The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-11
He Tells the Lawyers What TO
Expect.
Nay Try Their Cases in Own
Way.
NOT A LAW SCHOOL.
Litigant Takes Chances in His
Own Behalf.
w. A. LimbOcker Pension
Fraud Case Dismissed.

When the United States District
court opened this morning for the April
term, Judge Pollock made a talk to
the assembled lawyers. which ought to
became a. classic. He said:
1.-The same rules shall obtain as of
my predecessor. i shall expect no more
courtesy from the bar that mete out
to them I shall let lawyers try the
cases in their own way. Litigants en-
pIoy men lawyers to defend them, and
pay according to the lawyers abili-
ty. more for the better ones, and less
for the less able ones. This court Will
not be a law school The litigant
takes his chances of defense, according
to the attorney he employs. The bar
makes the court, to great extent. IL
a lawyer diligently works out his case
and thoroughly knows the law, 1t AIDS
the bench in its rulings and decisions.
No court can know everything about
the law"
Several cases were disposed of, after
the dockets. both criminal and civil,
were read, principal among which were
the charges against W. A. LlnDOcker
The Iimbocker case was dismissed
at the instance of United States AttOr-
ney Dean. Its facts axe still fresh IN
the minds of newspaper readers, for
much comment was printed about
them three years ago at the time the
charges originated W. A. Limbocker
is a pension agent at Manhattan, Kan.
He is over 10 years OF age. It was
charged that he interpolated some
statements into an affidavit above the
signature after it had been sworn TO-
The case has been tried once, at the
April term of court last year A hung
Jury resulted, with a big majority in
favor of acquittal. No special reason
was assigned for the dismissal TINS
morning but Mr.. Limbocker's age and
NJ in he a
eral belief that his action was not IN
tentionally wrong, had much to DO
Samuel Scrinopski Eli Scrinopsl1i
and e. A. Wieneke three American
ized Poles were fined 500 each for
the using of the mails with a scheme
to defraud. They might have been
fined $1,000 each and eighteen
months in Jail. Their attorney, Da-
vid Overmyer. made a successful and
hard appeal for clemency. He spoke
of them as unacquainted with Amer
lean ways, yet cunning in their ideas.
The court asked Assistant Attorney
NIcKeever for his opinion of a proper
punishment. MI McKeever replied:
lone hundred dollars each and no jail
sentence" The court affixed the rec
commended fine. During the process
of Mr.. Overmyer's argument and the
remarks of the prosecuting attorneys
the elder Scrinopslzi cried loudly. His
sobs could be heard over the entire
room.
The Scrinopskis are engaged in the
dry goods business in this city. Ae-
cording to the charge of the United
States attorney, they mailed letters to
St. Louis and Chicago firms, an
nouncing their credit first class and
that they had money to pay out at
once Goods were shipped them,
which they in turn sold to smaller
concerns over the state, advertised as
fire and bankrupt stock. At the same
time ScrinODski declared himself
bankrupt. The government took a
hand because of use of the mails by
which the defendants esta bIished con
hdence with the st. Louis and Chi
The Dewey cases came up, but
were PASSED at the instance of the
attorneys for both sides. Definite dis
this term of court.
The criminal docket was gone over.
and the cases were acted uDon as fol-
lows:
United States VS.. Thomas I.ightfoot.
defendant absent, passed; United
States VS.. Charles Hoffman, stricken
from the docket; United States vs.
William A Limbocker dismissed.
United States VS.. Albert Gibbs. passed
United States VS.. Matthew Brown. set
Ior April Il, a. m; United States VS..
John klser, passed; United States VS.
walter and James G0Odell, passed:
United States vs.. Bess Quackenbush
dismissed; United States VS.. E. Bern
stein, passed; United States vs. Eliza
vs. Robert H CrOsswhite. continued;
United States VS.. ]. Z. McColm, ouash-
ed; United States VS.. c. b. Hayes, set
for April IS. a. m; United States VS.
James h. Christman. plea of guilty
Will probably be entered. passed:
United States VS.. Ella A. Cook, plea
OF guilty viii probably be entered
passed; United States VS.. Virginia
Bower, plea OF guilty viii probably be
entered, passed; United States VS. n
!, Alien set for April II. p. m; United
States vs.. c. p. Dewey and others
passed; United States vs. Charles
Humbert, April IA, a. m; United
States VS.. Lewis Mcbride. passed;
tinued to Kansas City court; United
States VS.. Wilson Orm, continued:
United States VS.. Harris Booge. con-
tinued; United States vs. Herbert r.
Miller, set for April Is; United States
VS. w S. Smith and w. T. ~Sutcliff,
passed; United States VS.. c. P. Dewey,
ChaunceN Dewey, William J. Mcbride
w. J. Ratcliff. passed.
In the civil cases this temporary
disposition was made: United States
vs. Fred c. Waite ct al. passed. United
States VS.. Jeremiah Chubb, passed;
United States VS.. J. w. G. Brooks, con
tinued; United States VS. Circle Land
& Cattle company, set for April Is:
United States vs.. Peter Thelein, dis
missed; United States VS.. c.. R. l. &
p. r. r. Co, passed; United States VS.
r. +. Steele, set for April IA; United
States VS.. Afills-Wood Cattle Co.. in
junction granted to the government to
stop enclosure of land.
The petit jury as announced this
morning follows:
d. F. Herley, LeavenWorth: William
HogeboOm, Goodland; Gregg Marshall
WaKeeney: w S Anderson Abilene:
w z. Hull, Jewell; H H. Sweet, Del
phos: Robert L. Goddard Wilder; II.
s. Benjamin, Salinai Captain E. W.