The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-10-01
John Caster Stands Before the Bar Of
Justice to Face Trial on Charge
Of Bribery.
HIS ATTORNEY FAILS TO APPEAR.
Judge Belden Gives scathing Rebuke to
Attorney ingalls, For His Breach of
Faith.-Ca Called Tomorrow

0CSCIlcu duu alone JOnn caster.
former member Of the City Council,
stood in the prisoners dock at the Cir.
cult court this morning ready to bear
the brunt of the charges Of Doodle that
Lad been brought against him and
Iother members of the Council in con-
nection with the passage of the
Haynes-Clausen street railway ordi-
nance.
/ For weeks the tender threads that
had saved Caster from facing a jury
of his peers had been strained to their
full capacity and the Supreme court
broke away this morning and left
Caster with nothing to do but to go to
trial and bear the wrongs of himself
and his companions. Caster bore the
terrible ordeal like man. His attor-
ney, Wallace Irgalls. failed to appear
to support him and he was ready to go
into the case alone and If necessary
take the penalty that must certainly
follow if he is found guilty of the
charge against him. The lone prison
err, signalled out for the slaughter and
deserted by his former companions,
was a mark of pity to the court, the
attorneys and the jurors and no one
was willing to leave him to face the
charges alone. More out of pity than
in justice the court held that the case
would be continued for another day in
order to allow the attorney who had
deserted Caster to get to Kenosha and
make some reparation for his negli-
gence.
This morning the crowds gathered
at the court house, as many felt that
the end of the famous case was at
hand. There were forbodings Of Ill on
the part of the men who had supported
Caster and his friends during the long
wait for the trial and they came to see
the end of the case.
Court and jurors waited for Attorney
ingalls,, aud when he failed to arrive
1T was discovered that he had sent a
letter to the Sheriff ia which he had
stated that he was forced to argue
some cases before the Supreme Court
at Madison and that he could not re-
turn to the city for several days. It
was the old story of delay, and the
Judge at once managed to get Attor-
ney ingalls, by telephone and could the
conversation be placed in print it
would make interesting reading. The
attorney admitted that he had not at
tended to the matter, and the Court
gave him severe rebuke and ordered
him to be in court tomorrow morning
in order to try the case.
In the court room after the little talk
over the phone, Judge Be1den gave a
scathing rebuke TO Attorney ingalls,.
In speaking of the matter the Court
said: ''Mr. Ingalls, asked me to be al
lowed to go to Madison and make an
application for stay of proceedings
in the case of the State VS.. John Gas
ter and his request was granted. He
agreed to go to Madison on Monday
night and make the application on
Tuesday, but I have discovered that
the application was not made until
this morning. The Court feels that
he has suffered the greatest possible
breach of good faith, and I should re-
were it not for the fact that the attor-
ney was so fully conversant with the
facts in this most important case. The
case will be called for trial tomorrow
morning at 9 o'clock"
Caster said nothing during the pro-
ceedings, but in an interview after the
session of the court was over he stated
that he was glad the case was to come
to trial, as he was tired of the delays
and wanted to get through with it in
some way. After the Court had fin
ished his arrangement of the attorney
the jurors were excused and the crowds
left the court room.
While this little scene was being en-
acted in Kenosha, the Supreme Court
Of the State at Madison was also taxi
ing hand in the case. The attorneys
for Caster, following the old course of
delay, had hoped to find an excuse for
not being present in court by securing
stay from the Supreme Court. AS
SOOu 0S LAC OOA1l AACb tIAS
Attorney Ingalls, appeared and asked
for a stay of execution, and it was al
most instantly denied, and the higher
court ordered the case to trial without
delay. This decision of the higher
court broke the last straw that could
possibly hold the defendant from COM
ing to trial by jury.
The greatest interest has developed
in the case today, ard it is expected
that the court room will be crowded to-
morrow morning when the case starts.
Attorney Ingalls, has promised to be in
court at that time, and it is more than
probab BILE that there will be something
of interest beyond the Caster trial.
The failure of Mr.. ingalls, to appear
for the trial in court this morning
proved very expensive for the county
as the jurors and witnesses will have
to be paid for their full day of service.
The costs in the case will be increased
by over hundred dollars.
AUCTIONEER
- 1.aw