The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-24

Was Found Guilty Yesterday-His
Friends Say That He Is Not Re-
sponstbIe for His ActiOns-DOwn-
fall Due to Intemperance.
Odd methods of procedure in the mu-
nicipal court have long since ceased to
attract sufficient attention to have appar-
ent Irregularities Strengthened out salts
factorily, and so when A. G. O'Dell, I'M
der arrest on the charge Of larceny, was
released Tuesday, while the complainant
In the case was In the clerks Office swear
ing to information against the accused,
the incident elected only passing COM
ment. O'Dell is again under arrest, how
ever, and explanations are now plentiful.
O'Dell was arrested by Officer White
on the charge Of stealing a: laprobe be-
longing to John Terreau. O'Dell was held
in Jail several days until MIR. Terreau
could be located. The case came up for
trial Tuesday. Officer White and Mr..
Terreau were in the municipal court
some time waiting for the case to be
called, when 1t occurred to the police
man that no formal complaint had been
filed against O'Dell. Officer White took
Mr.. Terreau from the court room to Clerk
Conroy's office to swear to the complaint.
No sooner had the door closed on Officer
White and Mr.. Terreau than O'Dell's case
was called. O'Dell stood before the judge
for moment when Prosecuting Attor-
ney Finehout moved that the prisoner
be discharged, there being no prosecuting
witness present. Judge Orr therefore or
a a
ated, O'Deu lost no time in leaving the
court room. Scarcely had he disappear
ed when Officer White and Mr. Terreau
returned and the complaint in the case
was placed on the clerks desk. It was
announced that O'Dell had been dis
charged because no one appeared to pros
ecute him. Officer White explained that
he had been in court, as had also Mr..
Terreau, but had stepped out for the COM
plant. Some one said witnesses ought
to stay in the court room all the time
until cases they were interested in were
called, as, after all new cases had been
disposed of, the court might take up the
old ones at random and not in the order
of the calendar.
The result Of the complications was
that another warrant for O'DelPs arrest
was issued, and Officer White again
placed him under arrest. Speaking Of the
case yesterday, Assistant City Attorney
Finehout said:
1.-THE discharge Of O'Dell was merely
simple mistake. The case had been
hanging fire for several days, and when
1t was called the clerk tried to ascertain
who was the complaining witness. I had
not seen officer White nor Mr.. Terreau
in court. No one came forward to prose-
cute. and so, thinking the police had been
unable to find the person to whom the.
robe belonged, requested the court to-
dismiss the case. When 1 learned the
true state Of affairs I at once ordered
another warrant issued. The fact that
the case was called just at the time
when Mr.. Terreau and officer White were
out of the room was a mere coincidence
without significance"
O'Dell was formerly wel1-to-do en-
gineer. employed in downtown whole
sale house. Drink is said to be responsi-..
BILE for his downfall He was tried In
the police court yesterday and found
guilty Of stealing the robe. Sentence
was suspended. however, pending an In
quiry into O'Dell's mental and physical
condition, which is such, some Of his
friends intimate, that he Is not RESPONSE
BILE for his actions.