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Special Judge Appointed To Sit During Jury Probe Inquisitorial Body Will Investigate Rogersville Murder and Closing of Marshfield Bank THE special Webster county grand which Circuit Judge H Skinker yesterday ser.t into an investigation of the handling of publie money by county officials recent bank failures in the county, and the murder of Ernest Peck near Rogersville "ran into some other stuff we didn)t expect but it is getting along all right asserted Prosecutor Edwin M. Mills. who is directing the inquiry's night elected by the Webster county bar to sit as special judge throughout the duration of the grand jury. In addition to a regular term of court at Bolivar next week. Judge Skinker has full program of work outlined for the remainder of the summer which prevented him from remaining in Marshfield until the grand jury has completed its investigation SEVERAL DAYS WORK The grand jury will meet today and then recess unwill require several In his charge Jurige Skinker stated in the handling of Webster county funds had.been called to his attention that in view of recent bank failures in the county he deemed it well for the grand jurors at this time to investigate the handling of public money ascertain if bonds protecting public deposits are sufficient, and the like The fudge also gave detailed instructions regarding the receipt of deposits by banks known to be m failing condition This Instruction apparently prepared the jury for a probe into the failure of the Farmers Exchange bank of MarshHeld which closed its doors June and in which there was $4) of Webster county money en deposit time OFFICERS TO TESTIFY Judge Skinker urges the jury to expedite its work as much as but to and return few rather than many in which the state cannot well hope for conviction. Among the principal witnesses in regard to the slaying from ambush of Ernest Peck and a similar attempt on his brother Ervin's life will probably be Constable Jonn Lewis' of Rogersville and Sheriff John Poynor and Prosecutor Mills of Marshfield The officers are understood to have considerable in. Leonard Mills who are now free under heavy bonds awaiting preliminary hearings on charges of assault with intent to kill Ervin Peck T C. Bassore Rogersville merchant. was named foreman of the grand jury by Judge Skinker Judge Skinker's last official net before returning to Bolivar last right was to pronounce 3-year penitentiary sentence upon Jess Deckard. Fordland farmer whom jury convicted Tuesday of stealing $600 of eggs from a Seymour warehouse last March A charge growing out of Deckard's arrest here three weeks ago with Lottle Wester year Fordland girl. who said he had taken her to St. Louis with will be left pending against the young farmer release from the penitentiary It was to hold preliminary hearing for im on the new charge until the theft case had been ed away. and the hearing will be indefinitely delayed again on count of the Mills stated
