Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-06-05
Two Men Under Arrest on Serious
Charge.

An Akron student in the law depart
mcnt of the University of Michigan
will he one of the most important
witnesses in the contempt proceedings
against G. Nj. Runyan and r. j.
Steele, who are charged with steal
ing list of the questions which were
to be submitted to the applicants for
admission to the bar at the next meet
ing of the Ohio Examining Board.
1t is alleged that Runyan visited the
University of Michigan and attempted
to sell the questions to the students
from Ohio at that place. Instead of
making the purchase the young men
went direct to the dean of the school
with the information they had gain
ed. He told them to proceed with
the deal for the purpose of getting
sufficient evidence against Runyan.
Information in contempt was laid
before the Supreme Court this evening
by Attorney General Sheets, in which
he charged Clay NJ. Runyan, of Me-
chanicsburg, and Bert j. Steele, of this
city, with fraudulently obtaining the
list of questions to be propounded to
applicants for admission to the bar
by the committee appointed by the
court TO take this matter In charge,
and offering to sell the list to such
applicants. Warrants were immediate
ly issued for the arrest of both par.
ties, and they We're brought before
the bar OF the court, which had con
vened In extra session for the pur-
pose Of dealing with the matter Both
men pleaded not guilty and expressed
a wish to employ counsel. They We're
accordingly remanded 10 the bailiff
until they should give bond in the
sum of $500 each. They will he for,
mally arraigned at 9;3O Tuesday morn
ing.
PUNISHMENT RESTS WITH
COURT.
There Is no limit to the punishment
which may be inflicted on Ruuyan
and Steele in the event that the
charges against them are proved true
/ The court has absolute power to deal
with persons who are In contempt
of that tribunal, and there is no high,
er power to which the matter can be
appealed. No statute fixes the limit
OF the punishment for contempt, and
If the court wishes it may send both
men to prison for the remainder OF
their natural life. Tt Is hinted by
those who are familiar with the man
ner In which the various members OF
the court view this Oifense, that II
: Runyan and Steele are found guilty
their punishment will he sufficient tc
deter others from following in theil
! path.
no the honor of the student body
ii may be stated that at the four uni
verslties where an attempt was mad,
to peddle these lists of questions
namely: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Ada
and Ann Arbor, the matter wal
promptly laid before the faculties
and steps We're taken to entrap tn,
guilty parties. But there Is room t.
believe that some of the students die
not net with such scrupulous honor
and trnfiicked with the men WHIT
claim to have the lists for sale. Ii
the event that this Is established t
be fact, the students who thus yield
cd to temptation will not only he for
hidden to take the examination, bu
will be disbarred and forbidden +
ever become members of the bar.
is not known how many students vii
he thus punished hut on the authorlt
of one of the members of the Exam
lining committee il may ne stated tina
fairly positive proof has been obtair
cd against several.
About three weeks ago n subcommit
tee prepared the list OF question
which We're to be asked at the tortt
coming examination, which Is 10 b
office OF the Champlin Printing con
pany, in this city. to he put in type
Because of the extreme importanc
that the character of the question
should he kept secret, the list wa
intrusted only to Bert j, Steele, tn
W Nllt SUPP Nhp wa
cautioned not to let them get out G
his possession.
A TRAP FOR THE PEDDLER.
Two days ago II. b. Dillon, of thi
city, was informed that some perso
had made the rounds of the LAY
schools where Ohio men were
graduate, offering to sell a correC
copy of the list OF questions for s.
per man. The intelligence first cam
from the Y. NJ. G. A. School, at Gil
cinnatl; then from the Ann ArbC
University, at Ann Arbor, Mich; the
from the Western Reserve school, {
Cleveland, and last it is understood
from the Ada University. In eac
case the students who had been al
preached carried the matter directl