Ashland Weekly Tidings

JURY UNABLE TO
AGREE ON BOOZE
CASE; DISCHARGED

MEDFORD.
Or.,
Nov.
7.-The
jury in the case of John Goodwin,
taxi driver, charged with selling in-
toxicating liquor. was discharged at
midnight Friday night, after fifteen
hours deliberation. in which they
were unable to agree. The vote stood
eight for acquittal, and four for con-
viction. and the balloting several
times was nine for acquittal and three
for conviction.
This is the second disagreement
to arise at this term of court in the
bootlegging cases, the other being
the trial of James (Shine) Edwards.
charged with the same offense.
Unwillingness of the jurors to ac-
cept the uncorroborated testimony of
so-called "stoolpigeon" evidence was
the reason given by courthouse gos-
sip for the disagreement. The princi-
pal state witness against Goodwin
was A. B. Gates. a special detective.
Most of the jurors when ques-
tioned by the court before discharge
were of the opinion that they were
hopelessly disagreed, but Mike F
Hanley requested the court to keep
them "locked up for twenty-four
hours." under the belief they could
come to a decision.
The joyride to Crater lake at
county expense by Detective Gates,
descried vividly by witnesses in the
Edwards case. influenced the jury.
according to a statement made in
open court this morning. though it
had nothing to do with the Goodwin
case. nor was it a part of the testi-
mony. The court stated the "jury
argued vociferously about it." and
said that it was useless and needless
expense to try any more boot-
leg cases with the present jury panel.