Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-08-25
VINEGAR SAYS BlAcKMA|L
81 Did Hot Expose Il Because I'm a
Black nll and I Niger"

Black Han ana I Niger"
rHURsDAY's SESSION.
w. N. Scales, county attorney, ;
WAS then placed on the witness
stand by the defense and examined
NV accused on his own behalf. He
testified as follows: II never had
nersonal knowledge of the alleged
case prior to bringing the action.
I have had conversations with the
accused ON the subject of this trial
nrior to this action. Two or three
weeks ago I was leaving Mr..
Jacques Office, where I had had
a conversation with Mr.. Jacques
and Mrs. Chase, the mother of the
child, in regard to this alleged Of
tense. As / left the Office, Mrs.
Chase still being there, met this
defendant going to Mr.. Jaques' Of
fee; as he passed me I stepped in
to the adjoining Office of Mr.. Crit
fifth and sat down. The defend
ant went to the door of Mr..
jacques office and, think, did
not enter, because he at once re-
traced his steps, and as he passed
the Office in which I was, he told
me that he wanted to see me. l
went with him to the balcony in
front Of the Grange building and
there we had a conversation in re-
gard to this case, lasting, probably,
five minutes or more. The de-
PENDANT told me at that time, in
substance, that he was charged
with a very serious offense, and if
he was guilty he should be pun
ished, and if he was not he should
not be. At some length he said it
was q matchmaking scheme to ex-
tort money from him and he asked
me, before took official action, as
prosecutor, to examine his witness
es and look into his side of the
case. I told him that / would not
tell him what action l should take
or what course I would pursue,
but told him that I would give him
a square deal.
II think he said he would like to
know what was going to be done Sc
that he could get his bondsmer
ready, if he had to give any.
judged from the whole converse
ton and other things, that if there
was to be q trial in this matter HI
wanted to have it at once and tina
he intended in the event of an in
vestigation to be here for that in
vestigation." Witness here state'
to the Court that this evidence wa
incompetent, but as prosecutor, h
did not wish, under the circum
stances, to enter a formal objeC
ton.
During the examination Of Judg
Scales, he said: 81 refuse to al
swer any question which is priv
ileged communication, and wha
this child told me, as county al
torney, is an entirely private maj
ter. I neither requested nor do
manded that the mother of tn
child sign a complaint in this cas'
I will say, however, that after
had heard the story l asked he
either if she wanted to swear out
complaint or whether she wante
a complaint sworn out, ! don't r.
member which. She told me, if
remember rightly, in substance
that I had heard the story and tt
matter laid with me-"
r. d. Shearer, who testified we
terday, was recalled by the defen
and re-examined on his own b
half. He testified, substantial
as follows: IT only know VIII
Mrs. Chase told me in the presen
of my wife and Watkins. She sa
she wanted 5000 and nothing mo
would be said. Watkins had pal
from time to time, $50. tn
money was not paid on account
wages due, but was hush money
In the cross-examination for t
State by County Attorney Scale
he testified that the mother sa
''she thought and believed that q
PENDANT had attempted to rape h
child, but she was willing to set
for money" This was in answ
to question really implying VIII
was testified to. ''She said til
she also had money coming to b
for wages from defendant. ow
her money at the time Watki
took the hotel from me, and
Watkins, assumed this indebte
ness. presumed that most OF
had been paid. He still owed !
for wages when this conversatl
took place. From what Mrs. Cha
told me thought she had ann
means for her support. Yes,
knew that she was performing
hard and mental duties OF chamb
maid at the Palace hotel, notwl1
standing that she had some lit
means. She ceased to work
chambermaid on August 14th..
With this testimony the defer
ressed. The opening argum'
We made by County Attorr
TT. 1,o