Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-09
George R. Rathbun Says He Was offered
Money to Vote for Acquittal,
All S. WRIGHT OF OMAHA IS ARRESTED
Brought Into Court Where He Admits He
Made tie Proposal,
LEADS IGNORANCE AS TO HIS EMPLOYEE
Selection of Jury Moves Rapidly
Along. Each Side Having but one
Pcrcmptory Challenge Unused
when Court Adjourns.

when Court Adjourns.
The trial of ], S. BARLEY, who is charged
in the courts of this county with the embez-
element of public funds while holding the
Office of state treasurer, was commenced yes
terday under most sensational circumstances.
Before court adjourned for the day the pros
ecution and the defense each had one per-
emptory challenge left in the empanelng of
the jury and Josiah S. Wright was under
arrest on the charge OF attempting to cor
rupt George r. Rathbun, a member of the
regular jury panel, by Offering him SIS If he
would get on the BARLEY jury and vote for
acquittal.
When court opened In the morning the
county attorney informed Judge Baker that
ho had information that an attempt had been
made to corrupt members of the regular jury
panel and he was instructed to at once file
a charge of contempt os court against the
individual who had been guilty OF the crime.
An information was afterwards filed char5-
ing Wright with this crime and he was ar
rested during the afternoon at his home in
the northern part of the city. When brought
into court he was overcome with emotion
and made no attempt to deny his guilt. He
said he had been approached on the street
by man he did not know and had been
asked if he knew any of the jurymen on the
regular panel. When he said he did this
man asked him to talk with them and
offer them money If they would vote to ac-
quit BARLEY. He protested that he did not
know the mans name, lul said he thought
he lived in Lincoln. Wright said he would
know the man again if he saw him, and at
his request he was taken out on the streets
by deputy sheriff in the hope that he
might see his man. After fruitless search
for a couple of hours he was taken TO the
county Jail and locked up for the night.
HAD BEEN PLANNED WELL AHEAD.
1t was stated by officials connected with
the Bartley case that evidence has been Sc
cured which shows that one Of the most dar-
ing attempts at corruption of the jury has
been going on in this city for several days.
1t is freely charged that men who have
been prominent in Lancaster county politics
for years have been in Omaha for several
days stopping at obscure hotels, under as
sumed names, and that they have had lot
of messengers running about on some kind
of mysterious errands.
Judge Baker stated in open court that the
severest puninhment would be meted out to
these men if they are directly connected with
the matter, and the arrest of Wright Is re-
garied as but the beginning Of the matter.
Wright was seen at the county jail after
his return from search of the Streets and
still persisted in his statement that he does
not know the man who approached him on
the street. He said he met the man last
Friday on Farnam street, in front OF the
Merchants hotel and that the man went into
the hotel after they separated. He insists
that he made no appointment to meet tho
man after he had seen some of the jurymen
but says he supposed he would see him near
the Merchants hotel. He also insists that
he received no money from the man and had
none to pay Rathbun with II he had agreed
| to his proposition.
| Wright describes the man an being nearly
G feet in height, about 100 pounds in weight
and about 35 years Of age. He said he had
| light brown mustache and hair of the Same
| color and had neither light nor dark COM
| pexion.
| MAKES A STARTLING ANNOUNCEMENT.
| Yesterday morning when Judge Baker
asked the prosecutor If he was ready to
! proceed in the case of the State against
| BARLEY, County Attorney Baidrias arose and
addressed the court.
at has come to the knowledge of counsel for
| the state II the court please. said the county
! attorney that members OF the present jury
| panel have been approached by certain par
| ties with view to influencing their verdict
| in this case All the state asks is a fair
trial, but we don't purpose to be en-
! bsrrasscd and have the cause of juGtice i'm
| peded by improper and undue Influence
brought to bear upon prospective Jurors. Wo
| only want the case determined according to
| the law and evidence"
"If you have such information against any
| specific individual, Mr.. County Attorney"
| said Judge Baker II instruct you to file at
| once information agJ Jnat him for con-
tempt of court and bring him into this court
| II 1t Is shown that any one attempted to i'm
| properly influence any juror / will guarantee
| that it Will be his last attempt in that di-
| rection during my term upon this bench un-
! lees he finds some jurymen In the county
| Jail. ! propose that this case shall be tried
| fairly, and any interference with 1t by any
| body Will be punished to the full extent
! Of the law"
County Attorney Baldrlge withdrew and
went to his office where he drew up an in
| formation, charging a man named Wright,
| first name unknown, with contempt of court
| in attempting to influence a member of tho
! jury panel The county attorney refused to
| dlyulge the name of he juryman who had
| been approached, but stated that Wright had
! asked the juryman to vote for acquittal and
to work for a verdict of that kind Mr..
! Baldrige said the evidence would show that
! Wright offered the jufyman $75 and in
creased the amount when the man appeared
! to hesitate, telling him that the money would
| be paid to him when the case was concluded.
! The exact sum to which the offer was raised
I Is In dispute and the county attorney said
| II would be disclosed by the evidence.
| Wright is said 10 be a resident of Omaha
| who has been associated with questionable
denlzens Of the Third ward, He has been
hanging about the court house for some
! time.
| TRIAL OF hartley PROCEEDS.
| After the startling proceedings referred
| to the county attorney returned to the court
room and Judge Baker ordered the case to
proceed. No effort at delay was made by
the defense. not even a motion for CON
| tinuance being filed. They offered no OBJ
lection whatever to the trial proceeding and
] the clerk was ordered to call jury,
| The following twelve men were called into
| the box: A. l.. Barton John w. Stiles,
Martin Tighe. William NJ. Miller, Robert
| Forgy, +, Norton, Alfred ID, Cox, w. II.
| Church. ]. V. shipley. Charles Tompsett,
Julius Rich and Martin Spettler.
| The preliminary statement of the case was
made by County Attorney Baldrige, who
/ also conducted the examination OF the
Jurors. they remaining in the jury box.
| Alfred d. Cox said he livct at 1926 Sahler
street and was employed az a motorman
| on the Sherman avenue and South Omaha
points In the state, living four years at