Evening star., 1902-02-20
IN COURT OF APPEALS
ARGUMENTS MADE IN CASE OF
REV. L. D. BASS.
The Appellant Found Guilty in Lower
Court Of Violating United
State9Iaws.

Arguments were made today before the
Court of Appeals In the case of Rev. Liston
D. Bass, appellant, against the United
states, cause that has attracted consider
able attention, not only in the District OF
Columbia, but elsewhere. Rev. Mr.. Bass
was indicted in the Supreme Court OF the
District of Columbia March O. 1901, for
violation OF section $3.50 of the Revised
Statutes Of the United States. Two sep
arate indictments were returned. Section
54sO inhibits under heavy penalties the de-
visins of any scheme or artifice to defraud
and circulating the device by using the
post office establishment of the United
States
One Of the indictments charged Rev. Mr..
Bass with devising a scheme or artif1ce to
defraud In the organization and manipula-
ton OF what was called Bureau OF civil
Service Instruction." while the other in
dictment charged him with like device or
artif1ce consisting Of the organization and
exploitation Of a Union Teachers Agency
of America"
The first Indictment contained three
counts. and charged that the defendant
used the post office establishment Of the
United states in the furtherance and exc
cut1on OF a scheme to defraud, by writing
and mailing letters to certain persons there
in named. The first count set out the writ
ing and mailing Of a letter to certain
Laura Ball in Fredericksburg, Va. March
n, 1899. and the second count letter to
H. p Briggs Of East Radford, Va, dated
September 60 1899, and the third count a
letter to one Richard C. Stratton at Phila-
delphia, Pa, dated December 80, 1S99 The
second Indictment contained but one count,
and charged the defendant with the writing
and mailing Of letter to Miss Jennie 8.
Belts at Holton, Me-, dated September 22,
$685.
Interposes Demurrer.
To each Of the indictments the defendant
interposed a demurrer. The demurrers were
overruled. Before the trial was entered
upon, March 20. 1901. the. defendant, in
each of the causes, filed motion for a bill
of particulars. in which the court was ask
ed to require the prosecution to furnish
particulars to the defendant Of the nature
and contents of the letters, cards, pamph-
lets, etc, referred to in the two separate
indictments, and specifically asking that
the government designate what printed cir
culars, cards, slips and letters were refer
red to In the indictments, together with the
dates thereof and which were not set out
in either Of the indictments. The motions
were severally refused.
Thereupon the defendant pleaded not
guilty to the two separate indictments, and
before the trial was entered upon the at
torney for the United States moved the
court to consolidate the two causes. which
motion the court granted, and the trial of
the causes, thus consolidated, was entered
upon.
Upon the trial the defendant was found
guilty on the second and third counts of
the first Indictment and mot guilty on
the first count, and a like verdict Of guilty
was rendered against him on the other in
dictment.
After the rendition OF the verdicts and
before the imposition Of sentence the de-
fendant filed motion in arrest Of judg-
ment and a motion FOR new trial. The
motions were overrufed and the court SEN
fenced the defendant to imprisonment in
the penitentiary at Moundsville W. Va,
at labor for eighteen months and pay a
line or $500 under each Indictment
Ihe defendant appealed from the judg-
ment, charging sundry errors of law
attorneys Charles A. Douglass and A. E.
l.. Leck1e appear for Rev. Mr.. Bass, the
government being represented by Assist
ant United States Attorneys Taylor and
Bingham