Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-06-02
HOBBS TRIAL BEGINS,
On the Charge Of Attempting 10 Extor
Money From Thomas Harms.
EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES
Babeas Corpus application denied
Motion 10 Quash ihe Yec YIN
Information Denied--NO,es.

The trial Of Will Hobbs, on the
charge OF attempting to extort money
rom Thomas Ksarns, began before n
Jury In Judge n orrell's court today, with
County Attorney Van Colt prosscul.
ing auu Attorneys John NJ. Z.ae aud
w. X. Hutchinson REPRESENTING the
defendant.
The letter Hotbs Is accused OF send.
ing Kesrus, bears the date OF August
18th, 1896, anu reads as follows verba.
tim ct iilcratim:
Mr.. Kearns-Why did you talk to me
a. you did about marrying Miss Wray
and then tell her you would furnish
money for her to get divorce. Now
dear Mr.. Kearns Pm In need OF $50, and
il you don't give it to me by August 10Th
/ Will write to your wife ana tell her
August 10Th, and more / will tell her
mother all. Hoping you will do SO and
save your good name, remain as ever,
Yours resptfully,
WILL HoBBs,
1 will look for the money by mail.
Remember what will say will do.
w. II.
Two other letters were intro Iucsd I.
une found on Hohbs by OH GERS Sheets
and Raleigh at the city jail and the
other ssid to have been handed
Kearns by his wife at the Knutsford
hotel about the middle OF last April.
Mr.. Kearns sat near Mr.. Van Colt,
and the defendant occupied = seat
between his attorneys. Miss Wray and
her mother Mrs. Kilpaok sat outside
the railings among the court spec
| tstors.
Quite q little time was consumed In
securing a jury satisfactory to both
| siuee. Both sides exhausted their
| challenges and the following named
| gentleme n!were swot n to try the issues:
II. b. Whlttemore, Stephen Tucker,
G. A. Larsen, CHARLES Longson, p. q.
| Hoffman, Samuel Allen, II. p. Rich.
| ards and Michael Driscoll.
The first witness called was Thomas
| Kearns. who said his business was
that of mining, that he was TesideDt
Of Park City anu married. He was
hauded a letter by Attorney VanCott,
| which he recognized as the one hanG-
| ed him by the bell boy at the Cullen
hotel ON the 18th Of August last, and
| which was from Hobbs. Another
letter was handed the witness. which
he received at the Knutsiord hotel
about the middle Of April. 1t was
hanied him by his wife.
| George II, Raleigh, police officer,
SAID he HAD known Hobbs Tor q couple
| OF years. He mud conversation with
defendant ut the old city hall last
April. Detective Sheets was present.
| Hobbs was searched and on him was
found letter. 1t was 10 an envelope
seated and addressed to Tom Kearns.
Hobbs told witness no wrote 1t aud was
going t. send II to Mr.. Kearns. Had
another conversation with defendan
TOUR Gays later In the jaii-Sheeis be-
ing present, In which he admitted he
had written to Kearns for $50. He
said there wers q couple Of men beh ind
him In the matter.
BY Mr.. ZIne-HObbs was under
arrest when he and Sheets had the
talk with him. He was in jail await.
ing trial on the charge OF battery. His
intention was not to arrest him and
then to search him for letters. 1t was
the custom to search prisoners when
| arrested. There were i've letters In all
found on Hobbs. He gave them to the
county attorney. He had gone to Mics
Wray's mother's house, In company
with Sheets on the Sunday preceed-
Ing Hobbs's arrest to see II they could
find out something about "this black
mailing" Kearns had shown hiTu a
letter he received from Hobbs. Did
mot ask KeRrns why he let 1t 20 nine
mouths before coming TO him. MIR
Kearns had not offered or promised 10
give him anything Tor his trouble,
neither had he any hope OF getting
Anything. He was doing his duty al
al officer.
Ponce Officer George A. Sheets
testified that during the col
versation referred to by the
last witness, Hobbs admitted that
no had sent TO Kearns fol
$50 anu $50. He also Sale that bt
Z. uld seesne had gotten himself into
trouble. Hobbs also said that there
were lew good men at the back o
him and admitted having been useI
as tool.
| Mr.. Van Colt then introduced II
evidence the letters bearing difier n
marks.
Mr.. Z,ue objected to their intro
duction b, cause he s.id they had no
been ident fisd nor al 1t been show
that Hobbs had sent them to Kesrn
ortevsn wrote them. Objection ovei
ruled.
| Mr.. Van Cetl here read the lettar.
Elias A. Smith and Cyrus l.. II w
ley were called by the prosecution n
expertE on the handwriii x Of III
various letters and identified each q
bs Ing Written by the ssms person.
Recess was then taken until 2 O'Clock
This Afternoons ProceedinNs
This sfternooa Officer Raleigh wa
recalled as also was Kearns by the de
: fense. Attorney Zsne put about Il n,
, questions to Kearns, nearly all |
which were oojecled to by Attorne,
! Van Cot and sustained by the Cour'
. A few Of the questions were as follows
> "Were you at the Cullen hotel wiz
. Miss Wrsy?"
I objedtsd &c; objection sustained.
"Did you come up with her on thu
trsiI?"
4 Objected to; objection sustained.
"Did, you ever pay Der any money?
Objected to; objection sustained.
"Did you lily to get Hobbs to MARI.
heI?"
n o jseted C; objection sua.aine1.
"DiJ you Ifier to furnish ii IBIS
house and work at SO duy?"
Objected to; sustniDat.
: ''Did Hobos ever refuse to mar