Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-14
BLACKMAIL CHARGED
On the Witness Stand Against q
Law and Order Detective.
ANOTHER BATCH OF HEARINGS
Agent Mcclure Testifies Himself, but Ills
Case Is Failure.
THE USUAL OBJECTIONS AND RULINGS

The Law and Order Society's attempt to
save the country was given new impetus
yesterday at hearing of four alleged vio-
lators of the Sunday law. The hearings
were before Alderman Robe, and, of course,
the accused were found guilty and fined the
usual SOS. They will appeal to court.
The sensation at the hearing was an ac-
cusation by James Hughes, one of the de-
PENDANTS, that Detective Chambers, who ap-
peared as the witness against him, had
offered to retain the information he claimed
he had provided he was paid for it. Hughes
said he had refused to be blackmailed. He
declared he was innocent of the charge
against him, and announced a determine
tion to fight his accuser in higher court.
When the hearing opened at 2 o'clock,
Attorney Yost had announced that on ac-
count OF the illness of certain detective
named Lewis, the hearing of Gottlieb
Gaurs, John c. Wright, T. J. Kulton, P.
A. Writy and j. Minton would be con-
tinued two weeks. He then called up the
case of Frank Larner, a youth in the employ
of the Union News Company, who was first
accused by the Law and Order agent with
having sold a paper on December 13
Mcclure as Wituess.
Mr.. Mcclure appeared as witness him
self. 1t was the first time he confessed do
ing detective work on his own hook, but he
took the stand without blush and showed
by actions that constant directing of
subordinates has hardened him to such an
extent that there was no conscientious
scrHples against purchasing q paper on SUM-
day, even ifit was for no. other purpose
than to make sure of his 500
month. He told the circumstances
of.the purchase without making any par
ticularlY bad mistakes, and was turned over
to Attorney Rodgers for cross-examination.
The latter looked at the information, and
remarked that there was nothing further for
MIN to ask.
Yost seemed to think that strange pro-
ceeding, and asked for the information
again. He looked at it carefully. and dis
covered that it had not been made until
yesterday. Mcclure claimed he had made
the information in December, and that the
Alderman had made . mistake. Rohe said
he hadn't but Mcclure insisted he had.
A sharp argument followed, and for
a short time it looked as if fthere was going
to be a row in the Law and Order firm Just
when the heavy artillery was being prepared
for the battle Yost came to the rescue and
withdrew the case A settlement of the
question was not secured, it being left to go
down in history as another of the frequent
inexplicable Law and Order blunders.
Bound to Catch Him Somehow.
Young Larmer was not allowed to escape
on account of Agent McClure's dilemma,
however, but was quickly returned to
the ring and confronted by the
Law and Order expert known
at present as Detective w. A. Stately. The
paper he secured from Larner he said was
purchased at about O'Clock in the morn |
ing. While he was telling his frequently |
story about being detective and |
in the employ of Mcclure, Attorney Brown, |
Jr., was in consultation with several parties |
and after whispering a minute to Attorney |
Rodgers, the latter suddenly asked the wit |
ness:
"How long have you been Stately?''
A stately. dignified look was the only re- |
sponse from the witness, but there was a |
roar of laughter from the audience, above |
which could be heard Attorney Yost's "We |
object A few of the people present had |
heard those little words before. Alderman
Robe was among the few. His answer was,
" Stained"
els your name really Stately?" persisted
Mr.. Rodgers
"Yes''
els that your only name?"