Hibbs, James W - charged with stealing - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Friday in the circuit court was tried the case against James W. Hibbs of Waveland, charged with having stolen a lot of chickens and potatoes. For the most part the witnesses had not been chosen from the select social circles of Waveland and they made a pretty shaggy appearance. The chief of the prosecuting witnesses was the sister of the defendant, a Miss Zachary and she was impreached by her husband. The evidence for the state was not strong but the defense did not dare to let the defendant testify on account of his previous bad record.  Accordingly it could only introduce evidence to impeach the witnesses for the state. One of these, Frank Ruffner, the self-advertised “natural born fool” rather rubbed it in on the defendant by declaring when asked as to Mrs. Zachary’s reputation for truth and varcity that he “wouldn’t believe her any sooner than he would believe Hibbs.”  Practically all the witnesses were impeached by one side or the other and a rather scaly and seamy side of life was displayed. After Mr. Dwiggins had closed for the defence Hibbs tried to address the jury but was squelched. The jury returned a verdict of guilty at 2 o’clock and Hibbs will be sent to Michigan City.