San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-13
BANK WORKERS
IDENTIFY 8
SUSPECTS
Cashier Points Out Smith
as Man Who Held
y Gun on Him.

| Identification of three suspects OF
the robbery OF the San Antonio Ma.
tional Bank was given by bank en-
ployes in the trial of Kenneth Smith
in the Thirty-seventh district court
Tuesday in connection with the day.
light holdup.
William l.. Herff, president, was
the last on the stand before the noon
recess, and told of being made to sit
on the floor by a man holding
pump shotgun. He identified tall,
blond as the one WHO held the gun on
him.
| I. +. Anderson, cashier, testified
that he heard a command, get back"
and looked up into the barrel of
pistol. He went back and a man
with sawed-off shotgun made them
sit down. just then Mr. Herff ana
James Mc,Seel came back and Joined
J the group, he said
| He said that they sat there four
! or five minutes before the bandits
left.
POINTS OUT SMITH
Why did you let them take the
money asked District Attorney C..
NJ. Chambers. no
Il was in fear of my life," the wit
ness answered.
Can you identify the man who
held you up asked Chambers. max
ing four suspects stand up but not
the defendant. ...".
That's the one there" said Mr..
Anderson pointing to Kenneth Smith
Smith wears a heavy mustache and
| Defense Attorney +. Il. Simmons tax,
ing Mr.. Anderson on cross-eXamina-
ton attempted to show that no one
was in the bank with a mustache.
| You say this is the man who held
| you up questioned Simmons, point
| ing TO Kenneth Smith.
LOOKED AT PISTOL.
81 say he fits the description Of the
man | saw at my desk when l looked
| up" said the witness.
Don't you know there wasn't
man in the bank who had a semblance
of a mustache," questioned Simmons.
II never noticed the mustache'
when you looked up your saw his
face didn't you?'
He had a cap pulled down over
his face"
Did you see a mustache?"
Not as l was looking down the
pistol barrel
will you say positively that this
defendant is the man?' asked Sim
mons.
TELLER TESTIFTES.
mo, not positively answered the
| witness.
Elmo Irwin, teller. took the stand
| and said the two men made him get
down in the middle of the floor with
the othCss. His Identification was not
| positive.
Mrs. J. r. Pearse. collection teller.
testified 10 stepping on the burglar
alarm. and w. Boone Jr., auditor,
identified tn etall blond as the one
who held the gun on him, TO the best
Of his knowledge.
George Rips, teller, testified TO be-
ing hit over the head by one of the
bandits when he looked up. but said
that he could not identify any of
them.
PORTER ON STAND.
William Walker, negro porter, tes-
titled that he came in the door during
the robbery and was made to sit down
| by three men, two with pistols and
one with a shotgun. He could not
identify any of them for sure.
w. A. Ramsey. assistant cashier
identified the brother of the defendant
in this case, as the one who held him
up and the youth jumped TO his feet
and shouted That's a it, creating
furore in the courtroom. The boys
mother pulled him bac kto his seat,
Passing of the lie was the signd
| for paudemonium in the Thirty-say
enth District Court Tuesday whess
Kenneth Smith is on trial in connse
ton with the hold-up Of the San An
tonic National Bank. Deputies, how
ever, soon restored order.
w. A. Ramsey. assistant cashier Of
the bank. first witness pointed to the
brother Of Smith as one of the six men
who had held up the bank and robbed
it of S19,13S.
That's lie" shouted the brother
from his seat near counsers table.
The youths mother quickly pulled
him TO his seat as deputies called for
! order.
The jury to try Smith was COM
| pleted at . O'Clock Monday night. Sc
lection of a jury did not begin until
Monday afternoon and only five had
been selected when court recessed at
. 80 o'clock. Special Judge o. NJ.
Fitzhugh reconvened court at 1880
o'clock. and the remaining jurors were
selected i'll the next hour and a hall.
A special venire of $50 men had been
summoned for jury service.
MAY ASK DEATH.
Although its case against Smith is
believed to be largely based on cir
cumStantial evidence. the state may
ask the death penalty upon convie-
ton. This was indicated when Dis
trict Attorney G. NJ. Chambers ques.
toned each venireman as 10 his at
titude toward capital punishment.
The state also Signified during the
examination of jurors that its case
against Smith Is largely circumstan-
tisl. This came when E. B. Simmons,
one Of Smiths counsel, asked venire-
man what degree Of Identification he
would require TO return a conviction.
In objecsing to the question Dis
trict Attorney Chambers said;
For counsel's information l will
say that the state will depend upon
circUmstantial evidence in this case