Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-03-17
case will he proceeded with this alter
noon. the Court to sit till 6 p. NJ
THE AFTERNOON SESSION

of the Court was taken up by the
opening address of the District Attor-
ney and the examination of two wit
nesses. Journal Clerk Allen and Rep
resentative Harry Watson, of Mercer
The District Attorneys ad-
dress occupied but twenty minutes,
and was simply q plain statement OF
the law in the case and OF what the
expected to prove by
Watson and McClay, the two men,
bers Petroff is alleged to have cor
ruptly approached Harry Watson's
testimony was merely rehash of the
evidence given by him before tie In
vestigating committee. He swore 10
three interviews with Petroff concern
ing the matter, the first taking place
about the lst OF March, al the foot Of
the stairs in the Lochiel Hotel, when
Petroff asked him how he would ike
to be rooster, and told him there
was business in the bill and that men,
bers could make money by voting for
il. He stated that this interview took
plaee directly after supper. On cross
examination Judge Brewster called his
to bis testimony before the
when he stated he was un-
able 10 recollect whether the interview
took place before or after supper. He
wanted to know how he came TO have
q better memory year later than two
months afterw rd. He also called his
attention to his statement To the COM
mittee that Petroff had never offered
bim money for his vote. This brought
Mr.. Gowen, of the prosecution, 10 his
feet. who desired to have what fol-
lowed Of Watson's old testimony read.
He understood it as an offer, although
no actual offer bad been made. Judge
Brewster objected, a. he said the evi-
dence should be az to facts and not as
to inferences or the witness opinions.
Matt Carpenter and Judge Black took
part in the discussion. Carpenter for
ciblv stated the case. The prosecution
had selected one sentence Of witness
former testimony apparently contra
dieting his evidence of to-day, and he
Judged it to be the Commonwealth
duty to protect the witness by having
read the rest Of bis evidence at that
time. which would show there was no
inconsistency. Watson also testified
that Petroff came to his room on9
night after the investigation COM
menced and pleaded with him to pro-
tect him from exposure; that when
Petroff entered his room. he found X.
s. Frazer, member from Allegheny
county, there that Frazer left before
Petroff touched on the subject. and
that Petroff remained in the neighbor-
hood of half an hour with him, and
then left to take the 1910 A. VI train
for Philadelphia Mr. Frazer IL here
and will he placed on the stand to-
morrow, when be will testify, as be
did before the committee, that when be
left Watson's room he went directly TO
bis own and Immediately rang the bell
for a servant, and that before the ser
want came up Petrof walked in, in less
than five minutes after the time he had
left him in Watson's room. There was
o great deal of quibbling among the
lawyers in objecting to the introduc-
ton Of a printed copy of the House
journal in evidence. because it was not
a certified copy. The Judge overruled
the objection. Journal Clerk Allen
was called merely to establish the fact
Of the introduction Of the riot bill, and
the subsequent action on it by the
House. Watson was IN the stand two
hours, and his cross-examinatiOn is not
vet finished. Franklin y. Gowen con-
Quoted the direct examination, and
Judge Brewster the cross.
II ia not anticipated the case will
get to the jury before tomorrow night
and perhaps not before Wednesday
morning. Long speeches are expected
when it comes to be submitted finally
to the jury.
HARRISBURG, Mar 9.-Judge Pear
son. in answer to an inquiry from the
District Attorney. said Kenble's plea
should be stripped Of everything ex-
cept the formal plea of guilty" and
that his protest be allowed to 90 on
file as statement for the benefit OF
the defendant, but it would have no
bearing whatever so far as the plea
was concerned, and should not be part
Of the record. The counsel for the de-
fense said they had certainly misunder.
stood the Court when they presented
this plea yesterday. They retired for
consultation aud were out for an hour
before they came to a conclusion.
They then came into Court with a
plea Of guilty and protest in the
form as directed by the Court. The
corrected protest is as follows: Com
monweaIth vs.. VIM. H. Kcmble. De-
fendant at the time of fling his plea to
the bill Of indictment protests that
said plea shall not be construed as al
admission that be did corruptly offer
any money or thing Of value TO either
or any Of the persons named in the
bill OF indictment, and that said plea
to said Indictment il pleaded by him
pro forma, he being unwilling further
to contend"
HARRISBURG, March l0.-Interest
in the bribery trials, instead Of tagging,
increases daily, the attendance of spec
tators to-day being larger than yester-
day or the day before. Representative
Watson resumed the stand this morn
ing, ready for further examination, but
he was excused Representative Ma
clay, Of Mifilin county, was then called,
and testified that Petrof, during the
pending Of the Riot bill in the House,
told him that he (Petrof) was author
lied to make it interesting for him (wit-
messy If he would vote for the measure
He was not cross-examined.
Judge Brewster then opened for the
defense. He urged the jury to divest
themselves Of all partisan feeling in the
matter, and render verdict according
to the law and the evidence. He said
the defense would prove that Watson
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