The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-05-21
ARTHUR'S SIDE OF
ANDERSON CASE
HIS COUNSEL DETAILS POINTS IN
CONTROVERSY
Indignantly Denies Charges of "Ex-.
tortion'' and "Collusion'' - Says
Anderson is Essentially an An
archist.'

The editor is in receipt of quite a
lengthy communication from John
Arthur, of Seattle, attorney for
Capt. Anderson in his suit for di-
vorce, in which Mr.. Arthur takes
exception to the ISLANDERS account
of the commitment of Capt. Ander-
son to jail for contempt, published on
the 7th inst. Mr.. Arthur's version
of his relations with Capt. Anderson
is expressed in Englis'i so plain as to
admit of no misconstruction We
trust that he will excuse us if we re-
frain from giving publicity to all of
the views expressed in his letter as
to his clients habits and more or less
estimable qualities of mind and heart.
From what is published, however,
those of our readers who have any
interest in the subject will probably
get the impression that the relations
between the two gentlemen are some
what strained and that the views of
each concerning the other may per-
haps be taken 'cum grano sails. "
In view of the public criticisms to
which the complications growing out
of Capt. Anderson's marital troubles
have given rise, it is no more than
fair to Mr.. Arthur that he should be
permitted to state his side of the
controversy.
Referring to the report that he is
said to have charged Anderson an
extortionate amount, $500, which it
has been impossible for Anderson to
pay" Mr., Arthur says:
"There is no truth in this. Here
are the facts: The suit in the San
Juan court is the third suit between
Capt. Anderson and his wife during
their honeymoon; the two other suits
having been brought and disposed of
in King county. ] represented him
in all of them. No dispute as to the
amount of my fee in any OF these
suits arose between Capt Anderson
and myself; the sole ground OF disa-
greement between US was as to com
pliance with the order Of the San
Juan court requiring him to pay 500
for witness and counsel fees and eX
penses, to enable his wife to bring
her witnesses to Friday Harbor and
to make proper presentation OF her
defense. ! insisted that Capt. An
derson obey this order, however dis
tasteful it was; he positively refused
to do so. After this order was made
he received $3.50 in Friday Harbor.
This was in February. | advised him
to pay the 800 and push his case to
trial at the March term. He re-
iected this advice, and as direct
consequence he is now in jail, Capt,
AndersOn's life has been spent In min
ing camps, Tar from courts OF JUS
tice. He has had no training as d
law-abiding citizen. He is essentially
an anarchist, as / have often told
him. He denies the right Of any
court TO order HIM to pay money
which he does not want to pay. This
is the source and the secret and the
explanation of his present troubles.
Finding that | would give no
countenance TO his anarchistic doc
trines, inclinations and utterances,
Capt. Anderson decided his land to
an acquaintance in Seattle, abandon
ed me without a word of notice, and
sought more congenial counsel from
an attorney who had recently come
to us from Texas and who, steer-like,
broke into the case in San Juan coun-
ty and undertook to set me aside
without even saying, by your leave,
Sir This wild and woolly sort Of