, 1925-02-25

n unScrambled law,
testimony that had no direct bearing
on the case and which still has bris-
ties on it, and fever-heat interest on
the part of a crowded court room,
were turned right side up with and
without are in Judge Metz's court
since Tuesday, when the Ease of the
State against Fay Wiliford, charged
with bootlegging, came up for trial.
To make a long story disgustingly
short, the jury took the case after
dinner last night, and reported this
E'crning that they were unable to
bring in a verdict. 1t is stated that the
jury stood 9 to 8 for conviction.
In the inforaation, Wi. + ,rd is
charged with transporting liquor from
The rea of the Irma hotel to a shed
belonging to Joe Isham, possession
also being alleged in the complaint.
The startling chapter in the case
came when Sheriff w. H. Loomis tes-
titled that Wlliford had tried to
bride him to "lay off, while he con-
Quoted his bootlegging operations,
and Williford, in his testimony, de-
clared that he had paid the sheriff
$255, and that the sheriff had negoti-
ated further for sums which would a
mount to a thousand dollars or more.
The defense introduced further testi-
mony by a brother of the defendant,
who told a tale of having stolen a ride
on the real of an automobile occupied
by his brother and the sheriff, the
ride terminating outside of town when
he looked through the rear windows
of the auto top, and saw the sheriff
accept a roll of bills, count them, and
then tell Williford that it was al there
and that it vas all right. The young
er Williford seemed to take a great
deal of delight in telling about the
episode, and said that he had steal
thily attached himself to the rear of
the car when his brother asked him to
vacate it. He said he was curious
and wanted to know what kind of
deal was being pulled Off, and that as
soon as he saw the money transfer he
dropped off the back of the car and
walked back to town. The witness
also testified that he had seen his
brother in conference with the sher-
if in the Irma hotel, but that he did
not know the import of the CONVEX
sations.
Joe Isham, however, was the prin-
cipal witness for the State, and his
whole testimony was to the effect
that Williford had asked permission
to take the whisky to his shed just at
the time federal officers were known
to be in the city. He at first demur-
red, but finally consented and with
Williford, hauled the whisky to his
house.
1sham's testimony was uncorrobor-
ated, and in his charge TO the jury
Judge Metz advised the jurymen to
consider his testimony with caution,
As Il. j. Goppert stated TO the jury,
in his argument for the defense, the
jury evidently took the testimony
with consideration, or in other words,
with n grain of salt.
In his closing argument for the
state, County Attorney McElvain adj
monished the jury to remember that
they were trying only one man, Fay
Williford, and that Sheriff Loomis,
despite the charges against him, was
not the defendant in the case.
More testimony relative 10 boot
Logging charges made by Marshal J..
L. Forrest, who told the jury that he
had talked in Williford's room, with
the latter, on the night of December
18th, and that bootlcgging was one
of the subjects discussed. Forrest
said that Williford informed I'm that