Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-28
CROWD IN COURT
Throng in Attendance Upon Trial
of Gambling
Case.
ATTORNEYS PASS COMPLIMENTS
Members of Board of Supervisors
Advise Dropping of
Prosecution.

There were incidents in connection
with the trial of w. +. Hayes and
James O'Connor on gambling indict-
mentS in the circuit court of unusual
interest yesterday afternoon. The
jury was completed at 3 o'clock after
the regular Venire of "a men and a
special venire of u men had been eX-
hausted. The public interest i'm the
proceedings was manifested by the
presence in the court room of n crowd
that occupied all the available seats
Many expected that the witnesses
would dG as those did in the case pre-
viously tried when all claimed their
constitutional rights to refuse to
answer the questions of the states
attorney on the ground that they
would incriminate themselves in do
ing so. One witness did and was ex-
Cused, but three others, all from the
lower part of the county, did not. and
told of having seen crap game in
progress in the quarters occupied by
the defendants.
Attorneys Clash.
1t was during the preliminary eX-
animation of the witness who claim
ed the right to refrain from answer
ing that sensational incident took
place. States Attorney Weld and {.
j. Searle, the latter representing the
defense, became involved in an argu-
ment which ended i'm personalities.
and interference on the part of 9th
ers alone prevented personal en-
counter. There was much excite
ment in the room during the episode
Court adjourned at ) o'clock till 2
o'clock Monday afternoon, when the
testimony for the state will be CON
tinued. ro9aY States Attorney Weld
issued summons for a number of adj
ditional witnesses for the case i'm
hand and also for the others of the
same class that are to Immediately
follow.
Called Before Supervisors.
Immediately after the noon hour
yesterday and before the beginning
of the session of court States Attor-
ney Weld was called before the board
of supervisors to express an opinion
upon the wisdom of doing away with
the allowing of witness fees in Grim
inal cases. The matter is one that
has been before the board several
times, but has always been turned
down.
1t might he said that Rock Island
county is one of the very few in the
state in which witnesses in criminal
actions are paid for their time and
trouble in testifying in court. The
burden amounts ordinarily to about
s., 900 annually and this year with the
cases that are now being tried it will
run much higher.
Advice Offered.
States Attorney Weld said the re-
peal of the rule was legal and desira-
bic. Some of the members of the
board who were opposing the action
Indicated addressed the chair in ia
vor of the dropping of the prosecu-
ton of the indicted gamblers on the
ground that the expense rendered it
unwise to go further. The states at
torney in reply gave the members
clearly to understand that he was
not in n position to be advised in re-
gard to his duty in the matter. The
board thereupon voted Is to Is to
continue paying witness fees.
The morning in court today was
devoted to n motion for Il rehearing
of the case OF Mary Stowell vs.. j. +.
Spencer. w Kent Green, of Chicago.
and G. w. Wood appearing for the
plaintiff and j. T. Kenworthy fer the
defense. The court took the matter
under advisement.