The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-18
POKER DEBTS PAID
 WITH EXPRESS LOOT
 WITNESS DECLARES
Hughes Says He Stole From g 1917 Till Arrest In 1920,
 Dividing Shipments With
 Others Held In Case
By Associated Prns.

Macon, Ga, March 1T-Many valuable express shipments alleged to have been stolen by messengers were used to pay poker debts contracted in games on the trains, w. A. Hughes. former messenger. informed jury in United tSates district court here this afternoon in the trial of more than 50 persons on charges of com spiracy to steal from the United states government.
 It developed that Hughes has been un- der guard for some time, and that the court has ordered that he be closely guarded throughout the trial because of alleged threats that have been made upon his life if he gave damaging testimony at the trial, Hughes said that he han had conversations with all but two of the defendants in regard to stealing express shipments.
 On one occasion Hughes said that c. R Baker, d conductor. negotiated with him for the purchase of bicycle, and that the wheel was carried up and down the road by C. R. Brinson. who was on an opposite run, failing to make the delivery to Baker on each trip.
 ~ FURIOUS OVER DELAY
 .0ne day., said Hughes. Baker $ trair. met mine and he stuck his head in my door and furiously yelled. Where's my bicycle@ signalled to him to keep quiet.
 Next day" the witness continued, T met Baker and told him that he played hell, that there was a route agent on my car. don't care, he quoted Baker as saying, I want that bicycle. We had a big laugh over 1t.
 He declared Baker was so furious that he would not pay him more than s25
 Prior to the fall of 1917 messengers were required to account for all shipments lost, he said He told of the increases in ship ments after that time and the impossi- bility of keeping records because of tho congestion.
 He said he stole from the fall of I191i until August 1920. when he was arrested Ninety-nine times out of hundred he said, he divided the ship ments with the defendants present.
 The witness related how doors be- tween the express cars were thrown open on trips That gave us two cars of shipments to look over to see if there was anything that we wanted" he explained.
 POKER GAMES FREQUENT
 Then, we often played poker to- gether on the runs. played frequent ly with J. L. Johnson, C. F. McMillan, and c. w Pearce, three of the defanc- ants.
 We did not talk much about steal ing while we were playing, but when one of us went broke we had to get something out of the shipments to sell , to the winning players so that we could get more money with which to continue the game"
 w c. Nixon and Ernest Fields were named as the first who told him about stealing Fields it is reported, is in the Philippines. Three others wanted by the government are said to nave skipped out
 "After 1917, the practice of receiv- ing orders for goods became general The railroad men would give orders for suits of clothing. automobile tires specifying the sizes that they should be; ladies' underwear and other things Later on, they not only called for things that they could use themselves but for things that they could sell to other people,
 Hughes enumerated transactions with different defendants as the roll call was begun. Only five names were reached up to the time of adjourn- ment. which indicates that Hughes will be on the stand four days.