The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-08
Recess of Grand Jury Gives Cir
cult Attorney Chance to
Collect Data.
CASE TO BE CALLED MONDAY.
Defendants Attorney May Apply
for Il Change of Venue on Same
Grounds as in kratz's
Case.

Circuit Attorney Folk, In the breathing
| spell afforded him by the adjournment OF
| The Grand jury until next week. IS de-
voting himself TO the preparation OF the
prosecution Of tie case OF John X. Muir
| rell, which is set for trial Monday. before
Judge Douglas. in Division No. s OF the
Crimilanl Court. Murrell. when his case
was first called. three weeks ago. secured
a continuance on the testimony OF his ply
sician, Doctor Sutter. that he was too I'll TO
appear In court 1t is the belief Of the
State that when the case Is called Monday
his attorney. Thomas b. Harvey. will at
tempt TO secure another continuance or at
least delay In going 10 trial.
Mr.. Harvey is also the attorney for
Charles Kratz. and made a hard fight 10
Secure q change OF venue In that case. He
was defeated in this, but as he later Sc
cured continuance OF three weeks, the
object for which he had striven. namely. 4
continuance, was achieved. The affidavit
upon which the continuance was granted
Set forth the fact that three material wit
nesses. Ellis Wainwright. Charles Carroll.
cN-Councilman. and Charles Gutke. ex-Dele-
gate, were absent from the State and the
DEFENDANTS interests would be jeopardized
RumOred Return of Wainwright.
Wainwright is the director OF the Suhur-
han Railway Company who is indicted for
bribery IN the Suburban franchise case IN
which Nurreli and Kratz are codefendants.
He is also one of the principal Witnesses
for the defense in the MurreI case. and II
is believed hy the State that Murrells coun-
sci will seek continuance Monday be-
cause Of the absence of Wainwright. Car
roll and Gutke.
Wainwrisalt is said by Mr.. Franklin. his
New York partner, TO be in Paris. on his
way home, and Franklin announces that he
has cablegram from him saying he
will be in St. Louis the latter part OF this
month 20 stand trial on the charge of hrib-
cry. Philip Stock and Eugene c. Tittmann,
close personal and business friends OF
Wainwright. declare that they have re
ceived no communication irom Wainwright ,
since ne left New York in January, and |
do not know his whereabouts.
Attorney Harvey announced yesterday |
that, while he may apply for change of !
venue in the MurreIl case Monday. his ap- |
plication will not alleSe as ground pref |
udice against the defendant The applica- 1
ton he said. will be made. II at ALL upon |
the point that as the State has asked for |
n special jury in the case, the defendant 1
by that action, is entitled TO change of /
venue This /. one OF the points raised be- |
fore Judge Ryan IN the application for /
a change of venue IN the Kratz case. and |
was promptly overr7Iled. Whether Judge /
Douglas will take a similar view Of the |
matter remains to be seem
Circuit Attorney Folk, II the court over
rules the application for change of venue.
will strenuously resist any application for
\ fi-.,C arl l-
deavor to compel the defendants attorney
to produce convincing evidence that the wit
nesses who are out of the State IL that is
be in the city within reasonable time.
Becker Case Not Yet Set.
The case Of John II. Becker arrested on a
charge Of attempting to brfbe Jury Com
missioner Weinbrenner, has not been set |
for trial, because no Indictment has yet
been returned against him. 1t will be re-
turned probably when the Grand jury !
makes its partial report next Wednesday or
Thursday. II the State or the defense
calls for special jury in this case, which |
IS probable. Jury Commissioner Weinb-en-
Ter. whom Becker is charged with attempt |
ng to bribe to fix a special jury for his
friend Kratz. will be called upon to select
.he special jury.
The indictments which 1t Is known the
Grand Jury has under consideration In the
garbage contract scandal, are still hanging /
ire in the Grand Jury room An impress
sion prevails in some quarters of the city
hat the Grand Jury has been scared off,
~ the premature publication OF its in
ended action in the case of one or two men
who figured very prominently in that scan
ial. but those who are close to the proceed
ngs Of the Grand Jury have no doubt that
he indictments will be returned in good
time.
No reliable news OF the whereabouts of |
Edgar y. Mepham has yet reached the Of |
ice OF the Circuit Attorney the Sheriff. |
although every clew is being closely pur-
sued.