The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-25
CATAPULT FOR A WITNESS.
EU0ITIvE FROM JUSTICE IHfo"'
BODILY mt COUhE

Excitement nj, n Trial In Harrisburg Tor
ur,h.,v-N Michael }. Costello Hurled
Inn, the Proceedings Judge Protected
Him From Arrest by n Deputy Sher'h'
u,pprspupa. March Ex-senator John D.
Coyle was put on trial to-day 't u"
.uo,oJ nttenu, to bribe representative
John Engler Of Lycoming county 70 suppo''
tho McCarrcll Jury bill in the last LeSlS'''ure
Not a minute OF the afternoon session VIZ,
vi,hout sensational incidents. but the most
s.naational episode OF the day was inc eh'r"nvo
=, Michael l. Costello. lie has been q fugitive
from Justice and las been hunted hleh anu ~"
BY the Lycoming County Court onclaIs Hnuo
last September. He Is wanted IN L'.'"'"A
county. where he has been indicted on a
charge OF corrupt solicitation. on oa'h u nv
resentatiye Engler, who alleges that ,os't''o
visited him ut his home in Limestone to~ns"'o
and offered him $500 to change his nina ABOUT
the McCarrell bill and give 1t his support.
Costello was also much wanted by the de-
fence to-day. as upon his testimony largely de.
pends the case OF Coyle. 1t has been reported
repeatedly that Costello was In irelahu anu
that under no circumstances would he appear
in Harrlsburg for fear OF service OF the bench
warrant from Lycoming county, But .os'e'o
gave the prosecution q ps va
After the testimony OF Representative Eng.
Ter. in which he recited the story that ne to'u
before the INVESTIGATING committee OF the
House OF Representatives last winter. .har'es
II. Bergner. special counsel Tor the PROSE-
cutIon, announced that the common
wealth rested. Then ex-Representative
George Kunkel. OF counsel Tor Coyls. arose 10
address the jury In the opening spe"ch OF 'he
defence. He declared that II would De SHOWN
that the conference between Engler. Coy'e anu
Costello In Coyle's room at the Lochlel ho'e!
on Feb. &. last year was In the interest OF
Costslio's brother. who was then under ihd'c'.
ment in I.ycoming county upon several
charges. He was about to proceed when thtre
was a loud scufinR In the corridor outside the
door to the left OF the bench ana a confused
murmur OF voices which grew louder ana
louder until In the excitement the heaVy door
,vas bnrst opcn and Costello made his debut
on ths crest OF a flying wedge. tianked by de-
tectiyes. lawyers and excited on-lookers.
Judge Simonton wheeled about IN nus chaIt
and In astonishment gnzea ~, Ss2 bar rh Jurors uIsi and
/. ali meant. Sir. Bsrsner, special counsel for
the, prosecution rushed me sn Sis nISra az.
citedly. told the Court that Michael J. Costello.
The man about to enter the witness tox. wasa
fugitive from m i n9stsr 81 sn the "a" wyoming County
Can't and literally thrown into the court room.
He demanded that the men who mus intsri
fered with the Lysomine r sna that V" Coz.
tello be released to the officer who had arrested
him. - ,rr-
utSs before Judge Simonton. and, the court
ofaciaIs could restore order. Costello took the
stand and for more than an nour waI Ks ths
iawyars on both sides. Meanwhile Deputy
Sheriff Miller Of Williamsport, with ms hench
warrant In his inside pocket; p5sn n9rns eac ~ a the
bench and the door through which ms prls-
oner had escaped to a haven oil refuge ne
wanted Judge simonton 70 teIeasey ili HstT, sUo ~
he corridor outside had taken the prisoner
from him OF course, once rns pad t ar . VIII WV.
ness IL was the duty OF the court. 70 protect
Costello and Judge Sim gave tne deputy
sheriff to understand that ne coulu not inter,
iere with Costello 80 long Us 'hH coui' was !"
Il was almost impossible at hrst to proceed
kith the trial. but after time the efciIenent
lubsided somewhat and Costello passed from
he physical to the mental rack, He shove
femarkable nerve and never once lost MS mead.
He denied emphatically that ne was a iugitvss
from Justice and declared that he had never
been served with any legal paVers. All that ne
knew about the Williamsport case was what ne
had seen ia the newspapers. lie sali ne ndu
recently been in New York, but thai, he had
more than once visited his home on Marshall
street. Philadelphia.
The burden Of his testimony was that he had
come to Harrisburg during the last session OF
The legislature to help along. the. passage OF
the McCarrell Jury bill in the hope that a
change in the system Of selecting jurors might
help his brother in his approaching trial.
Costello's story was an entirely different yer.
siNn Of the visit to Coyle's room from mat
given by Engler, who had not only testiiled
that $500 was offered to him To vote Tor the
McCarrell bill. but that Coyle had agreed 10
let him into other good things later.
When Costello had finished his testimony
and was about to step out OF the witness box
The lawyers for the defence invited him TO a
seat near them. and again the tumult arose
over DEPUTY sheriff Mlller's possession OF his
prisoner. 1t all anne to all end however; when
Meade II. Detweiler. one Of the lawyers Tor the
defence. asked Tor a Y writ OF habeas corpus, IN
behalf Of Costello. which the Court granted at
once, making II rrturnable. forthwith and or:
dering that Costello give bail in tho sum OF
$1,000 for his appearance at a hearing on Mon.
day, This efrcctually closed the, bars, against
the IycomIng county Official. md the bail hay.
ing been entered for Costello he walked out OF
the court room. Soon Thereafter court adj.
journed until Monday morning. when the trial
will be resumed.