Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-30
LOVES LAST DODGE.
NOT A WITNESS SUBPOENAED IN
THE LATSHAw CASE.
HAS HE CHANGED HIS MIND?
FAMOUS REMARK IN PENNY PERU
RY NATTER RECALLED.
Despite Mr.. loves Loud Pulling and
Blowing He Failed to Have n
Witness Present and the
Case Goes Over 10
Friday.
HAS HE CHANGED HIS MIND?

Prosecuting Attorney Lowe, In the matter
of his charges of jury fixing, has lodged
again in the most cowardly way, strength
ching the already strong suspicion that his
recent moves have been in the interests OF
politics instead of justice. After Selling a
most opportune time, so far as its effect Oh
the Goddard jury went, he rushed to the
newspapers with a long story of jury fixing,
with a great blare of trumpets caused an
arrest to be made. and the public had every
reason to believe-if they believed him al all
tina at the preliminary hearing set for
yesterday he would produce his evidence
and make good his newspaper tales. He
claimed to have the statements of all the
witnesses and to be acquainted with every
detail of the alleged bribery.
Yet Mr.. Lowe did not cause a single SUBJ
poena TO issue for a witness yesterday and
the hearing had necessarily to be post
poned. Why was this? Why did Mr.. Lowe
cause one man to be arrested and rush to
the newspapers with the story before the
arrest was made? Why did he. in the same
breath, say that cases against others would
be taken before the grand jury? Why were
all jury ''fxers' not to be treated alike?
Why did ne not lave witnesses summoned
and go ahead in a businesslike way with
the prosecution of Ross W. Latshaw? The
whole affair looks very much like a wholly
contemplate piece of business on the part
Of the prosecuting attorneys office.
The preliminary examination of Latshaw
on the charge of attempting to bride a
venireman in the Goddard murder case was
to have taken place in Justice Krueger's
court yesterday afternoon. But, as already
stated, through the failure of Prosecutor
Lowe to furnish the justice with a list of
witnesses against the accused the case had
to be continued oyer until next Friday aft
ernoon.
Mr.. Latshaw appeared in court with his
attorney. James Garner. and announced
that he was ready to go to trial.
1T won't take ten minutes to try this
case" he said.
The prosecutors office was represented
by Assistant Brady. who told a reporter for
The Journal before the case was called that
the witnesses for the state had been SUBJ
poenaed. Assistant Brady looked wor-
Twill the case go to trial?' he was asked.
81 don't think 1t WILL" he replied. I'VE
have so many cases ahead of 1t that 1 can't
see why this case should be given prece-
Several cases were called up and quickly
disposed Of; a number of cases were con-
tinued. The courtroom was filled with a
torney Garner finally approached Assistant
Brady and asked when he would call the
case against Mr.. Latshaw.
Il can call 1t any time was the reply,
but IT will lave to go over"
I'VE are ready to go to trial." replied At
Wen, We can't take up the case until
later in the week"
"Will you fix a date2"
Any time after "Wednesday will do"
Say next Thursday afternoon"
mo, this court does not try criminal
cases on Thursday; make it Friday"
A right. Friday vii do; and We will
Then, with a face devotedly serious. As
10 announce hat ali fv Witnesses ssea in mt the ,as case
must be in court on the coming Friday.
Justice Kruger arose and said slowly:
"All the witnesses in the case of Ross W.
Latshaw must be in court next Friday aft
ernoon without fail and without further mo-
tice."
Not a soul left the room. except Attorney
Garner and a reporter for The Journal.
The reporter stepped across the hall and
asked the clerk:
Have the witnesses in the case against
been subpoenaed'
No. We haven't seen a list of them
was the reply.
Mr.. Latshaw was indignant because his
case was put over. He intimated that it
was a scheme on the part of the states
attorney TO put him to further annoyance
81 do not want to ~criticise anybody in this
matter" he said. for a very simple reason.
gone 10 trial. We can beat this case in ten
A reporter for The Journal called up
grocery store by telephone and
asked Clarence Boyd. the venireman who
claimed to have been approached by Lat
and offered s5 to hang the Goddard
the men to sit in judgment on the case,
he had been subpoenaed as a wit
ness against Latshaw. Boyd replied that
he had not
Have you talked recently with the prose- |
cutor about the case?'
81 have not" he answered.
The failure of the prosecutor to have the
witnesses s~ubpoenaed yesterday is in line
with the notorious bungle in the Fay Mad |
office almost allowed Phil McCrory to slip
from the clutches of the law through negli-
Henec. incompetency, or both., The case
any of the states witnesses being SUBJ
poenaed and the defense, insisting upon, a
hearing secured the discharge of the de-
another warrant issued Tor his arrest.
The plea of the prosecutor that SO i'm
portant a case as one involving the fnteg-
rity of the judiciary OF Jackson county
must he sidetracked in order to try petit
larceny cases and ejectment suits is so |
transparent that 1t will not be accepted
by the public as the real reason for delay
on the part of Prosecutor Lowe. If bribery
and corruption have become so fragrant
in the criminal court that prospective
jurors can be approached and brides Of
fered them in the presence of credible
witnesses il would seem that the sooner
the evil is removed the better II would be |
for Jackson county's reputation, and Mr.. |
loves duty in the matter should be so
plain that he would not have to be goaded
into subpoenaing witnesses for the state to
establish its case. The fact that the state
did not subpoena its witnesses yesterday
that 1t was totally unprepared to put the
defendant OF trails in keeping with the
action of the public prosecutor who haunt
ed the newspaper offices the night before
the arrest of Latshaw. having himself in
terviewed regarding the bribery and cor
ruption of Jackson county juries and ex-
planning what he intended to do in the mat
ter. Ii would seem that 1t is time for the