The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-13
Actions in Court Cause
Arrest on Charge of
Contempt.
TWO MONTHS IN JAIL
Court and Counsel Confer,
After Which Rest Of Jury
Is Dismissed.

The trial of James NJ A. Watson was
| brought TO an abrupt termination this
/ morning. as the result of the conduct
of Juror Arthur L. Orrison. Assistant
/ District Attorney Taggart declared Or
! rison was intoxicated and unfit for his
/ duty. and Justice Pritchard ordered the
juror arrested and held to answer a
charge Of contempt Of court and dis
missed the other members Of the panel
from further consideration Of the case.
! Hardly had Justice Pritchard settled
/ himself on the bench at 10 O'Clock when
| Orrision arose in his seat in the back
row of Jurors and addressed the court
/ as follows.
Your honor. have l the right to ask
/ a question for information p
/ The Court-No. sir If YOU desire any
! informa ton you can notify the court,
and 1 viii ask the question for you
YOU mean alb 'ut this case.
/ OrrisOn-Yes. sir.
I The Court-An right Anything YOU
desire TO know you can come 10 me, and
I viii ask it.
/ Orrison-AU any ume? Well. is this
man TO be tried on the indictment or
Z by public opinion2
The Courts Answer.
The Court-Weu. / will tax to Won
about that in the charge I thought
you desired 10 ask a question about
what the witness had stated Why. the
defendant is TO be tried on the bill of
[ indictment, and the evidence bearing ON
the same. 1t has nothing TO DO with
public opinion, one way or the other.
but l viii tell YOU i'm the charge Won
are 10 try this man on the law and the
evidence ara ~ according to what
people may say about him.
When Justice Pritchard had advised
the juror as 10 how the defendant was
20 be tried he said to counsel on both
sides that he desired 70 see them in mis-
consultation room, and Immediately left
the bench.
Messrs. TaggaTt. Turner. and Gordon
representing the Government. and 4 :
. Worthington, d. W. Baker. and Stuart
McNamara, attorney for Watson. fol-
I lowed Justice Pritchard to his consuIta-
tiOu room. There they entered into con-
ference for nearly an hour. ana return
I'd TO the courtroom al 1888 O'Clock
Center OF Attraction.
In the meantime the courtroom rapidly
filled with spectators. and OrrisOn was
the center Of attraction. Seated i'm the
end seat in the top row Of the Jury
. box, he seemed to enjoy the uotorietv
into which he had so suddenly thrust
/ himself. He moved restlessIy in his
seat. ana a short while before Justice
Pritchard returned TO the courtroom
OrrisOn arose. and holding up his right
hand. schoolbOy fashion, asked Clerk of
{. Court Frank W. Smith if he could leave
the room.
As he walked out Of the court room
f. was evident that the juror was MOI
steady on his feet. When hc went into
the corridor. il is said, OrriSou gave
az exhibition of a tangle-fOot walk
When Justice Pritchard and counsel
engaged i'm the trial Te-euteTCd the court
room the assistant disJTlCtattorucy stated
To the court tudt IN view Of the eX-
( traOrdluaTy manifestation OF Juror Or
-lSOu. he moved that the Jury be- dis
charged from further consideration OF
the case From the expression OF tho
juror. Mr.. TaggdrJ said il WAS evident
he was prompted 10 say what he did
. Iecause If prejudice against the Gov
eminent Further than this. Mr.. Tar
gart said, il was plainly evident rhat
the juror was not in a condition 10 dis
charge his duty. as he was then ev,-
Ground of Appeal
II at some future time in the trial the
juror might change his attitude toward
the Government and Join i'm returning
a verdict of guilty against the defendant
his conduct would be good ground for
motion for a new trial, which. no
doubt. the court would be warranted i'm
granting.
After consideration Of the situation
Mr.. Taggart said he was confident if the
jury was discharged from further con
sideration of the case, under the cir
cumstances, il would not be a ground
for the defendant 10 plead former jeop-
ardy when again called 10 answer to M.
indictments against him
II may be- stated here that at least one
OF Watson s. attorneys holds "a yerv diF-
fsUout view of the situation
When Mr.. Taggart had concluded his
statement Justice Prtchard without
comment, ordered Juror Orrison taken
into custody and held tD answer "A
charge Of contempt of court at lao
clock today. ana dismissed the other
members of the panel from further con
sideration of the case.
"Disgraceful Performance"
When this was disposed of. Justice
Pritchard said. i'm speaking of the in
cideut. 1t was most dIsgracefuI per
formauce. and 1 hope such Will never
again occur i'm Lhis court"
Al . O'Clock this afternoon Justice /
Pritchard. after hearing the evidence of /
several jurors, held that Orrison was /
guilty of contempt, and ordered that
he be confined In Jail for two months
John Shields, who appeared as counsel |
for OrTisOn. contend that the Jurors /
condition was not due TO his drinking /
lntoNlcants. but was the result of medi- !
cal treatment 90 quiet his nervous sys-
tenn lie, however admitted that Sry-
cral years ago OrrisOn drank very heav-
Ily-
The court convened promptly at lGI
clock, and "A minute later Watson en- /
tered the room by way of the stairway /
leading from the cell In the basement |
Continued ON second Page,