The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-04
Is BRIBERY a CRIME ?
No Punishment for Embracery
i'm the Statutes.
IT IS A COMMON LAW oFFENsE,
Eugene Way Gives Himself Into the
Custody OF the Court, but Edwards
Remains at Large.

Eugene Way, whose alleged attemp. 70
| bribe jurors N the Great Northern con-
cemnation case, caDsec; such a sensation in
Judge Osborn's court on Thursday. gave
bonds in the sum Of 500 yesterday 10 ap-
pear before Judge Osborn this morning
when the case against him is called. War
rants were issued yesterday for the arrest
Of Way and Edwards, but u q
clerical error they were for con-
tempt OF court, in not obeying e previous
order Of the court. This vas manIfestiy
untrue, and yesterday afternoon they were
issued upon an affidavit charging Way
and Edwards with contempt of court in
| attempting 10 oribe Jurors. Nothing has
been heard from Edwards, and il is sup
posed that ne is evading service and will
not appear tomorrow. Inquiry was made
AT rsldine's, whose bookkeep he was
said TO hare been. but nothing could be
learned of him.
Judge Osborn did not appear to be at all
pleased last night 4; the manner in which
matters haye progressed concerning
charges against Way and J. 5. Edwards
ION Thursday evening" said Judge
Osborn, I" after | had gone home found
that Attorney Hart had called me up on
the telephone. Mr. Hart and I then
agreed that the defentan: shou d
appear before me at 8 O'Clock
yesterday morning. | then te!ephoned
TO the prosecuting attorney. but could not
get him. next applied 70 Judge Burke.
and asked him to get Mr.. Bufleigh's as
sistance in the matter and 20 act as attor-
ney in drawing the papers against Way
and Edwards, as il vas impossible for me
to act both as judge and prosecutor in tie
matter. for 1t might happen that should
have TO pass upon the regularity of the
proceedings, and in such a case | would
have 10 pass judgment upon nv own
actions. Another complication had also
arisen on Thursday besides the question
as 20 whether a formal affidavit was neces-
sary upon which TO base the warrants.
and this was that q mistake va. made
in the clerks office in issuing them.
The warrants were issued as If the per-
SOUS were to be arrested for having dis
obeyed previous order of the court. and
this OF course was not true. therefore
ordered the warrants issued yesterday to
be rescinded an proper ones issued to-
day.
In my interview with Judge Burke on
Thursday evening he promised 20 have
the necessary papers drawn up. and to
produce them in court at $50 Yesterday
morning, when the defendant was to ap-
pear. He failed to do SO, however, and
when Way appeared this morning with
his attorney | explained the case TO h i'm
and told him that would do nothing at
present. to appear at 2. Then the question
OF the amount of the bond was raised, and
/ fixed it a; 500. Objection was made 70
this as excessive, since the maximum pun
ishment that could impose upon him for
contempt Of court would be $500 fine and
six months Imprisonment. | insisted on
$500, however, as my object was to secure
his attendance, and purposely made the
bail high so that there could be no cues
ton OF an alternative between forfeiting
the bal and paying the fine ATT O'Clock
Way and his attorneys appeared. and as
the papers had come also l admitted him
to bail in the sum of $500 This is all that
know of the matter"
Upon being asked if a person could not
also be prosecuted for an attempt to bride
juror, as well as punished for contempt,
Judge Osborn said that he certainly could
be at common law, but that ne was uncer-
tain as 10 whether he could be reached
under the laws of this state / conclusion
Judge Osborn said: al consider such an
otfense as worse than treason, and that
man does as much harm TO the commu-
nifty by committing it as he would do bv
putting strychnine in public spring. I
should give him an impartial trial. but if
he were proved guilty the utmost sem
tence that / could impose for contempt
would be inadequate"
When he was asked If there had been
any question of putting some Of the
jurors, who had testified to having been
approached, under bonds, Judge Osborn
said:
Yes, there was some talk to that effect,
and I said that if any one would make
affidavit against any OF them l wouid
issue warrant for his arrest, for am as
anxious to see q juryman who receives a
bride punished as l am to see the man
who Offered il punished"
Judge Osborn said that he had heard
nothing OF J. s. Edwards. but that he
could not act as prosecutor and judge
both. He also said that although tomor-
row was motion day and he would be very
busy, he would still find time TO investi-
gate the case.