MOCK TRIAL HELPS KICK OFF BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

"You're guilty, Belle Starr. I can tell by looking," Judge Parker said without hesitation to Starr and a near capacity courtroom.

Starr, a native-born Missourian, was sentenced to six months in jail at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse Saturday on charges of stealing from people on a train.

"Six months in jail is not bad," added Parker, better known as the hanging judge of Ft. Smith, Ark. "I could have sentenced you to hang, but you're a woman."

"That's being sexist, judge," said Starr, but she said she "reckoned she could put up with six months in jail."

The above scenario was the climax of "U.S. vs. Belle Starr," a mock trial presented in observance of Cape Girardeau's Bicentennial and Southeast Missouri State University's Homecoming by the Department of Criminal Justice of the university in two performances Saturday.

The 1875 era play was one of several events planned by the Bicentennial Committee, and featured players dressed in the costumes of the era.

Bicentennial activities started at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Vincent's Seminary and continued through 3 p.m.

"We had a carnival atmosphere on the seminary grounds," said Melvin Gateley. "We had plenty of food and games, displays and contests, and the Wake-Up to Missouri hot-air balloon."

A music program was also on the schedule at St. Vincent's Church from 1 to 4 p.m., featuring a number of musical groups.

"We were hoping for more people," added Gateley. "We scheduled the start of activities to coincide with the finish of the Homecoming parade, but we didn't get a crowd. I guess most of the people were making preparations for the football game."

The Southeast Missouri State University Indians hosted University of Tennessee-Martin in a 2 p.m. game that the Indians won.

The courtroom was near capacity for the 1 p.m. performance of the Belle Starr trial.

"Belle Starr was a real outlaw, and many of the incidents depicted in the play were based on actual events related to this case, which actually took place in Ft. Smith, Ark.," said John Cook, a Cape Girardeau attorney who played the role of bailiff and served as narrator during the 30-minute play.

"At this trial Belle was charged with robbery," said Cook. "But, Belle was notorious as a horse thief, and had appeared before Judge Parker on five previous occasions for `borrowing' a horse."

During the mock trial, the audience was treated to several humorous moments. One light moment revolved around Texas Jack, a famous bandit who served as a prosecutor's witness. Texas Jack was portrayed by Cape Girardeau police officer Carl Kinnison. Texas Jack explained to the judge that he just "helped the train passengers with their baggage."

"You mean you took their bags," said prosecuting attorney W.H.H. Clayton, played by attorney David Limbaugh.

"You might say that," said Texas Jack. "But Belle also gave a woman with two babies $20 to help with the babies."

"I want that noted," said defense attorney J. Warren Reed, played by Larry Ferrell, an assistant U.S. attorney. "Let it be noted that my client is a compassionate person."

"You didn't hear it all," said Clayton. "She gave the mother $20 after taking $100 from her."

Deputy Bud Ledbetter, played by university professor Michael Brown, also testified on events leading up to the arrest. But, Reed wanted to discount Ledbetter's testimony, because he (Ledbetter) had reasons to want to convict Starr.

"Four thousand of them," pointed out Reed. "He would receive $4,000 in bounty money for the arrest and conviction of Belle Starr."

In real life, the Belle Starr mock trail had several ties to Missouri.

Judge Parker, played by Alvin Transeau, a retired captain of the Navy currently on the Southeast Missouri State University faculty, got his start in St. Joseph,. Mo., and ran for Senate there. He lost his election bid, but was appointed judge of the 13th District which included Western Arkansas and Indian Territory.

"This was a corrupt court when Parker took over," said Cook in his narrator's role. "It was said that Judge Parker eventually sent more than 300 men to their (hanging) deaths."

History books show that Belle Starr, portrayed in the play by university professor Carol Veneziano, was born Myra (Belle) Sherley at Carthage, Mo. in 1850. Her father was wealthy and had connections with some of the leading families in the state. Belle was well-educated.

Following the Civil War, Belle's parents moved to Texas, where she met and married outlaw Jim Read. She liked men and married more than one of them, including Sam Starr, portrayed in the play by Darryl Spurlock, a university student. During her 39 years Belle Starr met the likes of Jesse James, Cole Younger and Quantrell.

Along the way she robbed banks, took part in gun battles, drank liquor and still had time to laugh at the world and herself.

The historic Belle Starr died on Feb. 2, 1889, when she was ambushed on the trail from Younger's Bend to Fort Smith. There were two principal suspects in her murder Jim July and Ed Reed, a couple of male friends but no one was ever arrested and no trials were ever held.

July was killed in 1890 by a deputy U.S. Marshall, and Reed was killed in 1896 while shooting up a saloon in wagoner, Okla.