The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-21
STILL MORE LIGHT
Additional Facts About Chief
McCOlIum's Methods.
Arrests People and Then Be-
comes Their Attorney.
CASE OF MAX WEBER.
Mother of Accused Paid the
Chief SIS.
For This He Was to Get Case
Dismissed.
CASE OF MAX WEBER.

AcColIum seems TO nave done more
law business than any other time in
his history.
Mrs. John Weber. of SOL Lafayette
street, SAYS that she paid Mr.. McCol-
lum, on or about March Is. the sum
of SIS, in consideration of which sum
Mr.. McCollum agreed to see to it that
the charge of adultery which was
pending against Mrs. Weber's son,
Max, should be dismissed.
This transaction took place in
Chief McCollum's office, and though
Mrs. Weber is a German woman not
very well versed in American legal
| affairs, she was smooth enough to
have her friend. Mrs. Richard Schaf-
er, of SOB Lafayette street, right there
with her as a witness to the whole
transac action.
McCollum told Mrs Weber that
Max would have to have an attorney,
and that she might as well hire him,
as he was an attorney He was even
a little better than the average attor-
ney, because he took the fee of SIS
under the definite guarantee that he
would have the case dismissed or re-
turn the money, according to Mrs.
Weber's statement.
Weber was arrested by Chief Nc
ColIum March II and then turned
4
rant. His case has therefore been in
the city court. The case was set for
| March IS. 1t was continued till April
II. At that time an agreement was
entered into that the case should be
/ dismissed on payment of the costs
| and Mr.. McCOIlum agreed to see to
| that The costs in the case are over
AIcCollum told Mrs. Weber that he
was attorney for Rosie Ford the wo-
man in the case. and might as well
| be attorney for her son too. Joseph
! Reed was really the Ford woman's
| attorney.
Mrs. Weber made the following
Statement today to a reporter for the
| State Journal
This trouble started when that
woman (Mrs. Ford) gave my son
gold watch to pawn She had a right
to give him the watch if she wanted
| to. But her husband was mad, and
/ he and McCollum and a big fat negro
/ policeman got together over at their
house, and they sent for Max to come
/ over. 1 didn't want Max to go but he
said he was going, just to see what
/ they way ted. It was one night over a
! month ago that he went. Well, they
got him over there and scared him
into signing a statement in which he
admitted that he had lived with that
woman as her husband They didn't
/ have any right to force him to sign
such statement, and McCollum got
| 1t Just SO that he would have some
thing to hold over the boy, and scare
him.
Wen, then they arrested him, and
took him down to Jail That must
have been over a month ago-I don't
remember just the date. But I went
down to Jail. too, and I took Mrs
Schafer, my next door neighb hbor, along
as witness, for fear something
might happen that 1 would need a
witness for.
q went up into that room upstairs
with the chief of police and Mrs.
! Schafer- He told me 1 would have to
nave an attorney for Max, and that
he was attorney for the woman, and
would also act as attorney for Max
If | wanted to hire him. I said some
thing about it being kind of queer for
/ hlm to be attorney for the woman and
for Max both, but he said that was all
right, and that he would be sure to
get the case against Max dismissed I
asked him how much he would take
and he said SIS. 1 thought that was
reasonable, because I had hired Judge
Ensminger once and he charged 500
thought 1 might as well save the So.
had the money with me, and I paid
him, but I said to him, Now I am go
ing to trust to your honor as a man
to get my boy out of this. I don't
want to have anything more to do
| with it. | don't want to have nv
name appear in the case at all. And
If you don't get my boy out, and get
the case dismissed, I am going to
make it hot for you And he said
your money back if I don't get the
case dismissed I know I can get the
case dismissed so don't you worry
I m German, and don't know
much about law business but I've got
some sense, and I know I've got a good
hold on that man McCollum. I told
him I would make him trouble unless
he got my boy out, and 1 will
so after paid the money, the case
was set two or three times, and I went
down to the. court. but they didn't do
anything. McCoIlum said it was con-
as told you. I am going to get the
case dismissed
Last week, on Tuesday. the case
was dismissed, so McCollum has done
as he agreed. and 1 am satisfied
Mrs. Weber did not know that the
be dismissed when the costs are paid.
Evidently her attorney had misin-
formed her as to the facts
The costs are especially heavy be-
cause it was necessary to send dep
unity sheriff to the southern part of the
against whom a warrant had been is
sued by her husband charging her with
lstealing the gold watch which she
gave to Weber to pawn.
Joseph Reed, who was attorney for
the Ford woman, said today: This
as soon as the costs are paid. I have
advised Mr.. Ford to pay the costs. in
order to settle the thing up. What he
wanted was to get his wife to come
back and live with him. She wouldn't [
do this. He started the prosecution of
Weber. I don't know anything about
McCollum agreeing to pay the costs
in the case.
"The attorney agreed that the case