The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1896-02-27
JOHN n, HOWARD,
ON q charge of Bribery
ON Complaint Of O. L. RilIinxs.
He Causes Billings' Arrest and
Indictment for Perjury.

Indictment for Perjury.
The many friends of John R. Howard
of this city will be surprised to learn
that he has been arrested for bribery,
attempting to bride a juror in Wright
county. case in which the Great Northern
road was defendant. In vindication OF
his honor, Mr.. Howard procured the
indictment of Billings. who caused his
arrest. for perjury in making the COM
plant. MIR. Howard and his friends are
borrowing no ueasiness over the
arrest, as at best, it will only be a trif-ne
nnoyance. All who know Mr.. How
ard are satisfied that the arrest is purely
malicious. The Minneapolis Tribune
says OF it:
Otis L. Billings was arraigned before
Judge Tarnison in the criminal branch of
the district court this afternoon, on the
charge of perjury. The indictment was
a lengthy one. It charged the accused
with having made false affidavit in the
argument for new trial in the case of
Mathew Zech VS.. the Great Northern
Railway Company, in Wright county
in which he swore that w. E. Dodge and
John r. Howard had hired him to bril,e
Ernest Otto, a juror. The defendant
pleaded not guilty, and the case was set
for March 4.
In asking that bail bond be made
light, the attorney made lengthy talk
to the court setting out the case as it
appeared from his Standpoint. He
stated that he and Mr.. Latham of
Wright county, had the case against the
Great Northern, in which small verdict
was rendered. "Some days before new
trial was argued" said Mr.. Larrabee,
Ernest Otto, the juror, happened to be
on the same train with Mr.. Latham,
coming to Minneapolis, and he there
told him that his conscience troubled
him, and he wanted to make a COMES
sion. He stated that Billings had bribed
him while he was juror in tho case,
and that Messrs. Dodge and Howard
b ad furnished the money. Latham at
once came to Larrabee's Office, and they
had Billings brought there, where he
was confronted with the charges. There
he broke down, and confessed. stating
that Messrs. Dodge and Howard had
come to his houseiD hack, and brought
him to the Brunswick Hotel, where ar
range11ents were made for his bribing
one of the jurors in the case, the Juror to
receive 500, and he to be paid for his
trouble. Finally he was prevailed upon
to sign a paper setting forth the facts,
and then he made an affidavit for use in
the argument.
This matter was brought before the
grand Jury" said Mr.. Larrapee, "and
Otto, Billings and Latham testified, yet
the jury chose not to find an Indictment.
but instead to indict Billings Ter perjury
because he confessed. After that I, my
self, went to Wright county and swore
out complaint against Howard. be-
cause the offense occurred in both coun-
ties. Now It is apparent that this ar
rest and case is to be used in the defense
OF the charge of bribery. We want this
man here, and frankly say to Billings
face that the only chance there is for his
getting away is that he may be bribed
by Dodge and Howard to leave the
country, for we want him here"
J.. K. Howard, assistant claim agent
OF the Great Northern Railway COM
pany, has been placed under arrest by
the sheriff OF Wright county. on war
rant charging him with bribery, sworn
to by Otto L. Billings, of Minneapolis,
who has been arrested for perjury for
having sworn out the warrant and al
ready araa'gned in the municipal court.
Mr. Howard will give bail for his APP
pearance at the call of the Wright coun-
ty authorities, and Mr.. Billings case
will be Investigated by the Hennepin
county grand jury before it adjourns.