The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-18
OFFICIALS DENY HAVING SECRETS
 OF OIL CONCERNS
Manasco And Hopson On Stand Wednesday In
 Fraud Case

Sweeping denials of "any knowl- edge of the inner workings" of the Walker Consolidated Petroleum Co.,, were made on the witness stand late Wednesday by Sidney Menasco and Hudmon Hopson, two of the four officials of the company on trial in United States court on charges of misuse of the mails in fraudulent stock sales of $3,000,- 900.
 A. W. Walker, president of the com pany, and his son, Harold Walker, the other defendants, will testify in their own behalf Thursday, and Hopson is yet to be cross-examined. Chances now are good that the case will go to the jury Friday night.
 Menasco was the first defendant to testify. He leaned forward in his seat and talked directly to the jurors, who listened intently and were seemingly impressed with his demeanor.
 q know little about the operations of the company" he began. T did not spend much time at headquarters and had nothing to do with the adminis- trative details, but only sold stock in Indiana and other states. I had i'm plicit faith in Judge Walker, the pres ident, and left the detals to him. Most of my information concerning the ope- rations came from Judge Walker.
 Near Panic Blamed
 Menasco added that, in his belief, the near panic of 1921 was the chief fac tor in forcing the concern into bank ruptcy.
 Hopson had been on the stand but a xx,ha nd cessed court until Thursday morning. After telling how he trusted" A. w. Walker to handle the company's affairs and how he lost large sums of his pri- vate funds through the purchase of stock, Hopson asserted he did not know that President Walker received com mission of 10 per cent to swing" the $2,4O0,00O deal whereby Walker Con- solidated took over some of the prop critics of the Texhoma Oil company.
 T never saw the contract which au- thorized Judge Walker to make this deal" Hopson said, and added that the company failed because it could not withstand the hard times" of 1921.
 w. B. Hamilton, president of the Texhoma Oil company, the former at torney of Walker Consolidated, and a son-in-law of Judge A. w. Walker, was called by the defense. He fared not so well when taken over by District Attorney Kennamer for indirect exam ination.
 Got $s5, 900 Profit
 Hamilton admitted he got personal profit of S35,0 ,000 from the sale of one of the pieces of property which Tex homa sold to Walker Consolidated, and confirmed previous testimony to the ef- feet that A. w. Walker obtained 10 per cent commission on the entire trans action.
 He identified a letter which he wrote Walker in March, 1920, quot ing the value of the Texhoma proper ties sold to Walker Consolldated at $2,656, 00-approximately $2OO, ,OOO less than the purchase price received.
 In his direct testimony, Hamilton said considerable, e.tfriction" arose be tween him and Walker in connection with the Texhoma sale, growing out o the latter's feeling that "the Tex homa company might be benefitting al the expense of Walker Consolidated. He subsequently, admitted, when ques tioned by Assistant District Attorney Jim c. Smith that the Texhoma con cern made an immediate profit ot $1,000,00O on the sale.
 At this point, Hamilton was handed a letter he wrote T. H. Aldrich, di rector, on June 30, 1920, calling atten tion to the fact that the Walker com pany was not keeping up with its pay ments to Texhoma.
 The district attorney asked if thi' letter could be reconciled with the clain of Walker Consolidated officials at tha time that they were setting pretty" bu the court did not require Hamilton tt answer.
 Other witnesses offered by the de fense during the day testified as to thu character of the four defendants ant asserted their belief that the intentions of the company and it's officers were pood