The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-16

Upon the district attorneys own mo-
tion, John, Thomas and Mary Mona
CHAN, Thomas Clark and David Will
liams, whom Special officer Ike" Seid-
man charged with the Corcoran muir
der and robbery, were discharged by
Squire Donahoe, of Wilkes Barre, Sat
urday morning after three hearings had
been held to give the accuser oppor-
tunity to make out prima facie cases.
The two new important" witnesses,
Peter WisnosN and Mike Vanofski, for
whom Seidman secured attachments
Thursday night were not at hand when
the adjourned hearing was resumed
Saturday morning. Seidman and Spe-
cial officer Curtis swore they made dill
gent effort to locate them and Seidman
further averred that Philip Swartz told
him that ]. Sommers, another of his al
legged witnesses, had been spirited away
by a Wilkes Barre detective.
Mrs. Mcdonald, of Duryea, the third
of the witnesses for whom attachments
were issued was present. Seidman had
told District Attorney Martin that Mrs.
Mcdonald would swear that she over
heard the conversation between Mrs.
Monaghan and her son, John, in which
the mother answered the sons request
for his breakfast with the remark that
he could get his breakfast where he
spent the night. all of which was in
tended to show that Monaghan was not
home and in bed on the night of the
murder as he alleged.
SAID 1T WAS A LIE.
Mrs. Mcdonald, however, swore to
no such thing. She said that the state
ment that she had heard any such con-
versation was lie.
John j. Mangan, a Pittston store
keeper, whom Seidman and his confed-
crates avowed would tell of admissions
made to him by "Di" Williams also
proved a disappointment when he was
placed on the witness stand.
One week ago Saturday williams
came into his store and while discus
sing the murder inquired what would
be done to a man who turned states
evidence against the murderers. The
witness informed him that nothing at
all would be done to the one who
would turn states evidence: that he
would go scot free.
Williams rejoined in a speculative
way that the punishment at least
| ing morning Williams happened into
the store again and the witness advised
him that if he had a confession to
make, to make it to some one who
could protect him. Williams replied
with a laugh that he had no confession
To make. indicating that he only in
quired about the matter out of mere
curiosity.
| mt . he
police force was placed on the stand to
repeat a conversation he had with the
Monaghan woman shortly after the
murder. His testimony developed
nothing of an incriminating nature fur
ther than that some of her statements
of matters of minor detail were OF a
contradictory nature.
NO OTHER WITNESSES.
When Sergeant Kline had finished
District Attorney Martin asked Seidmar
if he had any other witnesses. Seid-
man shook his head negatively. Dis
trict Alto ey Martin then addressed
the alderm., saying he was satisfied
he could not secure a conviction on the
evidence offered and would not feel jus.
tilted in even asking for q bill of in
dictment for jury to pass upon.
To hold the prisoners longer, for the
purpose of giving the commonwealth OF
the prosecutor opportunity to search
for testimony in regard to this tragedy
he said, would be unwise and unjust
and he would therefore ask that the
prisoners be discharged
Attorney John n. Martin, of Scran-
ton, private counsel for SeiGman and
his Tess important associates" as Foxy
Quiller would say, jumped up cxcitedly
at this juncture and asked to be heard
in the interests of his clients. Alder.
man Donahoe indicated that anythins
Mr.. Martin might say could have nC
weight in the matter at hand.
| After the district attorneys state.
ment and request, | would bO insane tr
hold the prisoners" the alderman add,
ed. Then turning to the prisoners ht
said: Boys and girls stand up; you
are discharged"
There was an affecting scene follow.
ing this, the aged mother of the Mon,
aghan's fairly going into ecstacies OF
JOY at the liberation of her children.
The attorneys for the accused held {
consultation in Attorney John ]. Shea.
Office after the hearing and decided tC
proceed against the accusers for falst
Imprisonment and libel.
ACTION WAS PREMATURE.
District Attorney Martin, and abou
everybody else connected with tn,
prosecution Of the case aver that Seid
mans action was premature and Who'll
ly unwarranted. Special officers whC
were working along the same lines a!
Seidman, particularly Chief of polio,