Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-30
PROMOTER PLACED ON TRIAL
Robert VI. snyder Appears I'm st. Louis
. Court TO Answer an Indict-
ment for Bribery.

ST. LOUIS. Sept. 29.-Robert NJ. Snyder,
promoter and banker, Of Kansas City and
New York, indicted on the charge Of brib-
cry in connection with the passage OF the
Central Traction bill, for which $3.50, 600 is
said to have been paid members OF the city
council, appeared today for trial before
Judge o'Neill Ryan in the c~riazinal branch
Of the circuit court. S~nyder's attorneys are
Fred W. Lehman, Judge Wilbur F. Boyle,
Judge II. s. Priest, Morton Jourdan and
Major william Warner, the last named
being from Kansas City.
The prosecution. as in the previous
doodle cases. will be conducted by Circuit
Attorney Folk and his assistants, G. 0rrick
Bishop, w. 8. Hancock and A.. c. Maroney.
f. A. Lord, assistant district attorney Of
New York. was In st. Louis Sunday in con-
sultation with Mr.. Folk.
Before the opening OF court Attorney Nor
ton Jourdan filed with the clerk Of the
court a demurrer. Directing on technical
grounds to the progress Of the trial.
Subpoenas we're served this morning OH
twenty-eight witnesses for the defense in
the Snyder trial. Most Of the witnesses are
residents Of Kansas City. Three are
women, one OF these being the defendants
wife.
The list OF subpoenas served at the in
stance Of the defense Is as follows: J. W.
MrCurdy. Christ Gnttlieh. Fred G.. Adams.
J. C. James, R. B. Thornton, Morton Woll-
man, ]. Scott Harrison, T. c. Bell, T. A.
Snyder, Amos r. Cecil, John J. Green, John
q. Bishop, w. T. Kemper, F. p. Sebree, +.
c. Childs, w. S. Richardson, E. C. White,
Mrs. z. c. White, Mrs. Belle Richie, Mrs.
r. NJ. Snyder, R. A. Long, r. L. Yeager, C.
a. Hill, J. II. Kinley, J. r. Dominick, z. r.
Sweeney. Church White and F. p. Major.
Among the witnesses summoned by the
prosecution are a number of members and
former members of the st. Louis municipal
assembly and DR.. william s. Woods, presi-
dent Of the National Bank OF Commerce;
DR.. Jones, P. E. Hatch, attorney, and G. NJ.
Cole, banker, all Of Kansas City.
Judge Ryan took under Amusement an
application for a writ Of habeas corpus to
release Tamblyn, Schettler and Schumacher,
ex-delegates, in jail under indictments for
bribery. -
Then the Snyder case was called and
Judge Priest made an elaborate argumen
In favor OF the demurrer, which alleged
that the Indictment was faulty and did not
charge an offense under the statutes of
Missouri, and. finally, that the prosecution
was barred by the statute Of Limitations.
Mr.. Folk argued to the contrary and was
followed by Mr.. Lehman for the defense.
The court overruled the demurrer, to which
exception was taken by the defense.
The defense then hled a special plea in
abatement to the indictment, requiring, ac-
cording to the defense, a special trial OF
the issue whether or not the statute OF
Limitation was a bar to prosecution. Mr..
lehman made the argument In support OF
the contention that this issue must be tried
separately.
At this point recess was taken.
On the r~eassembling Of court Judge Ryan
overruled the special plea in bar and Mr..
snyder's arraignment on the charge OF
bribery followed.
After the Indictment was read the court
asked the defendant how he pleaded. Coun-
sci for defendant renewed plea In bar and
asked to have the trial proceed by a gen
eral Jury instead Of a special jury. This
was again overruled, and upon insistence
by defense on the plea, Judge Ryan ordered
the clerk to enter a plea Of not guilty and
proceed with the trial. On motion of coun.
sci for defense, Judge Ryan quashed tn,
venire for a special Jury and ordered an.
other returnable tomorrow. The same
Venire was and court adjourned