The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-21
WALKER HEADS
ARE REINDICTED
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first to congratulate the defendants and
their counsel. Then came scores of
spectators until they held up their
hands in bewildered helplessness.
The exonerated men shock hands with
Judge Grubb and then filed by, grasping
the hand of each juror.
Thanks Jurors
Judge Grubb. in discharging the
Jurors, thanked them for the close at
tention they paid to the case and
for their "13 days of hard work.
The defendants were asked if they
had any plans for the immediate fu-
urte. They said they would leave at
once for their homes. Hopson is the only
one of the four living in Birming-
ham. He called his wife and told her
of the verdict.
This is the greatest thing in my
whole life Hopson told the group OF
friends who surrounded him to ofter
congratulations.
District Attornel Kennamer chatted
briefly with the defendants and their
attorneys and left for home.
I'm satisfied he said, land IN
going to start on my vacation tomor-
row. I'm tired"
Cullen Thomas, one of the leading
defense attorneys, before catching his
train for Dallas, thanked kenDamer
for his courtesy during the trial.
III say for you that you're hard,
but fair fighter" Thomas said.
A. w. and Harold Walker will re-
turn at once to Dallas to remain until
the date of their trial in the Jefter-
son county circuit court. Menasco will
be on his way to Indianapolis imme-
diately. Hopson will buckle down to
business in Birmingham in an effort
he told friends, to retrieve some of the
money he lost when the oil company
failed. All of the defendants are con-
fident they will also be exonerated by
the state court
Spectacular Trial
The celebrated case went to the jury
at o'clock Saturday afternoon, after
one of the most spectacular trials IN
Alabama court annals. The defen-
dants. who had been indicted on "a
counts. were represented by perhaps the
most formidable array of legal lights
ever appearing in single case in this
state.
These attorneys included Borden Burr,
Erie Pettus. q. d. Street, Cullen
Thomas. of Dallas, Eph Ingram, of In
dianapolis. l.. b. Rainey, former con-
gresham of Gadsden. and Joe Robinson.
Bitter arguments by attorneys on both
sides marked the closing hours of the
trial. Judge Grubb's charge to the jury
was brief and straight to the point, deal
ing only with the law governing misuse
Of the mails in fraud schemes.
Closing for the prosecution, District
Attorney c. B. Kennamer demanded
that the four defendants 'be placed In
the pententiary, where they can de-
fraud no more innocent people. lie
painted A. w. Walker as the brains
of the company and assailed his three
associates as ''betrayers of the trust and
confidence their neighbOrs and friends
had in them
Prison Term Urged
Nothing short of a long term for
each of these men will do" Kennamer
roared, and them walking near the de-
PENDANTS, he continued: You have
pcrpetrated one of the most stupendous
frauds this country has ever known
Previously, Jim G. Smith, assistant
prosecuting attorney, had pilloried the
claim OF the defendants that they acted
in good faith and demanded "the limit
of the law for each. lie flayed the de-
Tense attorneys for playing ION this
jury's sympthy.'
"In Gods name, Smith exclaimed
dramatically, should not some sym
pathy be shown for the thousands of Ala
bama people who We're robbed of their
I,fo ,lnNa 20
tell you they lost money. too. Then
where did they find funds to employ
as their lawyers the most formidable
battery of legal talent ever assembled
in the south? Gettlement of the jury,
these men are guilty, guilty, guilty.
Do your full duty"
Charge Challenged
Both Kennamer and Smith told the
jury that the defendants, together,
"cleared more than million dollars
out of this fake oil company"
This charge was holly challenged by
q. ID. Street, republican national com
mitteeman from Alabama, who made the
concluding argument for the defense.
"These defendants, once wealthy, are
Tow poor, and the reason is that the
Walker Consolidated Petroleum COM
pany did not fulfill their dreams and
hopes. Their intentions were good
the evidence shows it. and the crash hit
them harder than anybody eyse. They
should not have been indicted-they are
being perSecuted.'
Cullen Thomas. a noted attorney of
Dallas, in a powerful speech for the
defense. fired scorrhing broadside at
the testimony OF NJ. Il. Tull an expert
auditor, who testified for the govern
ment that the Company's deficit in one
year grew from slightly more than ST.
100000 to almost $J,000,O00.
Figures Juggled
Thomas said the whole case turned on
Tull's testimony. and that unimpeached
witnesses, including experts, put on the
stand by the defense, had completely
repudiated his figures which the at
torney claimed were badly juggled.'