The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-13
.HUMMELL CASE IN
DODGE. MORSE NET
Mysterious Divorce Tangle In
volved in Trial Of Prominent
New York Lawyer.

New York, Dec. 13.-The trial Of
Abraham H. Hummell, one Of New
York 8 most widely known lawyers, on
the charge Of conspiracy, was on the
calendar before Justice Rogers in the
supreme court today. The charge
against Hummell grew out Of the sensa-
tional Dodge Morses divorce litigation,
in which it was alleged that Hummell
entered into conspiracy to procure per
Justice Edward T. Fursman also was in
dicted on the charge of conspiracy in
the same case.
The conspiracy and perjury charges
were made after an Investigation by
District Attorney Jerome of allegations
that the courts had been made use Of in
an improper manner in an effort to pro-
cure an annulment Of the decree of
divorce obtained by Mrs. Clemence
Dodge against Charles F. Dodge After
this divorce Mrs. Dodge was married to
Charles w. Morse, a capitalist Of this
city, who is prominent in banking and
steamship affairs.
Mrs. Dodge's Purpose.
The real object of the desire to OBJ
tain an annullment Of the Dodge divorce
was said to be thereby to invalidate
the marriage Of Mrs. Dodge and Morse.
Why it was sought to invalidate this
marriage has never been definitely
learned, but the most sensational stories,
have been in circulation on the subject,
the most persistent being that declar-
alton Of invalidity instead of divorce
was desired in order that another mar
rage might take place with wealthy
member Of the Roman Catholic church
under the rites of that church.
Hummell appeared in the proceeding
as attorney FOR Charles F. Dodge and
presented a claim by Dodge that he
never was properly served with the
summons in Mrs. Dodge g suit; that he
was not represented by counsel at the
trial and that he knew nothing Of the
matter until he was served with GER
tifcate Of the decree.
Former Justice Fursman then came
into thecase as counsel for Mrs. Morse
and the legal proceedings continued up
to the point where on Jan. 4, 1904, the
Dodge-Morse annullment was entered in
the supreme court.
Sensation Disclosed. 49,.
Then an attorney named Sweetzer,
who had served the papers on Dodge
and who had been at work on the case
to save his professional reputation, dis
covered letters from Dodge to Mortimer
Buyer, also an attorney, saying he,
Dodge, had been served with papers in
a divorce suit and authorizing Ruger
to act as his attorney. Ruger had died
before the latter proceedings.
Dodge was at once indicted for per-
jury and after a long and bitter legal
battle WAS brought back from Houston,
Texas. A member Of Hummell's law
firm represented Dodge in Texas in his
efforts to prevent extradition to New
York. -- -.
After Dodge was brought back here
he made a statement in which he ac-
cused Hummell of having dictated to
him the false affidavit. He said he
| had been plentifu1ly supplied with
money, tho source Of which he did not
question, and that all the efforts to pre-
vent his return to New York were made
under the direction Of Hummell. 5
Justice Rogers denied motion for
special, jury to try, the case made by
the case was called and the impaneling
Of jury began. In the course Of his
remarks regarding the motion by the
defense for special jury, Assistant
District Attorney Rand declared that it
was not exaggeration for him to saw
that this has been a "hold-up' by the
defendant and his assistants for two
years: nFor full year, he said, eve
had to fight for the extradition Of
and before we succeeded in doing so
we were compelled to take the case to
the supreme court Of the United States.
The health Of Dodge, witness in the
case, is very poor, and he requires con-
slant attention and guidance to save
his life, because the interests Of the
accused have tried to kill him.