Sunday morning globe., 1901-09-08
The Scheme of Pugh Trial Judge
Succeeds,
AND HE SITS IN JUDGMENT
On His Former Friend Through the Able AssS-
lance Of Secret Service Agent Bumn-Falllng
lnio a Well Laid Trap for N.Y. Neck by Judge
David F. Pugh-The Trial Commences and
the Jury Is In the Box.
PART IL

last chapter as one OF lue llleuua
who touched me for witnesses. Mr..
Burns is now in the q. S. secret sery-
ice under Chief Hazen. At the time
of the street duel, and for some years
previous. Mr.. Burns and his younger
brother conducted a merchant tailor
ing establishment. During the lifetime
of the father of the boys this store
was Headquarters for Irish Republi-
cans and the politicians Of that party
who trained with them, the Burns fam
ilv being the only distinctive Irish
family in the city belonging, father
and sons, to the G. o. p. In this
store Judge David +. Pugh spent a
portion of his leisure time, and was on
Intimate terms with the boys. The
store was located on the principal
street (High) of Columbus, about a
block around the corner from my news
paper office.
Now. while 7 never visited the store
I knew everything transpiring there,
as. besides my brother being a steady
visitor. the Burns boys called alter
nately al the Capital Office to retail the
news. political and otherwise. While
confined i'm the Jail I heard the news
from the Burns store, and by it guaged
public opinion and the trend of the
matters which vitally interested me.
There was quite an intimacy between
the Burns brothers and my brother
myself they rather disliked but were
apparently devoted to him. hence when
"BiUy" lthe detectiveD came TO the
Jail be spent most of his time and I'M
parted all his information to my
brother.
Through the latter, ] ascertained
Judge Pugh's opinion Of our case, its
gravity owing to the ferocious assaults
of the Columbus newspapers and the
necessity for a stiff and elaborate de-
fense. The judge repeatedly commits
stoned Billy" to convey to me the as
surances of his sympathy and his read
mess to aid us in any way which would
not compromise his dignity as judge
and his position in the community as
a conservator of the public morals.
NV leading counsel Hon. Geo. L. Con-
verse. suspected treachery i'm these as
surances. and he time and again warn
ed me of the double-dealing character
istics of Pugh, but l had implicit trust
and confidence i'm Dave and ascribed
Mr.. Converses bad opinion of him to
profes onal jealousy, politics. etc.
Hence when Burns came one night
with a story that he had long talk
wI.u Judge Pugh, that the latter, after
the usual expressions Of sympathy ven
tured the opinion that our necks were
in danger, owing to the public opinion
aroused by the press and the unscrup'
ulous methods being resorted to by
the prosecution i'm making up its case
but that he (Pugh) would stand by us
TO the last. Fortunately 10 was his
turn on the criminal bench next term
of court. and if / would not ask for a
postponement (to which | was legally
entitled) but try the case before him
he would find means to see me sate
ont This was glorious news indeed,
and brought tears of gratitude to my
eyes Here was a friend, and If 9th
ers basely deserted me he was true as
steel and redeemed i'm my mind the
long ,st Of contemplate creatures who
at the first mutterings of the storm,
trimmed their sails and sought safety
In desertion or Joined their voices to
the volurIe Of condemnation raised by
the press. / instantly summoned my
attorneys for consultation, and with
out compromising the Judge informed
them of my desire to stand trial at the
first term Of court and to prepare
their defense accordingly They en-
deavored i'm every way known to law
yers 10 dissuade me from the mad pro
iect of going to trial i'm the midst OF
the public prejudice aroused by my
enemies in the press. But / retorted
that inasmuch as I was willing to take
F.H. u nts.HA Nnm Tfn o.
less for the result. and as / was the
person TO suffer, they finally yielded.
Mr.. Converse, however suspectng that
/ must have some special reason FOR
going TO trial at the first term and re-
fuslng TO wait until the public mind
calmed down and the memory of the
outrage my rash act had caused soft
ened or mellowed by time visited me
the next day and wormed out of me
bit bv bit the secret He then solemn
ly warned me Of the treacherous char.
acter of Pugh, and his own dealings
with him. He even offered to refund
his fee and retire from the case. He
pointed out that Colonel Holmes who
was assisting the prosecution profes-
sionally. owned Pugh, and guided, If
he did not write and dictate all his de-
Cisions in chancery cases. But 1 would
not be advised; my confidence in Pugh
could not be shaken, and finally par
TALLY convinced Mr.. Converse, by re-
calling to his mind the Church divorce
case and the fact that the same ele-
ments which procured that would now
work in harmony with Pugh, and that
he could not afford to betray me, nor
would Joyce, Miller Bliss ct al. permit
him. Thus my confidence and friend
ship for Pugh overcame all obstacles,
and on the 10th of May 1891, he sat
upon the criminal bench to try for his
life a former friend, associate and ben
efactor
The state elected to try me first and
under the indictment for the killing Of
Osborne. Mr. Converse, who still dis
trusted Pugh, had prepared a number
Of afidavits setting forth that | could
not obtain a fair trial In Franklin
County and asking for a change Of
venue TO one Of the adjoining counties