The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-12-15

Under the sharp and persistent cross
examination of Attorney R. V. Baker,
associated with A. L. Drury in the de-
Tense of Frank Martin, on trial for
bribery, Tom Fleming on the witness
stand this morning in the circuit court
managed to retain his non-committal
attitude. Martin is charged with brib
cry of Tom Fleming, former town
chairman of Salem. Baker kept up
rain of questions that played about
Fleming's person like a play of little
iron hammers, yet Fleming's answers
were smothered in vagueness, and, like
yesterday, his moustache acted as an
effectual screen for his own protection.
Baker sought to show up the relation
of Fleming as former town chairman
of Salem and supervisor of the county
board with an alleged gambling circle
of Kenosha and Kenosha county, and
what rake-off, if any, he received in the
alleged conducting Of gambling places
in Salem. Fleming's recollection, how
ever, appeared to be of the poorest.
He could not remember exactly when
he had first met Frank Martin at his
resort at Silverlake and could place
the time no nearer than sometime
during the summer of 1919" Fleming
could not remember what persons were
about or the conversation that exactly
took place, although he remembered
being offered roll of bills which Mar
tin, he said, thrust into his coat pocket
and which he, Fleming, threw upon the
floor in rejection
did you not say to Martin<that you
were not getting your share of the
gambling profits? 2" Baker asked Elem
ing
NO, sir" replied Fleming.
"Did you not ask him if he wanted
slot machines in his place"
"No, sir
Didn't you say others were having
slot machines and that you were get
ting so much money!
"No, SIR
"At that time, did you not know who
the operatives were who were contrib
uting towards you?" asked Baker.
Eyes, sir" replied Fleming somewhat
surprisingly.
"Isn't it fact that Martin was the
only one who did not contribute to
you?" asked Baker.
Walker interposed an objection to
the question as not proper cross-eXarn-
ination and the objection was sus-
tanned Fleming was on the stand up
until noon today, with the defense at
tempting to refresh the recollection of
Fleming as a witness and test his
credibility.
A good deal of the testimony in the
case of the state VS.. Frank Martin of
Silverlake, on trial for bribery, got
lost in the busy grey moustache of
Tom Fleming, chief witness for the
state, who beginning at a quarter of
four o'clock Monday afternoon, took
up most of the time until five-thirty
o'clock when court adjourned until
this morning. Fleming's voice, natur-
ally mild and low, hardly penetrated
farther than the desk of the court re-
porter, and time and again the court
had to request the witness to speak
louder, while the jurors farthest away
from the witness stand declared that
much of the testimony was running
away from them, like water out of the
bottom Of leaky pail.
Court in Flippant HumOr.
The snowfall of the early afternoon
had decorated the streets with the
skill of the master artist, Dame Ma
ture, and without cost to the merch-
ants, even painting their lilies for
them, as it were, by touching the man.
made evergreen decorations on the
lightpoles with bright white flakes
The holiday spirit that was abroad in
the streets penetrated to the court
room, and as lawyers in opposition
chaffed each other, the court now and
then Joined in, and gravity was not
essentially of the time or place. The
defendant, Frank Martin, himself smil-
ed from time to time, as though he
did not regard the role in which he
ound himself over-seriously. 1t was
he holiday mood, and only with an
fort did the court and attorneys
axe it off, succeeding at last, how
er, and settling down seriously to
ern business as the testimony in the
Sc presented itself.
ury Peppers Case With Objections.
Frank Martin is on trial on indict-
mt charging bribery on two counts.
first count alleges that he offered
Fleming in June, 1919, bride
the end that he, Tom Fleming, then
ervisor of the county board and
\ chairman Of the town IF Salem.