The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-10-14
FIRST OF THE
POSTAL CASES
Miller and Johns Placed on Trial
at Cincinnati.
CONSPIRACY IS THE CHARGE
JOHN ]. RYAN is THE PRINCE
Cpf PAL WITNESS.

~ Cincinnati, o., oct. 18-The first trial
under about two dozen indictments
against postonice officials secured in
different parts of the country by the
government recently was begun here
today. The defendants are Daniel
VOORHEES, Miller of Terre Haute. Ind.
formerly assistant attorney general for
the postoffice department at Washing
ton. and his friend, Joseph VI. Johns. an
attorney at Rockville. IND. The gov
eminent charged a conspiracy between
these defendants for the purpose Of
obtaining money from John j. Ryan.
turf commissioner with offices in Gin
cinnau and st. Louis. for protecting
MIN from pOstOhice officials in the use
Of The mails to further his schemes.
Miller claims absolute ignorance OF
any transaction that may have Oc-
Cured between Ryan and Johns
Johns claims that he made an ordi-
nary contract with Ryan as attorney to
assist in securing a decision from the
postal department after presentation Of
the case.
Both defendants emphaticaIy deny
any understanding between themselves
on with Ryan or any conspiracy. The
most eminent counsel are engaged on
both sides. Miller and Johns are old
friends having lived in adjoining cOun-
ties i'm Indiana for years. where both
have been prominent politically, pro-
REASONABLY and otherwise.
Array of Counsel
While District Attorney sherman Nc
Pherson and his assistants Mouliner
and Darby have been working on the
case for some time. they were assisted
today by Charles II. RObb. assistant at
torney general for the postal depart
mfnt at Washington; y. G.. Cochran.
chief Of postof6ce inspectors: Inspectors
Nickery and Fulton, who arrested Mil
ler and Johns. and others. The defend
ants have been indicted Jointly on six
COu4ts.
Tlfe government has called a dozen
witnesses and the defense three times
that many, so that il is not expected
that the arguments viii be reached un-
til the latter part Of the week. The wit
ncsses today were Richard r. Webster.
a clerk I'm the legal department of the
postofhce department at Washington:
=. n. Morrow, a telegraph operator at
Rockville Ind, and John j. Ryan, the
latter being on the stand when court
adjourned As Ryau's direct examina-
tion has not been completed il is
thought that most of the time will be
taken up with his testimony regarding
his transac tions with postal officials I'M
the alleged middieman at meetings in
Ierre Haute. Cincinnati and st. Louis.
Ryan the Star Witness.
John J. Ryan. the star witness Of the
government. vas on the stand from 8
o'clock until court adjourned. He gave
history and an explanation of his CO.
operative investment company. telling
how he advertised in the papers and
received answers with money by mail.
Last November he was called on by
pOstofice inspectors and soon after
ward received a notice from d. V Mil
Ter. an assistant attorney Of the post
office department, that his turf COM
missiOners operations were fraudulent
Later he had "a hearing before Attor-
ucys ChristianCy and Miller on Nov. IL
I'm Washington. where the whole mat
ter was finally referred TO Miller At
This meeting Ryan promised to reor-
ganize his co-opera tive investment
company SO that his operations as turf
commissioner would come within the
requirements of the postal laws.
He continued, however, to have trou-
bic, and soon after his return from
Washington he received letter from
Joseph NJ Johns I'm which the latter
said he could be of service to him.
After considerable correspondence by
mail and wire they met i'm Terre Haute
where, Ryan stated. ne registered I'M
der the name Of Rose. Ryan described
I'm detail how they mingled about the
hotel In Terre Haute and finally retired
10 his room. where Johns opened the
conversation about his troubles with
the pOstufice department.
Objection by Defense.
Ryan was proceeding to repeat the
conversation that took place when the
two were alone i'm room i'm Terre
Haute when he was interrupted by an
objection from Rulisou to the witness
testifyng as to what Johns recited
about Miller saying 60 him. RYAN was
tesufying tina, Johns claimed 90 be
close 10 Miller and able to advise RYAN
what Miller had said could or would
be done i'm the pending case Rulisou
objected to connecting Miller i'm con-
spiracy before any conspiracy had been
established. After both sides argued
the question of allowing Ryan to pro
coed with what Johns had stated that
Miller had said regarding the case. the
court took the objection under advise.
ment until tomorrow at a. M