Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-02-06
RICHARDS, JR.,
PUT UP funds,
WITNESS SAYS
Ramsey, Jr., Tells of
Bet And Irnposter
Taking Fund From
Slain Stake Holder

DALLAS, Tex, Feb. 6.-(P)-A. A.
Crahb. alias Clyde r. Vest, the mys-
terry man in the Mathews election
bet here last September, took the
stand today and testified that Ben
Richards. Jr., prominent business
man on trial for forgery in connec-
tion with the election bet, had paid
him to collect the bet on the strength
Of forged credentials.
Yesterday w. Taylor Ramsey, Jr.,
Of Belton had testified that he and
". Ray Adams Of Bartlett had bet
81 900 on Tom Connally i'm the re-
cent senatorial primary which Con-
nally won. Richards, he said. COW
cred the bet, and Orville Mathews, a
banker held the stakes.
When Adams attempted to collect
the bet after Connally's victory he
learned that a man purporting to be
Clyde R. Vest of Waco had collected
the money on the strength of tele-
grams and a letter purporting to
come from Ramsey. Adams shot
Mathews TO death on a busy street
corner here last September in an
argument over the matter.
Uttered SlOO
Today Crabb testified that Rich
ards had offered him "Si00 and per-
haps 5000" for collecting the stake.
Richards, he said, suggested that he
use the name Clyde X. Vest and had
him practice writing II.
At Richards dictation, Crabb said,
he wrote a telegram to Richards,
signed with Ramsey's name notify
ing Richards that Clyde r. Vest
would collect the money and that
Vest would have letter Of authority.
Richards himself then wrote N tel
egram to Mathews, the witness said.
signing Ramsey's name. The gist OF
the telegram was that Vest was to
collect the $4,000 upon presentation
Of letter Of authority.
The witnes testified that he took
these kilograms, with the letter of
authority which he said Richards
gave him, to Waco and sent the tell
egrams from that city.
Richards SCOT Money
Crabb said he borrowed N notary's
seal in Waco and stamped the letter
Of authority. He then returned to
Dallas he testified where he collected
the money after Richards had pro-
vided him with an Odd Fellows card
and Klan card. After some discus
sion at the bank, he continued, in
| whihc Richards vouched for him as
Clyde r. Vest, he signed the checks.
Richards endorsed them, and Math-
ews signed them. The money was
then paid.
In all of this time. according to
| Crabb, he did not know that the
money was the stakte in a bet.
| Il knew there was something
wrong" he said, "but I needed the
| money badly and was out Of work.
Richards, he said, paid him 500
for his part in the deal, later gave
him $50 and told him he had better
take trip and still later helped him
with a repair bill on his car.
Learns OF Bet
| The staying Of Mathews gave
Crabb his first inkling Of the nature
Of the deal he had participated in,
ne said. After the staying M met
Richards b appointment and accord
ing to his testimony the following
conversation ensued:
DONE"
yes, II Is mighty bad" Richards
replied. "but IL makes 1t that much
better for US"
On the final cay Of the Adams
trial Tor Mathews death, Crabb said
richards, after getting him drunl;
took him to a hotel room, had him
write notes absolving Richards from
blame. The letter, offered in evil
dence, was addressed to Andrew
Friest, assistant district attorney,
and was signed A. A Crabb. It
sought to show that Mathews had
gotten the money and contained the
phrase:
! You know after all I have been a
fairly good fellow, but let Mathews
work me, and | am sure sorry, but
guess il is too late TO be sorry now.
Old friend here is telling you good
bye and good luck to YOU"
This letter. Crabb said was dietat-
! ed by Richards and mailed from the
office Of Alex Pope, a prominent at
! torney.