The Semi-weekly leader., 1922-12-09
RUSSELL -BIRKEIEAD
SUIT IN PROGRESS
Hon. ]. w. Cassedy a Leading
Figure at Trial of CeIebra-
ted Suit.

e while women are giving the RUSSELL
) Birkhead trial a wide berth in the
} little city Of Oxford.
Governor Russell's demurrer that
! there was not sufficient cause for a
) trial was turned down promptly by
T presiding Judge Holmes and the case
J began in Earnest Wednesday, both
sides claiming the victory that day.
Thursday while the testimony and
examinations grew more sensational
and important. both sides still scor-
, ed.
Governor Russell is smiling and
laughing at times as he sits square,
! ly in front of his acucser, the slight
young blonde woman who shows she
has both wit and humor along with
earnestncss Of purpose.
Hon. james w. Cassidy of Brook
haven. IS Leading counsel for the
: defense.
Amt none of it so". is the way
/ Mr.. Cassidy views the accusing
charges against Russell.
Both the Governor and Miss Birk-
head are being described in the dali
lies as to their personal appearance
the set of their jaw, the color of
their hair the expression of their
eyes. This all would seem funny "ef
lit warn't SO darn serious.
After resume of the last days
doings yesterday correspondent
says
Although the day has been filled
with sensations there is a feeling
that the truth is not out yet. 1t is
hard to explain that feeling for
both sides have scored heavily. But
one feels that the first act is closing
and the plot is just beginning to un-
wind
Who is to blame in this case? Is
IGoyernor Russell an innocent victim
Of blackmail by clever adventuress?
Or n he villain plotting with
a skill worthy of the Italian renais-
sance for the complete annihiIation
of thesgirl he has ruined?
The next few days will tell-per-
haps.
The names of the jurors apepar as
follows:-
E.. S. Mosely. Hernando, DesotO
county,
7. i. Long, vardaman, Calhoun
county.
Jack Smith, Grenada. Grenada
county.
L. c. Langston, cockrun. Desoto
county.
R. $. Ingram, Byhaha, Marshall
county.
c. a. Carpenter. Holcomb, Grena-
da county.
D.. R. Lauderdale, fernando. De-
Soto county.
81. Bailey, Moben, Webster coun-
ty.
Richard chestham, Walls, DesOto
county.
VI. L, Harrison. cockrun. Desoto
county,
w A. Hollingsworth. vardaman.
Calhoun County.
G e. Carteledge. Poplar Creek,
MohSsDncry county.
l. 4 q
In the conduct of the case yester-
day, when asked if he had eommun-
icated with ex-Gov. Bilbo, Russell
l.replied that he had not as he and
Bilbo were not friendly. He again
denied that he had attended a con-
ference with friends at Meridian with
a view of raising money for Miss
Birkhead, saying that if any money
had been given her, it was done with
out his knowledge or consent
He was again interrogated as to
his signature and replied that he had
an official and an unofficial signature
and admitted that he had applied to
an employment agency for stenog-
rapher and that Miss Birkhead was
recommended and that she had work
ed for him and the Red Cross for $50
per month. That he had employed
her after hearing of the Boswell in
cident. He admitted that he had
sent a man west to get information
about Miss Birkhead and that his
name was j. L. Eltringer, Of Mem-
phis. That he had also sent people
to New Orleans on the same mission.
To Attorney j. W. Cassidy he re-
piled that he had never kissed Miss
Birkhead or made love to her and
that her statement that he wanted
to supplant his wife with her, was
criminally false, that there had been
no friction between he and his wife
and that he would not give her for
all the other women in the world.
This statement he made without re-
Election on other good women.
Damaging evidence was given by
a former suitor and witness from va
zoo as to Miss Birkhead's character
and conduct in her early years.
The governors story, briefly, is
this:- That Frances Birkhead was
sent to him by an employment a.
gency in Jackson, Miss. That she
i became a sfenographer in the lieu
tenant governors office at the sal
airy Of $50 month. They became
| friendly, and she told him her story;
how DIR. Boswell had seduced her,
and that in consequence of an oper-
alton she had become i'll. That she
wanted his friendship, and the
friendship of his wife in an effort to
go straight That he had taken
her into his home, and that he and
his wife had agreed that the girl be
given another chance. That her ac-
tions later on made him realize that
4 he had halter have uofhfno IN da