BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-09-03

Attorney at law, who acted as inter-
prefer. Stenographic report in Eng
lish of the proceedings
Mr. Richmond: Iwant to say first
that xe wish to inquire with reference
to specific cases. We have here seven
or eight specific cases which have been
made the subject of complaint and |
want to go into these cases. Now for
the present the inquiries in regard to
charges that the Judge has been in
fuene ed by political considerations, we
will Just put them to one side while we
look into the merits of each special
case as we take it up. | would prefer
for the present that the Judge make
no attempt to answer or anticipate any
1inqiry with regard to the political sig
nifcance or bearing of any particular
action unless we ask him some difinlte
direct question. | will read the first
case in English and then read it IN
Spanish. Ist case: Ramon Santiago
Flores, alias "Tito," was arrested on the
charge of throwing dead rat into the
street, was held under $1,000 bond. ano
was told that he would not be punished
if he joined the Republican party. Il
is said that he acqlliesced, and was &C
quilted.
Mr. Faura. Mr.. Santiago was accus
; ed by the health officer of having
thrown a dead rat into the street. The
municipal Health Officer Miguel Ora
bona made the complaint. After the
complaint was made against him hs
was required to give 5000 bond, ane
he gave the bond. Complaint was
made under General Order Ne Io5
paragraph "a. When the accused
was tried it appeared according TO the
evidence that this man had caught the
rat in trap, and the it was taken out
by cat who took the rat out into the
street to eat it Nevertheless he was
fined $500 l do not remember tht
date because I have had quite mum
Der of cases, but | know that the was
fined $500 Politics had nothing to de
With the case at all, and the defendant
can be sent for it the investigation i:
proceeded with, and he can be asked
whether any political matter was sug
gested to him. Politics did not ente1
into the decision in any way.
Mr.. Redmond. Ask the Judge tht
question in this form: Has he an,
kno Wedge of any suggestion being
made to Ramon Santiago that it woult
be easier, that it would go easier witt
him ii he joined the Republican party
Mr. Faura said that he did not be
lieve, at ali events he did not know
anything about it, of anybody else hav
!, ing suggested any such thing to Nj
Santiago. He says also in proof Q
+ that statement, he refers to the fact tha
the defendant was fined $500. He in
. posed fne'of only $500 because
: was slight, a trivial offense.
5 Mr.. Richmond: Has he any know
/ edge that his Secretary Mr.. Carlos T
; Buitrago made any such suggestion t
a anybody?
Mr.. Faura: do not know that m
e Secretar, made any such proposition t
the defendant.
Mr.. Richmond. Has he ever told O
instructed his Secretary to avoid sug
5 gesiions of this nature?
Mr.. Faura said no he had neve
thought of that, but that he would no
4 attempt to mix politics with his cour
J proceedings. He said the Secretat
: would not attempt 10 do that, and h.
would rot permit him to do that.
I, Mr.. Richmond. Not }enly, of coui
Sc not but secretly?
0 Mr. Faura: said that he could no
$ answer that except as to what h
knows and what transpires within hi
: kno Hedge. Ii there is any secret con
nivance between the Secretary ant
others he does not know it, he coult
not know it.
Mr.. Richmond here asked Mr.. Pal
mer if he cared to ask the Judge an,
questions or make any statement, tt
which Mr.. Palmer replied that he die
not.
Mr.. Richmond: With reference t.
. this second case; Gabino Serrano y Sol;
a merchant, was arrested because ht
kept horre belonging to a contrymar
in his back yard while the latter made
: his purchases He was required te
lgive bond
Mr.. Faura: An insular policeman
, made the complaint against Sola
don't remember the name of the officer
: but | can send that Information from
the records if it is desired; but it was
. made by an insular policeman
/ Mr. Richmond: And under what
law was the complaint made and the