The evening world., 1890-03-19
WRICHT'S STORY.
Sighed The Complaint on Referee Mes&S's
Allegations.
Mrs. Flack Will Not Be Summoned
to tho Stand Again.

enough 10 deter throng Of curiosity.
seekers and court cranks from gathering
at the scene of the Flack conspiracy trial
in the Court Of Oyer and Terminer to-
day.
There was distinct air Of confidence
among the three defendants. and their
counsel, ex-Judge Horace Russell and
John II. Bird, wero jubilant in their OK
pressons.
Ex.Judge Russell declared that the
proof of the innocence Of the three alleged
conspirators would be affirmative. He
declared TINT he would prove by rep
utable witnesses that Mrs. Flack had
made rank statements about her drinking
habits aud about many other things.
Justice. Barrett obliged the lawyers to
conclude their questionings of the wife Of
Sheriff Flack before yesterdays adjourn
ment. and after the adjournment the
weakened, exhausted mother of Willie -
Flack was taken to the Vanderbilt Hotel,
her part in tho court drama having been
completed.
Assistant District ATTORNEY Goff do
clared to-day that he had no knowledge
of Mrs. Flack's movements. She might
60 where and when she pleased.
Judge Russell thought that he would
not subpu M Mrs. Flack on behalf of the
defense. and John Bird declared that his
rs n witness.
Judge Russell denied that he had
brought up Mrs. Flack's drinking hab-
its as q mitigation or palliation of Sheriff
Flack's or Will Flack's action, hut only
to show that she was not worthy of belief,
for he would provo that her testimony
regarding her habits was false.
Benjamin Wright, the lawyer who was
substituted in place of Ambrose Mcneil
as Mrs. Flack's attorney in the divorce
proceedings, was the first witness of to-
day, Mr.. Goff examining.
Lawyer Wright IL an open-fnced man
of middle age, with lron-gray hair and \
manner that impresses one with his
frankness.
He testified that he had never known
nor seen Mrs. Flack till this trouble came
out, and didn't know that the Sheriff had
a wife till Joseph Meeks, AN old acquaint-
ance, visited him at his Office on July 2
last with request that he permit himself
TO be substituted M attorney OF record for
Mrs. Flack in her suit for divorce.
II said to him, Joe, divorces are not
in my line. / am engaged in real estate
practice and don't know anything about
the practice in divorce cases. IL there
anything wrong in this case2 Cause if
there is don't want anything to do with
it,
" Joe replied Ben, do you suppose
I would get you into anything that wasn't
right p / replied that didn't think he
would. hut that didn't know her, but If
he would get mo power of attorney from
Mrs. Flack would appear as an attorney
of record in the case as q special favor to
him as an old friend.
Joe said that authority in writing
from Ambrose Mcneil would be sufficient.
and / said all right. that will do. Then
| asked what he wanted me to sign. Ele
took ont of his pocket summons and
complaint. and signed them. They were
in Meeks's handwriting. saw that the
complaint was verified"
When you signed that complaint did
you notice that there had been an
erasure!" asked Prosecutor GoH.
Mr.. Wright replied i'll the negative. and
said that Meeks put the paper in his
pocket and left the office.
Mr.. Wright testified that he, at that
time, had no knowledge that Mcneil had
prior to that gone through similar
action. He. Wright. directed no one TO
serve the papers, and no copies of the
summons or complaint were made in his
office nor bv any one as fnr as he knew.
The witness emphatically denied that
he had appeared in any court or before
any Judge in tins case, aud declared that
he never authorized or engaged any |
agent, attorney or counsel TO appear for
him.
lie had never seen Mrs. Margaret
Smith nor Kate Cannon. the ladies' with |
whom Sheriff Flack. Sarah Cherry and |
Edaie Raymond boarded, and who figure
as witnesses against Flack. He didn't |
know ut that time that bleoks was the
referee. and never did anything in the
case except 10 sign the papers.
Mr.. Wright was voluable. He chattered
rapidly and testified cITcumstRntially 20
most things. lie said il was his custom
TO keepa record OF each step taken in any
case but he had made no entries in the
Flack case.
At this point an attempt was made by
the prosecution to introduce Ambrose
Aionells letter of authority to Wright but
objection was made because MIR. Wright
hal fixed the date of his first knowledge
Df the case Rs the first week of July aud he
thought il might have been ten to twenty
days after that that he received the letter
from Mcneil.
AS this would carry Its date beyond that
Of the consummation of the conspiracy
On July II. AS the prosecution fix 1t. and
Of course beyond july 2. the date of the
decree of divorce as claimed by the de-
Neeks and the two FllCks, as the con-
spiracy had been cOnsummated.
Mr.. OF read the letter, which was
lated April %, and Lawyer Wright said
he had lost the envelope. Ihe pOstmaTE
on that envelope would have settled the
late OF its passage through the post-oiiice.
and NJ. Bird, who declalCs Wright is the
biggest rascal in the job, says the envelope
was DESTROYED purpOsely. -..
Then conversation between Wright,
Mcneil aud Aeeks IA the Court House
corridor after IHE WORLD exposure was
admitted as aga INST Meeks.
Well. / d Mt like 10 repeat one eN-
PRESTON used hy Judge Monell,' said the :
lOluble witness. n
~ think he said damn, said
Wright
+" Shocked YOU. didn't itG" grunted i
Bird. \,
Wright nodded violently. and Bird :
ragged his head at the jury and looked {
AL anu solemn.
Another letter received by Mr.. Wright ]
~ messenger was Identified as having
.ome from Joseph Meeks. Il was marked q
confidential in letters big enough to {