The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-24
COURT DIRECTS INQUIRY
CHARGES AGAINST AN ATTORNEY
Make A SENSATION IN
DISTRICT COURT
GRAND JURY TO PURSUE IT
Judge Otis Directs One of the Attor-
neys in the Case to
Present Facts
Thereto.

surprise was sprung by the defendant
yesterday afternoon in the case Of Annie
Walden against the City Railway COM
pany, when Mr.. Mum, one of the attor-
neys for the defendant, called Edward
H Wood as a witness.
The case has been on trial before Judge
Otis and a jury for two days. Plaintiff
alleges that a conductor on a car she
was riding on seized boy and dashed
him against her while she was in a deli
cate condition, severely injuring her.
The witnesses for the defendant, how
ever, contradict the testimony of the wit
nesses for the plaintiff.
Mr. Wood was the last witness for the
defendant, and his testimony reflected on
E. s. Thompson, the attorney for the
plaintiff. The case went to the jury late
in the afternoon, and the court in charg-
ing them said that they should not be
prejudiced on account of what had hap
pened.
The following is the official report of
the proceedings during the testimony Of
Mr.. Woods. M d. Mum conducted the
examination of the witness:
Have you had any, conversation with
1onr MG ThemP50n regarding this case and
When did he first speak to you about
it, if he spoke to you at all?" "Oh, 1
think about six weeks or two months
'At that time did he give you any
statement Of what he proposed to prove
in the caSe?'
Mr.. Thompson objected. was overruled
and exception noted
Mr. Wood-In a general way he (Mr
Thompson) went over his case and men
toned a number of things. 1 didn't real
ly pay very strict attention to his first
interview-1ust as any other lawyer
might speak to me about case that he
mad. That he expected to win. But by
accident he met me again at Mr.. Pott-
tlxy in
take my car from there. Mr.. Pottgies-
er is client Of mine And he called my
attention to the matter again and sug
gested that it was weak in one partic-
ular
Mr. Thompson-we object, if the court
please, and renew the same objection to
all this line Of testimony, on the ground
OF lmmater1allty and incompetency. The
relations between Mr.. Wood and myself
are somewhat strained, and have been
for some time past. We haven't any use
for each other.
The court stated that that was not
proper statement to make at this time
Mr.. ThompsOn-That is mere prelimi-
nary In view Of the fact that it is ap-
parentIy going to get to be personal
matter that will involve possibly counsel
for plaintiff (myselD,s taking the stand
as witness in this case, [ sincerely and
in all candor suggest to the court that
l could not very we'll catechise myself
and, in view of that fact, no less than of
the paramount interest of the plaintiff
In this case, | ask that be permitted to
associate counsel with myself, for VIII ch
L only ask an intermission of ten min
utes, that counsel may be here to hear
this testimony and croSs-examine the
witness on the stand now at the present
time and also catechise me in case it
shall be deemed sufficiently important
Tor me to deny or explain CT modify any
part or portion of it, or admit any por-
ton of it. The plaintiff has rights here
as We'll as myself This is obviously a
personal matter between Mr.. Wood and
myself. and 1 don't know what the ami
mus of it is.
Mr.. Thompson sent for Mr. O'Brien to
come over and assist him.. Mr. O'Brien
came promptly.
ton is that at that time Mr.. Thomp-
son proposed to me to be a witness to
strengthen up that weak point"
After the jury had been charged and
retired Judge Otis said:
The matters which have been present.
ed to the court this afternoon, and the
ruling which the court made upon the
same, were of such character that 1
am, as before suggested of the oDinic n
that the court should not pass them bv
unnoticed, and at the same tine [ said
no more than did because I was desir-
Gus that this case. shall not be in any
manner prejudiced by any collateral
matter or any matter which the court
conceived to be collateral. The te I'll
mony mad so far proceeded and the stats
ments of counsel were of such a char
acter as to indicate to the court that tho
defendants counsel conceived that he
had substantial proof that there had
been an attempt in this case to suborn
witness and procure false and periured
testimony in this case. That is a verv
grave charge. and whenever anything of
that kind appears in court. L at least
conceive 1t my duty to have the matter
carefully followed up pefor the purpose of
determining whether there is any foun-
dation for such charge.
( Il therefore direct the counsel for the
defendant as an officer of this court to
lay before the present grand jury all the
evidence he was prepared to Law before
the court in this case and such other
evidence as may in his judgment tend o
substantiate the charge which seems to
have been made in this case
Il shall also direct the president of
the Ramsey County Bar association to
present to this court, by its proper com
mittee, proper charges in the respect
which I have mentioned that the court
may carefully sift this matter wholly in
dependent from the grand Jury and
thereby determine for itself whether fhe
charge here made is true or false And
to this end l request the counsel for the
defendant to afford this committea all
proper assistance in this direction
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