Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-09-24
INDICTMENT OF
SEVEN IS Asked
Polk County Bar Investigating
Committee Urges Drastic
Prosecutions.
TAMPERED WITH A TRIAL JURY
It Is Claimed Prominent Men Tried
to Fix Jurors and That Officers
Violated the Law-All Enter Siren
uous Denial.

Des Moines, Sept. PA committee
composed of eleven members OF the
local bar on Saturday preferred
charges against five business men and
two county officers and recommended
their prosecution criminally for Of
lenses alleged to have been committed
IN violation Of the law relative to draw
ing and influencing jurors.
The men accused by the committee
were: E. H. Hunter, NJ. brady, w. l..
White, J. 0. Wells, B. F. Coffin, Fred
Cope and F. A. Marvin. 1t is charged
by the committee that Hunter, Wells,
White, brady and Marvin attempted
to influence jurors in cases on trial in
the district court; and it is charged
that County Auditor Fred Cope and
County Clerk Frank Coffin illegally
selected Jurors, although it is not
charged by the committee that this
was done corruptly.
The cases in which it is charged
that the five business men tried to in
f1uence jurors were those of Elias
Lewis against Jesse o. Wells and Ray
mond r. Pfantz by his next friend,
Clara S. Pfanz, against the Iowa Tele-
phone company. 1t Is declared by the
committee that the irregular practice
with respect to drawing jurors of
which complaint is made has long been
In vogue. The cases in which it Is
alleged that efforts were made to tam
per with the trial jury were damage
suits growing out of personal injuries.
Mr.. Hunter, who was formerly post
master, is one of the most successful
business men in Des Moines, and has
been in the banking business here for
several years. He Is president Of the
New York Wall Paper company, and
for several years has represented cor
porations in business matters in Des
Moines. He was instrumental in set
Ting the Iowa Telephone company's
strike. Mr.. White is the shoe mer-
chant. Mr.. brady lives on Sixth
avenue, and was formerly alderman
for a dozen years. Mr.. Marvin is an
express messenger for the United
| States Express company. Mr. Wells
is the liveryman. Mr.. Cope is serving
| his third term as county auditor and is
! a member of the Polk county bar. Mr.
| Coffin is serving his first term as coun
| ty clerk.
In brief, it is charged by the bal
Investigating committee that Mr.
Hunter sought to influence NJ. V. Ken
nedy, juryman in the Pfanz case
through Mr.. brady. 1t is charged thai
Mr.. Wells, Mr.. Marvin and Mr.. White
attempted to influence jurors in the
Il Lewis case against Wells. 1t is charg
\ ed that instead of selecting jurors by
lot, the auditor and clerk selected
names from among those drawn from
the jury box.
The committee specifically states
| that no jurors were influenced MeSsrs
Hunter and brady absolutely deny tina
they attempted to influence Mr.. Ken
nedy. Messrs. Wells and White also
deny the charges. Messrs. Cope ant
Coffin say that in the method they
\ adopted they had the sanction of thu
former Judge, and that they followed
the practice complained of to avoiC
getting on the jury dead men and no
toriously incompetent men who would
aave to be excused.
The bar committee recommend
specific prosecution. under crimina
statutes, against all seven men. TIL,
report was read to the four judges il
open court yesterday morning by Mr.
! w. H. Baily. 1t was then filed will
Clerk Coffin, who gave it to the press
The comittee and court now say tina
1t is up to the grand jury. The jur,
cannot be instructed by the court t
return an indictment.