Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-19
SHIELDS In CLOSE QUARTERS
Finds His Only Refuge from Sharp Ques-
tions Behind Judge Gordon,
REAL ANIMUS HIS eNMIN FOR WHITE
Tcstifes that His Duty IL Not the
same Under All circumstances
Outside Persuasion the Cause
of sudden Change of Heart.

II tho kernel of the nut failed to come
to light in the Shukert case Wednesday aft
ernoon II was because the questions put to
County Attorney Shields by the attorneys
for the defendants struck too close home
to suit the witness. When the attorneys
tried to shed some light on Shields real mo-
tive in refusing to dismiss the suspects after
he had promised to do so the witness re-
tired behind the skirts of the court, where
he found secure refuge.
When the attorneys for the defense in
sisted on a right to go into the matter OF
the county attorneys change OF heart in
full detail, the court suddenly awoke to
the fact that certain matters must not be
brought into the case, Notwithstanding the
fact that previously the bars had been let
down completely and all kinds OF evidence
admitted
The promise OF the authorities to release
the suspects UP to that time had been the
chief feature of the trial, but the court pro-
tected the county attorney from answering
questions too searching and directed too
straight at the foundation OF the whole con-
troversy, namely, the cue Shields got from
the World Herald to hold the prisoners to
make them serve political ends
County Attorney Shields even went so
far as to admit that in the hour or two that
elapsed between the time he gave Captain
Donahue his promise and the time he
changed his mind about the dismissal he
talked about the case with persons entirely
out side Of it and, as he said, not concerned
in 1t at all Who these persons were he
declined to reveal and the court ruled that
| he need not do so. He made the most In
| sulting insinua lions against CLef White and
| then refused to give any basis for them or
| show that he had any. He admitted that
| he did not like Chief White, but the at
| torneys were not allowed by the court to &c
| into this and show to what an extent it af-
fected his official intercourse with him.
But the objections OF his deputy and the
rulings of the court combined did not suf-
| fee to prevent Shields from making the
stupid, although apparently entirely candle
admission that in the Shukert case his dis
like of the chief deferred him from doins
his plain duty, which would have been tt
go to the chief and consult him about tn,
strength Of the evidence when doubts frs
came into his mind about the advisabilt,
of dismissing the men.
Where Shields Fell Down.
The county attorney exhibited again tn
extreme uselessness OF his memory in re
calling any particular circumstance OF Valu
to the defense. 1t was brought out tha
he did not remember how many times h
had talked to Shukert. At first he con
fessed to but two interviews. Then whe
his recollection was stimulated with ques
tions he admitted one by one four more
finishing with the statement that there Nigh
have been half dozen. Thus his assertio
that he had not talked to Shukert abou
the promise of immunity to the prisoner
until the day previous to the chiefs depar
ture for Chicago was shown to be eithe
willfully false or uttered in ignorance. Blu
the interesting part Of his testimony cam
when the workings Of his mind were trace
through the period in which he broke hi
promise.
Eyes, I congratulated the police on tn
way they had handlsd the case" the wit
ness said in answer to questions, "but
did not then know all the racts."
what evidence did you find afterward
, that was not in your possession when yo
started to write the order for the release
"Well they didn't tell me about the gil
I in Shukert's, who told me che thought sh
l could identify the men, and there wer
,, people they didn't tell me about Blu
: didn't take in or realize the meaning {
1.-The fact that the goods were shipped frol