Arizona republican., 1921-05-06
VALENTINE DAY PLAYS PART IN
 FR|DLEY STORY
Weage, Accused Of Being One Of Kidnapping Crew, Recalls That On Day Mentioned He Was At Daughters Party

Good St. Valentine, whose usual haunts are far removed from the sol emn interiors of halls of justice and whose patrons are children and young lovers instead of those who are connected with the sordidness of a criminal investigation, stepped in to the United States district court yesterday afternoon and took a prominent part in the trial of Roy A. Fridley, former prohibition en- forcement officer, who is charged with having conspired to violate the federal statutes and whose case has been a subject of citywide interest | during the week.
 The entrance of St. Valentine into the case was brought about in the testimony offered by Fred A. Weage, United States deputy marshal, and his wife and daughter, Miss l Gladys Smiley, in denial of Fridleys 1 charge that he left the state while under 5000 bond because he had been kidnapped by Weage, Luther Mechanism and "a tall dark. thin man" on the night of February A. l F'ridley alleged that after he had been taken to Maricopa he was given railroad ticket to Los. Angeles and | $200, and forced to go aboard a west bound train under threats that he would be bumped off if he stayed | in Phoenix.
 At Supper Party
 In fixing his movements on the day in question, Weage said that he was certain of his knowledge of them especially in the evening, because February If was St. Valentines day, which had ben impressed upon him by the fact that young man, a friend of his daughter, had taken supper with the Weage family and had presented the young woman with 1 a valentine over which there had been some joking. After supper, Weage said, the young man had re- mained at the house until about mid night
 Weage followed this testimony with a detailed denial of the allega- | tions which had been made against him by Fridley with regard to the kidnapping and with regard to any animus against the defendant. He also told how he searched Fridley's rooms after the latter's arrest The search was made, he said, in the | presence of Fridley's wife, and noth- ing had been found.
 | Weage'S testimony was corroborat- ed by his wife and Miss Smiley. Mrs. Weage described the valentine in question, saying that when the young man presented it to her daughter it was found that instead of rep resentation of one boy handing flow CTS to girl, as had been the manu- lecturers intention, there were two boys, which had aroused laughter around the dinner table, Miss Smiley said that he had driv- en to the house about o'clock in the evening with MT. and Mrs. Weage and that her sisters friend was there for dinner. She also told about the l al len fnS h of Weage had remained home all even- ing to join with the young people in a few hours of music and singing Even Judge William H. Sawtelle. who has been careful during the entire trial to preserve strict air of de- corum in his court room, smiled when the witness, in answer to Attorney Spencer B. Pugh. Fridley's counsel l who had asked if the young man was a member of the family. remarked: "Not Yet, Sir"
 "Oh. no. siri Not yet, sir!"
 Another important witness for the |. government, and one who had been mentioned by Fridley in the 75-page typewritten statement which he made before R. F.. l.. Shepherd, county at torney and which has been used as a basis for much of the testimony in troduced by the government, was W. T. Webb. federal prohibition director for the state of Arizona. Webb had been charged by F'ridley with having told Al Jones of Yuma, who is in dicted with Fridley on the conspiracy charge, that he would give Jones 5000 if he would testify that Fridley had brought whiskey illegally from Yuma to Phoenix, and that in addi- ton. he had offered to put up bond of s15,000 to insure Jones against prosecution.
 Fridley's statement had been tha, Webb made his offers before MT. and Mrs. Alex Balsz of Yuma, whose son. in-law Jones is. Both MT and Mrs Balsz testified during the afternoon that they had never known Webt until last Monday when they haC been asked to come to Phoenix tC testify in the Fridley case. and the, denied that any converse ton hat been held between Webb and Jone: in Yuma.
 Webb followed this with the decla. ration that he had never seen any of the Balsz family until this week and with an emphatic denial that h. had ever dealt with Jones. who il now believed to be in Mexico. H. testified that Fridley, after his ap pointment as a prohibition enforce ment officer had made several com plaints to him that government of ficials were selling liquor illegally and that each time he had toll F'ridley to get his evidence, arres the men implicated and prescott them. He said Fridley never ha, made any written statements to hir and that the allegations were merel verbal charges.
 Says Liquor Was Stolen
 Webb then told how Fridley. afte he had seized truck of liquor at tn offices of the American Express com pany, had reported that it had bee stolen from his room at America Legion headquarters, and how he ha
 been cautioned to be more careful i
 the future. Webb said that he ha
 always preserved friendly relation
 with Fridley. as he did with all tn
 agents, because they were appointe
 largely upon his own recommends tio
 and he felt that therefore he was re
 sponsible for their actions
 The witness also said that he ha
 warned the agents not to mak
 searches or seizures without th
 proper warrants. and he denied em
 phatically that any question of poll
 tics as alleged by Fridley had eve
 entered into his relationship with th
 latter. When asked by Attorney Pug
 if the name of Ralph Cameron ha
 ever precipitated a dispute betwee
 himself and I'ridley. Webb said ths
 he had never had a dispute wit
 Fridley in his life and that the wor Cameron had never been uttered h