Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-03-15
The Roster Suit at Madison.

with harmless intent no doubt, got
himself into contempt of court BY
bis premature expression OF prejudice
or opinion, be made it necessary for
the court to dismiss the jury and to
order special venire, with view OF
beginning the trial anew. A garrillous
countryman by his indiscretion has
rendered useless the court proceedings
Of the past week at an expense to the
county of about two thousand dollars,
not reckoning the time and inconven-
fence of the prominent parties to the
suit and the expense Of numerous high
priced attorneys for weeks work.
The long winded opening addresses OF
the attorneys, which in this case were
arguments in advance Of the testimony,
have been for naught.
The case will no do1bt be much
longer drawn out. The first jury was
obtained in a day. but that was from
the regular panel the members of which
were in advance required to make a
special effort not to know anything
about the case and not to form any
opinions concerning it. 1t will be
much more difficult now to find twelve
men competent TO try the case, and
in view of the number of attorneys in
the case and the great care that will
be exercised, it will not be surprising if
it takes at least a week to get another
jury. The lawyers are the only gamers
by the unusual delay, and they, by the
way, comprise quite an array of legal
talent. The plaintiffs are all united in
one head and are represented by the
noted -prohibitionist and forcible
jury lawyer, John Nj. DIN, who it is
said has had enough of prohibition
politics since his defeat for governor a
few years ago, and would like a good
opportunity to glide into the republican
party up near the top of it. 1t as also
been hinted that his intense interest in
the Roster suit, is largely occasioned
by reason of his hope that the result
OF the suit will give him the opportun-
it's eagerly looked for. He has taken
no part in po itics for several years.
Attorney Jeffries, of GAINESVILLE who is
bright and shrewd lawyer is united
with Mr.. Olin in tho case The inter-
ests of the defendants in the suit while
common in part, are largely diverse
and individually represented by counsel
The charges against the defendants are
conspiracy and fraud II is not gen.
orally considered that the charge of
conspiracy Of the defendants IS against
the plaintiffs will be sustained by the
testimony, and it is said on the part of
the defendants, that the charge of con-
spiracy was made by the plaintiffs
attorneys only for he purpose of ena-
bling much testimony to be adduced
against some of the defendants on the
charge of fraud, that would not other
wise have been advisable. Governor
Peck, the most distinguished of the
defendants was represented at the ex-
animation before the court commission
or prior to the trial by K 2. Villas.
brother of the Senator, and his inter-
ests at the trial are looked after by j.
&. Flanders. Both of these attorneys
belong the extension firm of Winkler,
Flanders, Smith, Bottum Il Villas of
Milwaukee of which Gen. Winkler is at |
the head MIR. Flanders is an unusu- |
ally able and clear-cut attorney, and he
takes the position for Gov. Peck that
the Roster law is unconstitutional and |
that the Governor was not privy to any |
transactions with the plaintiffs, was |
ignorant OF them, except that he was I
party TO the Roster contract with |
MoFaii, the Times publisher, but that
the governor left all the details of the |
matter to General Doe, the adjutant
general, whose department has charge |
of the matter, and whom he considered |
competent and able to properly attend
to the matter; that when advised by |
Senator Villas of the unconstitutionality |
of the Roster law. the Governor revoked |
the contract and was ignorant that
anybody had advanced any money
on the strength of the contract. The
defendant who really has the most at
stake in the Roster matter in the way |
of reputation is Attorney-General
O'Connor. by reason of the fact that
before the Roster scandal he had an
enviable reputation and was no doubt
the most popular democrat in the state.
He is ably represented by ex.Cungress-
man Burr. w. Jones, the democrat
who was elected to Congress by reason
of the faetional Keyes-H azleton contest
and BY ex-Congressman, K. Nj. La
u, 4 - f~g,,, i