Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-07-29
PASTOR MUST |
STAND TRIAL |
FOR SLAYING
Indictment Returned Il
After Two Weeks
Devoted to Investi-
eating Shooting

FORT WORTH. Tex, July 29.--tH1
Rev. DR.. J. Frank Norris. pastor or
First Baptist church and nationally
known fundamentalist, was indicted
today by the Tarrant county grand
jury for the murder of ID. H. Chips,
lumberman, in the church office ON
July IL. Mayor III. G. Meaeham
Chips friend. was called as wit
ness just before the Indictment was
returned after two weeks of inves-
tigation.
Trial Of DR.. Norris will not be Bet
to begin before September 13 District
Attorney n. X. Hangers said after
the indictment was returned.
Nearly two score witnesses. the
larger part Of them members Of DR..
Norris church, appeared before the
grand jury. Other witnesses on
whose testimony the indictment was
returned included the ambulance
driver and city police officers and de-
tectives. The l4-year-oid mystery
witness was not called, although it
was stated he may be a states wit
ness at the trial.
Announcement of the return of m
true bill against Dr. Norris came On
the heels Of the pastors statemenr
no counsel, which followed by a few
hours the announcement from Or.
Norris office over the signature OF
Marvin b. Simpson, that the latter
had been retained to represent the
minister. No reason was given for
the change in plans.
j. Il. Pemberton. president of the
Farmers and Mechanics National
Bank, one of the largest here,
stated that he did not sign his nar.ss
to Morris bond of $4,000, which mas
been allowed to stand. and that he did
not know who did sign IL. eH stated
he was out Of town when the bond
was signed.
Shot Three Times
Chips was shot three times at 4.4O
p. fn. Saturday. July NJ. when he went
TO DR.. Norris office to protest. the
pastors statement 10 the district nc
torney said, against attacks on Mayor
II. G. Meacham made by Dr. Norris
from his pulpit and In The Search
light" organ Of the church. Chips
died in an ambulance without making
a statement.
DIR. Norris was arrested and taken
to the district attorneys office.
where he was released on $4,000 bond
signed largely BY members of his
congregation. after making q state
ment in which he pleaded self de-
fense.
Since then several statements have
been issued BY the pastors public re-
lations director. y. VI Mickle. in sew
craI az which the existence of W reli-
gious conspiracy" against the life
Of DR.. Norris was charged.
Forty minutes after return of the
indictment was announced, Marvin b..
Simpson, issued new statement in
the presence Of DIR. Norris which he
said superseded the one he issued
last night announcing that Inv had
been retained In the case. This state
ment was practically IDENTICAL with
the one OF last night except that In
stead of asking the public TO with
hold judgment, il stated that the
public has already overwhelmingly
rendered its verdict Of acquittAI and
exoneratioR."
Identity of the mystery witness
was revealed by the witness himself
today at noon. He il Carl Glaze. ia.
No confirmation Of the boy's state
ment could be obtained from the dis-
trict attorneys office today. IL was
declared TO be " grand jury matter ~
which could not be given out.