The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-24
STATE WILL PUT
UP HARD FIGHT IN
J. W. WELLS CASE
CONTINUED From Page One.)


Altman questioned him repeatedly as
to why he had been summoned to
court.
Il didn't know anything more about
it than you know about Heaven" he
replied to Altman. His testimony
rated by L. f. Walton of Colum biana.
who stayed with Burgln that night.
Walton identified Wells, but was
unable to give an accurate description
of his companion. who he said
called himself Perrin. City officers
investigating the case before the trial
discovered that man driving Moon
roadster had registered as H. Per-
rim, JaX, Fla" at the Granada hotel
from May 5 to May 10,
Objections of the defense baked
the states effort to get testimony of
Burgin before the jury that Wells
companion said he had telephoned
from near his home to some pals iii
a heavy Cadillac automobile" to
come by another route. Strenuous
objections were raised during the en-
tire day at practically every question
asked by &c state.
sandifer Says He Saw Wells.
Motor Scout Virgil Sandifer stated
he had seen Wells four or five times
on the streets before the Hill rob-
hery. Wells was in a Moon roadster
several times. he said. Sandifer also
said he recognized the Cadillac auto
mobile found near the Hill robbery
era H tines s VIE sem Noon e eae wG we
in 1t met the Cadillac at point on
Eighth avenue. he said and both
went off together in the same direc-
ton once.
Wells was identified by Dick
Broom, owner. of roadside stand
and Andrew Dhvis, negro employee of
Broom. as one of two men who drove
to their place on the Sunday after
noon before the robbery and at
tempted to buy beer and liquor. The
negro was positive about his identi-
fication of Wells, although he did not
go out to the road and Wells DID not
descend from the car, he said. He
said he remembered Wells by a scar
on the left side of his face and by
tattooing on his arms, but was I'M
able to describe Wells companion.
He admitted he had seen Wells at po-
lice headquarters before the trial.
tIotor Scout e. w. Jackson told of
finding of the Cadillac automobile
near the Hill office about 2:15 o'clock
on the morning of the robbery. De-
spite strenuous objections of the de-
tense. he was allowed to tell some of
the circumstances of the pistol battle
which he and three other officers
fought about 4 o'clock when an al
legged yeggman is said to have re-
turned for the car. jackson intro
duced as evidence a rifle, pistol with
barrel removed. three hats, and a
chain and steel plate found in the
Cadillac or on the Hill premises.
watchman Called 3aN.
c. S. Mort, Waterman, was called
back into court Wednesday morning
to describe from diagram move
ments of the men who captured him
and then looted the safe. Mort iden-
titled Wells Tuesday as one of his
captors. but made contradictory state
ments about number of details
Mort said he thought Wells was one
of the men at the time he viewed him
at police headquarters, but deferred
stating SO until he had had time to
think it over and study it out"
Finding of sugar on clothing In
wells possession at the time of his
arrest is expected to prove one of the
strongest bits of circumstant;al evil
dence IN the hands of Solicitor Jim
Davis. Sacks of sugar had been used
by the robbers to deadcn noise of an
explosion in the vault. Detective Il.
+. Hubbard Tuesday testified sugar
was visible on the clothing when