Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-28
THE DIVORCE MILL
Instead of Grinding is Now Being
Ground in New York Courts.
BUTTNER BEFORE THE JUSTICE.
all His Jauntiness Gone and He RACES at
His Partner, Hughes.
FORGERY IS THE PROBABLE CHARGE
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrsrArcH,

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrsrArcHl
NEW YORK, Dec. 27.-Willism H. Butt
ner, the divorce lawyer, confessed thief and
head of the Broadway divorce mill which
was so effectively exposed in The Dis
PATCH, held a reception in the justices
private room at the Jefferson Market Police
Court to-day. He was still in the dress
suit he wore when he was arrested, but the
"bold front" with which he had tried to
bluff the officials OF the court on Friday was
hanging in Inspector Byrne's private room
along with the bold fronts of Hungry Joe
and other. professional crooks and bunko
steerers. Buttn er's jaunty air was gone.
Captain Mclaughlin and Detectives Van
Gerichten and Lyman were his body guard.
One OF Justice O. Reilly's clerks received
him in the private room.
Mr.. William Durvee Hughes, the other
divorce mill man who wilted under the sun
light. was also in the room, and he appeared
to enjoy Mr.. Buuner's humiliation. Cap
tain Mclaughlin swore to complaint that
Buttner was guilty of grand larceny for
having taken $50 from Charles A. Finkle,
an employe OF the Manhattan Electric Light
Company,
Promising to Get a Divorce
for him, and then not keeping his promise.
Mclaughlin, in his affidavit, said that he
based it on a confession made by Buttner to
Inspector Byrnes and corroborated by Will
lam d. Hughes, who was present and saw
Finkle pay the money.
Buttner's pedigree was taken. He said
he was "a years Old. was born i'll the Uuited
States, lived at 258 West Seventeenth street,
and was a lawyer by profession. He might
have added, ga swindler by occupation
Justice O'Reilly read the complaint. and
asked Buttner whether he had anything to
say. Buttner said he had not. But he had.
Turning half around, he said: II ought to be
here on a charge Of homicide. rather than on
I charge of this kind"
He addressed his remarks to Hughes and
glared savagely at him.
s'It's shame that should get caught
here on $50 NATTER" he said, when you
got S., ,0oO.''
Hughes didn't answer, but he looked
very happy. Justice O'Reilly fixed
Buttner's bail at So, 900, which is the same
that Judge Martin compelled Hughes to
raise.
Other People Anxious.
Lawyer Martin Flanagan, of Brooklyn,
who was accused by Buttner OF compound
ing felony by selling hack to him a
fraudulent'divorce paper and thus destroy
ing evidence, was much disturbed to-day.
He was very sure he had not committed any
crime.
THE story of my connection with the
fraudulent firm is this he said. "a col
ored woman named Susan Miller called on
me last spring and asked me to procure
divorce for her. She said she already had
one, but her minister had told her it was
no good. 1 examined the decree and then
wrote to the Court in Chicago. L got
letter from Clerk McGrath telling me no
such decree was on record. / began nv
suit before Judge Clements here, and at the
proper time 1 showed the fraud and the
letter from Clerk McGratb. Having ex-
posed the matter to the Court 1 thought my
duty ended.
The Office Boy Did 1t.
81 wrote to Buttner and demanded back
the money-S30. 1t was about the time that
1 was married and 1 was away on nv we'd
ding tour when my Office boy returned the
forged decree which the lawyers claimed
because the money had been refunded. The
statement that they paid me any money for
my trouble is false. 1 did not get cent
from them"
Detective Reilly, of Inspector Byrnes'
staff, called on Mr.. Flanagan in the morn
ing and got from him the information that
he didn't get last Friday when he saw him.
Mr.. Flanagan gave to him the following let
ter to Mrs. Susan Miller:
.. BROOKLYN, Dec. p, 1880.
Mrs. Susan Miller: -s.
DEAR MADAM-The bearer is Mr.. Philip
Reilly. You may safely tell him anything he
wants to know inregard to your business with
Hughes and Buttner, the New York lawyers
Any appointment you make with this gentle
mar will be all right He wants you and me to
help in the proceedings now going on against
Hughes and Buttner.
Very respectfully yours.
MARTIN FLANAGAN.
Mrs. Miller told the detective how she
had been swindled, and said she would be
willing to testify to everything in court. It
is probable that case OF forgery in the Sec
ond degree may be made out against Butt
ner on her evidence.