and when I say protect ourselves.
mean to get good living, to be able
to send our children to school and
20 live decently as all people have
the right to do.
| wish to enter a Tat denial to hay
ing intimidated any present employee
oi the A. B. & A. and &c having at
tcn.p.'l to DESTROY tn, company's
property have done nothing OF
The kind and the witnesses who have
sworn shat have c,~scd and threat
trcd 'hcm have sworn /: lsely.
have trIcdto make other : I'll uphold
the .aw and protect the company's
property.
i am i:nocen: gentlemen" con-
cir'!@d the witness
'N:h Fairfiel,''s s's;er,.r. finished
The d"fcnS,: announced that it would
rcst its case
Fl. e Howard recalled, testified that
one of the strike breakers on the en-
CINE on the night of 1uly4 got off near
the picket post and made threats
against the former employees of the
road. With this in testimony. both
sides rested and the attorneys were
allowed two hours each in which to
argue the case.
w. f. Boney D. Il. Butler, w. M
Butler. T. o. Linneman and Lonnie
Cox, negro, all of whom were or
the engine on the night of July 5th
Swore they were fired upon by the
strikers on picket duty near the raj
road shops. Cox was the first negro
that testified since the trial of the case
begsp. Edward Mcdonald testified
that Frank Waters striker crrsed and
beat Sam Sp,'l prese,; employee oi
the A. B. & A.
H. K. Sigh testified that T. NJ
Bishop and other strikers came to
hum and asked him to refuse to rent
any property to present employees OF
the road. The state introduced this
testimony in an effort to refute alleg-
alton of the defense that none of the
strikers attempted to Interfere with
Che present employees
J. H. Snellgrove told the Jury that
{. O. Russell, striker said he would
blow the shops into he'll il he could
get into the place for a few minutes
J, b. Matthews testified to hearing
en- explosion near Muselwhite in which
part of the track was blown up The
State closed its case at this point and
the defense began the introduction of
its testimony
The time allowed for counsel to
speak in misdemeanor cases is thirty
minute, but after the attorneys for
the defense had insisted on two hours
Judge Cover granted the request.
Carlysle Mcdonald made the open
ing for the defense followed bv Hal