The Cairo Bulletin

JUDGE LEWIS FAILED TO REACH CITY IN TIME TO OPEN COURT YESTERDAY.

NEW DEFENSE WITNESS

Said to have Story of Killing Different From Published Reports--Fifty Good Vincennes Writing.

(Special to the Bulletin.)

Jonesboro, Ill., May 29.--After the fifty jurors had stood around all day first on one foot then on the other or had worn bare places all over the court house lawn, when they sat, it was announced about 4:30 this evening that there would be nothing doing in the Bankson Murder trial today. Judge Lewis, who always comes from Harrisburg via Cairo, arrives as a rule at noon. Today he failed to do so and this late hour this afternoon he has not reached the court house.

The legal talent for each side is on hand and ready, apparently, to begin operations. One of the attorneys for the defense remarked to the Bulletin man this afternoon that the Judge ought to be put in an insane asylum if he tries to hold court on a day like this. This may indicate that the defense will have some desire to continue the trial, although none of the advance preparations would indicate that such a thing has been contemplated.

Bankson himself is in a much hotter place than the court room. Down in Union County's dungeon--that is what it is, compared with the modern jails--just back of the court house, Pulaski county's ex-sheriff is confined--with none of the latter-day jail comforts and in a cell that seems stuffier a good deal than the oven in a big hotel range. No doubt he will welcome the day of his trial, particularly would he do so, to be sure if it were not for the legal talent which is arrayed on the side of the prosecution to prevent his liberty. This alone could ever make him want to remain in jail longer awaiting a continuation of his trial.

A report in Cairo yesterday was that the defense would introduce a witness who claimed to have stood outside of police headquarters on the side walk, at the time Bankson shot officer French and that he saw just how it happened, claiming that Bankson knocked down, at the time he first fatal shot.

This story does not agree at all with the reports of the witnesses, nor with some important circumstances in the case.

The attorneys in the case are:

For the people: States Attorney W. D. Lyerla of Union County; States Attorney Alexander Wilson of Alexander county; Attorney Angus Leek of Cairo and Attorney James Lingle of Union county.

For the defense: Attorney L. M. Bradley of Carbondale, Attorney C. S. Miller of Mound City and Attorney P. H. Hileman of Union county.

This fifty venire men is said to be a good class of men and it is believed a trial jury will be secured in our day are best.