The San Francisco call., 1897-10-08
Justice Wells of Santa
Monica Is Bitterly
Denounced.
Boldly Accused of Deliberate
Intent to Nullify the
Law.
SeVerest Punishment Demand ed.
Total Ignorance the Plea of
the Justice.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL

LOS ANGELES, CAL, Oct. 7.-Justice
Wells of Santa Monica has raised a whirl-
wind of indignation about his head by
marrying Frank Crandall, the accused
murderer OF Jack Bowman, 10 May Frolis,
an impo- tant witness for the prosecution.
NJ. w. Conklin ana W. II. Shinn, the at
tCrneys for the defendant, also come in
for large need of comment.
All tie Los Angeles papers have taken
the matter up and have leading editorials
to-day directed against Wells, Conklin
and Shinn. The Times says: at would
be disparaging to the intelligence of
Justice Wells to suppose that he was not
fully aware OF the purpose of the Cere-
mony which he performed. He therefore
presents the remarkable spectacle OF a
sworn officer of justice taking part in a
deliberate attempt to suppress testimony
which, if given, might result in the con-
viction of a murderer"
The Hera!d's editorial is double-leaded
and in part says: THAT a JustIcs of the
Peace, elected to conserve the public well
fare and sworn to uphold the laws, should
invade the courtroom of another judicial
officer, override the wishes of the District
Attorneys office and lend himself TO a
contemplate trick TO defeat The ends of
justice almost surpasses belief. 1t is one
Of the most dastardIy outrages ever per-
pretrated in the name of the law. Such
contem ptible and vicious practices should
be severely rebuked and their perpre-
traitors visited with exemplary punish
ment. II there are no laws by which such
illegitimate schemes to exculpate crimi-
nails can be reached then laws should be
adopted TO reach them"
The Express has this: 1.-The impeach-
ment of Justice Wells of Santa Monica
and the disbarment of Attorneys Shinn
and Conklin of Los Angeles are demanded
Tor the protection of society, for the good
name OF the legal profession in Los Ange-
les County and TO prevent the law from
becoming mere thing for shysters TO
peck at. 1t is TO be doubted if a greater
outrage has ever been perpetrated in the
legal history OF this county than the incl
dent in Santa Monica yesterday, wherein
all alleged murderer was enabled 10 marry
his mistress and thus destroy the most I'M
portant evidence the prosecution had to
bring against him. 1t is most astounding
that a Justice Of the Peace a sworn officer
OF the law, a public servant, should have
so prostituted his authority as to become
party to the outrage. There does not
appear to be any eXtenuatlng circum-
stances. 1t was a deliberate act on the
part of an official interpreter of the law 10
nulIfy the law.
The District Attorney and Board of
Supervisors should lose 10 time IN taking
steps that will result in the severest pun
lShment for the persons who perpetrated
the outrage at Santa Monica yesterday
a crime has been committed that Is not
IL be tolerated by any respectable COM
munity."
Justice Wells. when seen at Santa Mon
lea to-day, justified his part in the
eculiar episode by stating that he was en-
tireiy ignorant of the part the bride was
10 play in the case. He claims that she
had not been called as a witness In the
preliminary examination, and he was un-
aware tha she was o be a witness for the
prosecution in the trial of the case.