The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-27
THE BRIBERY CASES.
An Effort Will Be Made to Put OF
Trial.

The trial of the bribery cases against
ex-County Commissioner Joseph R..
Morris are set for trial on Monday
morning, but it is not by any means
certain that the trial will come off at
that time.
After Martin Hayken was tried, and
conviction failed, the county attorney
talked a good deal and made remarks
far from complimentary about Judge
Hi1es who presided at the trial. Among
other things, Mr.. Whittemore said
about Judge Hiles the same as he had
said about Judge Merritt, that he was
not in sympathy with the prosecution,
and that he Ghe county attorney
could not convict any Of the alleged
boodlers with Judge Hiles as trial
Judge These statements were freely
circulated, and Judge Hiles hearing of
them, refused to try any more of the
Doodle cases. Then Whittemore had
recourse to Judge Rolapp, who heard
several OF the cases, with the usual
result that the defendants were ac-
quilted. Now the county attorney has
no more use for Judge Rolapp than he
has for Judges Merritt and Hiles, and
for some time he has been looking for
another judge to hear the remaining
portion of this class of cases.
He importuned Judge Richie
to preside AT the trials, but 1T appear
ing that his honor was subpoepaed as
a witness for the prosecution at Nor
ris' previous trial, and IS liable to be
again called on in the same capacity,
he, 1t is understood, for this and other
reasons refused 20 hear the cases, SO
that there seems to be considerable
difficulty in securing q, judge satisfac-
tory to Mr. Whittemore.
The county attorney is very anxious
to have the cases tried before the Re
publican county convention Is held as
a conviction would materially brighten
WhittemoTe's now very gloomy chances
for tF7e nomination on that ticket to
succeed himself. He even urged, it is
stated on good authority, to one
gentleman, who is already a candidate
on that ticket, that with his assist
ance the hood ed-s could be convicted
and that such a stroke would very
much help the said gentleman in get
ting votes.
Should Mr.. Whittemore secure a
judge to his liking to hear the cases
on Monday, Judge Powers, who defends
Morris. will move for a dismissal or
The ground that the defendant has al
ready been tried and acquitted or
practically the same charge as the one
now standing against him, and also or
the ground that the defendant is en-
titled to a dismissal because the cases
o'1o7ht to have been set and tried at this
April term of court. If these conten.
tions fail, then a continuance will he
asked for because the setting was only
made a few DAYS ago, and the defend
ant has not had time to get his wit.
nesses together and his counsel has
other cases to ATTEND to. and cannor
at the present time appear in the Nor
ris case.
There are so many snags in the way
that it will be a wonder if the county
attorney can pilot the cases to a tria
before the Republican convention
meets. and if he fails it is a n'ev tina
! the chance of making political CAPITA
/ should be dashed away. as he Will neet
! al the influence he can bring to bear
! to obtain the nomination he is so ar
/ IDENTIFY seeking