The Indianapolis times., 1929-04-11
I'm One of Biggest
Suckers in WOrld,''
Says Tex Guinan
We All Are,' She Testifies
at Booze Nuisance Trial;
Case Near Jury.
BIZ United Press

the twelve elderly business men ir
the jury box of federal court here
| today as only Tex could do it
Wednesday Tex testified she never
took a drink in her life.
In closing her testimony which
ended the evidence phase of the
case shortly before noon, Broad
ways queen of clubs-night clubs
grew philosophical.
She defined and interpreted for
the jurors, who never we're in her
night club, her famous Hello,
Sucker" greeting, and left them
smiling with the assurance that she
thought they we're mot hard to
look at"
Norman j. Morrison, assistant at
torney-general, who is Mabel Walk
er Willebrandt's most ferocious of
trial lawyers, dropped the verbal
duel with the famous hostess at a
point where the gallery of observers
seemed to think he was running a
poor second.
In final furry and roar, he had
asked Miss Guinan if ANY one ever
has told you you should address
your remarks to the jurors and not
to the press"
FlatterS Elderly Jurors
"Why, certainly not" she an
swered guilelessly.
Then she appeared to dig up the
richest and rarest of the Guinan
caressing smiles. held in reserve ap-
parently for this moment, and Law
ished it upon the twelve elderly
gentlemen with the coquetish COM
ment:
But they are not hard to look
at"
Morrison ended the cross -exani-
nation. Maxwell E. Lopin, Texas
attorney, INDUCED in a brief clari-
flying redirect examination and she
was told that that is all" She
stood erect.
May go now?" she naively in
quired
Yes answered Judge Edwin L.
Thomas.
ooh, thank you. ood-by," she
lifted, as she descended from the
dais and resumed her seat at the
counsel table.
The defense rested it's case, the
government announced there was no
rebuttal and a minute recess
was ordered while arrangements
we're made for the summation.
Explains Sucker Meaning
Near the close Of her cross ex-
animation, Morrison gave Tex an
unwilling opportunity to interpret
her Hello, Sucker" phrase.
He recalled to her that in her
testimony Wednesday she had re-
ferred to several noted columnists
and other newspaper friends as
mot suckers
why, you don't understand" she
said in most surprised tone
"Everybody's sucker. Why, I'm
one of the biggest suckers in the
world When I say: Hello, Sucker,
it's just like saying Hello, Pal
"I've seen my friends of the press
be suckers. too A sucker is one
who does something and then the
next day wants to kick himself
around the block for it, We're al
suckers. See?"
Tex explained further that wher
she was wont to say to a customer
who was about to leave the night
club. Don't go yet. Sucker" she
just was being friendly.
Says She Told Truth
mo one who knows me ever have
the idea that I was inferring in any
way that I thought I was taking
all advantage of any one. 1t was
all in a spirit of good, clean fun, y
she assured Morrison, the jury, the
| press, spectators. and the world.
| Texas asserted that it was phy-
sical impossibility to know every
thing that was going on at the Sa-
lon Royale and that she couldn't
/ possibly know what the walters were
, doing, so diverse we're her duties.
You realize that you are under
oath, Miss Guinan?" Morrison asked
II most certainly do,'' answered
Tex
And that oath is binding upon
your conscience?" pursued the
prosecutor.
Most certainly it is; have told
the truth to the best of my ability,
/ Tex answered