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 LAVAL 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. II. Hunter, NJ, brady, w. l..
White, ]. o. 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 1t 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 II is charged
that the five business men tried to in
fluence Jurors were those of Elias
Lewis against Jesse o. Wells and Ray
mond r. Pfiantz 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 1t 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 Monies, 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 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 bar
investigating committee that Mr..
Hunter sought to influence M. v. Ken
nedy, juryman in the Pfianz case,
through Mr.. brady. 1t is charged that
Mr.. Wells, Mr.. Marvin and Mr.. White
attempted to influence jurors in the
Lewis case against Wells. It 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 that
they attempted to influence Mr.. Ken
nedy. Messrs. Wells and White also
deny the charges. Messrs. Cope an6
Coffin say that in the method they
adopted they had the sanction of the
former Judge, and that they followed
the practice complained of to avoid
getting on the jury dead men and no
toriously incompetent men who would
nave to be excused.
The bar committee recommends
specific prosecution, under crimina
statutes, against all seven men. The
report was read to the four judges il
open court yesterday morning by Mr.
w. H. Baily. II was then filed with
Clerk Coffin, who gave it to the press
The comittee and court now say that
It is up to the grand jury. The. jury
cannot be instructed by the court tc
return an Indictment.