The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-20
EX-.SHERIFF DENIES IN RUM RING William H. Holconabe Is Last To Testify As
 Fefense Rests SAYS OFFICIALS
 WERE DILIGENT Testifies Cazalas Did Not Agree If Elected To
 Employ Him KNOWS NOTHING
 OF $S,OOO NOTE Declares Prohibition Law Is. Hard To Enforce In
 Mobile County

MOBILE, Ala, May 19.-( (Spe- cial Leased Wire. After conclud- ing the testimony of William H. Holcombe, IT,, early this afternoon, the defense in the case of 52 de- fendants on trial charged with con spiracy to violate the national pro- hibition act, rested it's case.
 After the defense testimony was concluded, Judge Erwin on motion of their attorneys, dismissed the following defendants on the ground that no prima facie case shad been made out against them: William J. Hanlon, Armond B. Hell, Bertha Claxton, Alphonse Dickinson and and Mrs. Della RoweIl. This re- duces the number of defendants to AT.
 The cross-exannination of Hol- cornbe was conducted by Special Government Prosecutor Hugo Black and at the outset Holconbe was asked if Caxalas was elected sheriff, if he did not agree to employ him. Holccmbe denied this. Holconabe stated that he had arrested Joe FueAatts Ben Eodyf Laarandine. Wllllan Schrnea aeE Ipuif Turner. Bob 1ho6aSs,
 Snow Dan Je,zfisogs. Office Verne kla. Sam EowS among the defend 6siksl
 The direct cxaniHa ton was cardurfed by Attorney Armbreeht, who begun a statement to the court as to what he expected to prove and the jury was excluded from the room. After long drawn out argument, the court sts- tained the governments objection. So- Iicitor Black said that in view of the fact that the jury was excluded from the room during the argument on the question and that the jurors are per- mitted to read the newspapers, he asked that the argument of Mir Armbrecht, on the question which was denied by the court, be excluded from the press. Attorney Armbrecht made the state- ment that he did not care as it would seem that the Mobile Register is get ting more from the government than from the defense.
 Praises Newspapers
 From the bench, Judge Erwin, stated that he thought the newspapers had been very good in confining their stories to what has gone on in the court room, without comment.
 The jurors then returned to the room and the examination of witnesses re- sumed. Holcombe stated that he kard that Gonzauilas, federal prohibition agent, was taking money from boot leggers last summer. He declared that the attorney general of the state had told him (Holcombe) the goYernnaent wanted free hand in Mobile. He said further that Cazalas told deputies not to interfere with Gonzaullas actiyi- ties. He said he had never told any one about what Gonzaullas was doing as he thought he was acting under orders. He declared Medicus never gave him d cent of money for Donaghue and that he had never promised Scheiner pro tection. Schreiner turned states evil denee and testified that he was in part nership with Medicus and that Medicus gave money to Holcombe to give to Donaghue.
 This was denied by Hoicombe. He declared that he did mot know any thing of the $3,O00 note, in the Peoples bank, signed by several of the defend- ants on trial, until Alfred Staples, presi-
 (COntinued on Page, TwD)