The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-27
FIVE MOBILIANS
 TO GO TO TRIAL IN BRBE CASES
Former Sheriff And Mem Der Of Board Of Reve-
 nue To Face Jury

MOBILE, Ala, August 26.--(Spe- cial Leased Wire. )-After disposing of the cases of eight defendants in con- nection with the big federal investiga- tion and liquor raids, the criminal di- vision of the federal court is in recess until Thursday, when five prominent Mobilians will face trial in one of the most interesting charges of conspiracy that has been heard here.
 The defendants, named in a joint indictments charging conspiracy to bribe, are William H. Holcombe, Jr., former sheriff; Dr. A. G. Ward, mem Der of the board of revenue; H. H. Cochrane, Percy H. Kearns and Frank Boykin.
 Kearns has already been convicted | two times in connection with the liquor ring exposure.
 Three of the defendants in the con- spiracy trials who had appealed from prison terms withdrew their appeals and pleaded guilty to additional charges last week and when four others pleaded guilty yesterday to charges growing out of the investigations, the federal jury was dismissed until Thursday. Cases set for today and to- morrow already had been disposed of by pleas of guilty, nolle prossals and indefinite continuances.
 The five defendants who will be tried Thursday are charged with act ing as agents for Mobile liquor dealers and conspiring to bribe M. T. Con- zaullas, general federal agent, to Ob- tain federal protection for the whisky sales.
 Holcombe has figured prominently in the investigation and trials and was the complainant in a charge of attempt ing to corrnuptly influence an officer against Aubrey Boyles, federal district ] attorney. Boyles excused himself from | office while the charge was pending, and the indictments, filed first in the state court, was transferred to the federal court and was noll pressed on motion of County Solicitor Chamber lain. ..,..
 The cases of the five are expected to take considerable time and among the witnesses for the government will be the federal agents who worked here l last summer and fall.
 Shipping Quiz Set-The port differ.
 
 shipping board, during which inquiry will be made into existing differentiaiS \ in ocean rates among North Atlantic South Atlantic and Gulf ports, has been set for September g, in an an nouncement received by the traffic de- pertinent of the Chamber of Commerce.
 Mobile interests will be well repre- scented at the hearing, when respondent water carriers are expected to submit evidence in cases under investigation and shippers and others interested parties also will be heard.
 Steamship lines running out of Mo bile were named respondents in a case presented by Norfolk, Va., seeking an increase in ocean rates on certain com modities out of Mobile to establish a parity with Norfolk, and several other cases in which Mobile is interested which are scheduled for hearing.
 At a meeting of Gulf shippers held in New Orleans recently a committee of four was named to formulate and prepare data that will cover inland and ocean rate adjustments for presentation at the hearing. Members of the com mittee will represent New Orleans, ports east of New Orleans, the Gal weston and the Sabine districts in the collection of evidence.