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257 CHAPTER 25 “Manny aVote HeWould Lose” J im Thornhill received several letters from Curry’s attorneys over the next few weeks. The September term of court was approaching, and they were insisting on pa yment for their fees. Thornhill, angered at being continually badgered for mone y, wrote Reuben Cates telling “him to keep his shirt on as he was dealing with a man of principal.” On August 15 he wrote to “Mr. Charley Johnson” from Landusky, Montana, promising that $1,000 would be sent down in a week to ten days.1 Both Reuben and Charles Cates did w ell as political candidates in the August election. Reuben won the office of attorney general for Knox County, while Charles was elected attorney general for the State of Tennessee . Not surprisingly, their friends Sheriff Fox and Judge Sneed were reelected.2 In fact, the election commission, of which Reuben Cates was chairman, was accused of unethical practices. 3 Soon after the election, things started going bad for Curry. He was brought before Judge Sneed in criminal court on the after noon of September 5 for an unscheduled hearing. Reuben Cates could not act as attor ney general and defend Curry at the same time, so the court appointed JeromeTempleton as special prosecutor. As was expected, a move was made by the prosecution to turn Curry over to the federal authorities. This time however, over the objection of the defense, Sneed per mitted federal warrants to be served on the prisoner. He then ordered concur rent jurisdiction with the state court, continuing Curry’s state cases until the next term of court.4 Curry voiced his anger to the ne wspapers, and later wrote (but ne ver mailed) a scathing letter to the editor denouncing Judge Sneed and Charles Cates, Jr. He stated that the reason Sneed refused to tur n him over to the federal court for several months, was because “he knew if he tur ned me over Before the election mann y a vote he would lose.” Curry also wrote 258 Chapter 25 that Charles Cates sold out to the Great Nor thern Railroad Company, and “he Maid it a point to turn Me over to the federal athoreties.”5 On September 13, Curry walked to the federal courtroom in the government building handcuffed to a guard on each side of him. He w as dressed nattily in a light gray suit and was in good spirits as he appeared before Judge C. D. Clark to answer four federal indictments against him.6 His attorney Charles Cates immediately made a motion to quash, claiming the charges in the indictments were not specific enough. A sworn af- fidavit from “Charles Johnson” was also entered, listing other reasons to quash or grant a continuance of the indictments. One of the main reasons stated was that Curry’s attorneys were not given enough time to prepare his defense.7 The defense also needed more time to locate one James Stewart, whose last known address was Chicago, Illinois. If found , the witness could give proof that Cur ry was in France from early June to August 1901, during the time of the Montana train robber y.8 The prosecutor , U.S. Attorney General Will D. Wright, stated that the defense had been given adequate time to prepare and w as against any further delays of the trial. Judge Clark said he w ould announce his decision on Monday, September 15, and then adjourned court.9 When court opened on Monday morning Judge Clark r uled that the federal indictments against Curry would be quashed. However, Attorney General Wright informed the court that a new indictment was ready to be served on the prisoner. A warrant was served on Curry by the U.S. Marshal’s office, and a hearing w as set for Wednesday the 17 th . The court ordered bail set at $15,000, and as he w alked back to jail he appeared confident and joked with his guard. 10 At the Wednesday hearing Curry was served the new indictment containing nineteen counts, mainly for counterfeiting, possessing, and passing for ged and unsigned banknotes. After the indictment was read, the case was ordered continued until November 17.11 Sometime after the September hearings and before the November 17 trial date, Charles Cates e xcused himself from Cur ry’s defense team to concentrate on his new duties as state attorney general. He was replaced by...

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