San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-28
THREE GAMING
CASES CALLED
FOR MONDAY.
Ranger Evidence Again to
Be Weighed by
Jury.
BARTON TO ATTEND
General Disappointed at
Result of Previous
Trial.

Whether the three months ~clesn
up campaign of State Adjutsnt Gen.
eral Thomas u. Barton and his state
rangers has been productive OF actual
results will be disclosed Monday when
the cases of three men arrested by
rangers and charged with violations
of the gaming laws are scheduled
to be tried. The defendants named
are Ben Ruby, Earl Caldwell and
Country Bob" They will go to trial
before Judge ". W. McCrory in the
Ninety-fourth District Court.
George "Shorty" Mangum was tried
In the Ninety-fourth more than a
week ago and was acquitted BY a jury
after a brief deliberation. Mangum
was charged with exhibiting a game
and bank his indictment having been
brought about by state rangers, or
their agents. General Barton, &C
cording to all indications, was great
" displeased when the jury failed to
convict Mangum and has since re-
preached the Bexar county judicial
machinery.
Displeased Over Postponements.
Then the cases of two other men
whom rangers had arrested and who
had been indicted on gaming charges,
were called. Owing to the absence
of witnesses in one case and unavoid-
able obstacles in the other, neither
case went to trial but was passed.
General Barton at the time severely
complained of the failure of the sher-
ifs department to have his witnesses
1Lar,rfse
however, insisted that proper return
had been made on the subpoenas..
Every effort possible, it is under
stood. has been made by deputy sher-
Ifs to get service on the witnesses
for the eases Monday. They are
understood to have been successful,
particularly in so far as the states
witnesses are concerned and it is be-
lieved when the first case is called
that no obstacle to a trial will pre-
sent itself.
Believe Defense Is Ready.
Whether the state is ready TO go
to trial in any of the three cases
set. could not be ascertained Satur-
day afternoon. Assistant District At
torney W. z. Mahaffey when ques-
toned on the subject said that it all
depended upon whether or not the
witnesses were present. -.
"The fist of witnesses will be
called" the assistant district attorney.
said. "and if they are present it is
likely that the cases will 90 to trial.
c. NJ Chambers, of the firm Of
Chambers, Watson and johnson, rep
resenting Ben Ruby and Country
Bob declined to say whether they
expected to go to trial. Mr.. Cham
bers would not say whether service
had been had on the defense wit
nesses and if so, whether the defend
ant would seek continuance or
pOstponement for any other reason.
1t was generally believed asound the
court house, however, that the defense
will announce ready for trial.
To Watch Trial With Interest.
The trial of Ben Ruby. the second
of the granger cases." will be watched
with keen interest. 1t is deemed
likely that counsel will question pros
pective jurors regarding their khan
affiliations.
1t is generally conceded that the
state must produce testimony other
than the two secret agents of the
rangers. Stowe and Williams, who
testified in the Mangum case.
The state adjutant general was re-
ported To have left Austin Saturday
afternoon for San Antonio with the
announced intention of remaining in
the city during the trial of the gamb-
ling cases. II is expected that he
will take up his usual post in the
private office of District Attorney
d. A. McAskill, assigned to but not
yet surrendered to. Judge McCrory.
adjoining the Ninety-fourth District
Court room.