Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-03-21
JONES-SPEINGS ROW.
Continued From Page One.)
Yesterdays Proceedings.

ident Of the Lancaster Mercantile COM
pany, and now president of the First
National bank Of Lancaster, indicted
for misapprOpriation of the funds OF
the mercantile company, was resumed
here this morning at 10 O'Clock, Judge
|. w. Bowman presiding.
The great crowd that had assem-
bled to witness the third day of the
trial was well paid for its attendance,
for the first witness for the state ana
Claude II. Sapp Of counsel for the de-
fense engaged in an oral combat that
threatened at several junctures to
come to one of slightly more violent
nature. The command from the court
that both behave themselves, however,
cleared the atmosphere and when the
witness left the stand he and Mr..
Sapp bowed to each other.
Two Detectives Present.
Near counsel for the defense sat
two plainclothes men, minions OF a
great detective agency. Why they
were there both sides professed not to
know. Statements that they were
there as bodyguard to Charles ID.
Jones, the defendant, carried some
weight as the two men stayed on that
side of the arena. They had previously
obtained permission from the mayor
to carry weapons.
The presence of two ladies in the
audience brought an order from the
court to the sheriff that that official
see to their comfort.
Il see some ladies here" said the
court, "Mr. Sheriff, see to their com
fort. Ladies have every right to be
here"
Prominent among them was Mrs.
Jones, wife of the defendant, who sat
with her husbands counsel through
out the day. In the afternoon 20 or
80 more ladies came and We'd for
places with the men, though be it said
to the credit of South Carolina chival-
ry that none of them had to stand,
even if they did have to occupy back
seats. The court room is small, and
they could hear, even If they couldn't
see anything for the solid phalanX of
men standing in front Of them.
But two witnesses We're heard dur
ing the day, National Bank Examiner
Schechter for the state, and Charles
d. Jones in his own defense. Both of
them were powerful witnesses for the
state and for the defense respectively.
The federal officers testimony was
perhaps the most damaging Of any yet
produced by the state and in the cross
examination he had decidedly the best
of the argument with Mr.. Sapp. 1t
would have been better if there had
been no cross examination Of him.
On the other hand Charles D: Jones
made most excellent appearance for
himself, answering every question in
apparently the frankeSt manner.
1t will be a question of which testi-
mony the jury will believe, and they
have no easy job.
The whole guilt or innocence of the
defendant hangs about the question as
TO whether or not he bought those 200
bales of cotton for the Lancaster Mer-
camille company, or whether he bought
them for G. d. Jones. II he bought
them for the mercantile company, he
is not guilty; if he bought them for
c. d. Jones, he IS guilty.
The state says he bought them for
himself; he says he bought them for
the comp3ny.
Both sides admit that the company's
money paid the losses.
Morning Session.
A packed court room appeared this
morning when the state re-opened its
c;se and there was apparent eager eX-
pectancy on the part of those inter-
e9ted in the trial The jury filed IN
aI.d took their places and the court
crier formally opened the session.
T.. NJ. Croxton, cashier OF the First
National bank, of which the defendant
is president, was called from the
rooms down stairs where the witnesses
are and have been segregated from
the court chamber, each being call
| oil hni oil N,
hear the testimony OF the others. The
state did not want him as a witness,
but desired t. produce two checks
which were exhibited as chowing the
alleged misappropriation of funds and
which it was alleged were given by
the defendant to cover cotton losses.
These checks were not signed by &. d.
Jones. but they were ordered issued by
him, it was shown.
There was some sparring between
counsel as to whether or not these
checks could be placed in evidence
without the witness being sworn;
but the court ruled that these checks
could be admitted as evidence with
out swearing the witness, and coun-
sci for the defendant noted an cX-
ception.
Sensation Sprung.
The real sensation was sprung by
the state when it called to the stand
W. J. Schcchter, chief bank examiner
for the fifth federal reserve district of
the United States, of which this terri
tory is a part. Mr.. Schechter without
doubt proved the better of the two in
the spaTing match between himself
and Claude y. Sapp, who conducted the
cross examination, and he gave some
Of the most damaging testimony offered
by the state in the trial.
The witness on direct examination
explained his examinations of the
First National bank of Lancaster and
JOid of the two checks in question,
which he identified. One was for s., 600
10 the finn of Munds. Rogers q Stack
pole, and one of $4,000 to Moss e.
Ferguson. both said to have been plac-
ed to cover losses in cotton, as after
wards explained by the defendant, ana
previously explained by the state ana
upon which TWO versions of the trial
hangs.
The state claims that the defend
ant was using this money, belonging TO
the Lancaster Mercantile company, TO
cover cotton losses on cotton bought by
the defendant and for the defendants
benefit.
Defendants Explanation.
The defendant claims that he was
buying the cotton for the Lancaster
Mercantile company and that the $1,000
was paid by the First National bank TO
cover the mercantile cOmpany'S losses