Amador ledger., 1905-03-31
The Staples Case.

who was the sole attorney for defend
ant up to a week ago, will still retain
his position as counsel. 1t is under
stood that the defendant has received
financial assistance from relatives in
the cast; he current ruinOr is that he
received $1,000 to enable. him to secure
capable aud experienced couus, to de-
fend him. 1t was romari1ed at the time
of arraignment that no advantage was
taken by meaus of demurrer to the
sufficiency of the complaint. On Cam
inetti being employed. he at once
took steps to remedy this omission, and
served NOTICE upon the district attorney
that on March 81 he would move for a
continuance of the trial, w hich was set
for April 10, and also that defendant
be permitted to withdraw his plea of
mot guilty." and make such other
motion in relation 10 th" Indictment as
he might deem advisable. The reason
assigned was that the plea had been
inadvertently made.
On Monday morning tho defendant
with his attorney appeared in court, to
present his affidavits in support of his
motion; the district attorney opposing.
Affidavits Of defendant, w. G. Sny-
der and A. Caminetti were read The
affidavit of the defendant is as follows:
F. N. Staples, being first duly sworn,
depOses and says. | am defendant in
the above entitled action. | was ar
rested near Ensenada, in Lower Cali
fOrnia, on the 18th day of January,
1905, and Immediately placed in jail in
said Ensenada, where | was kept in
close confinement until the 2Sth day of
February, 1905. when | was taken by
the sheriff of Amador county via San
Francisco to Jackson, and placed in the
county jail, where | have been and still
am kept in close confinement. | am
charged with the murder of my wife
at Amador City on the 3lst day of
August, 1904, but | am absolutely in
nocent of the said charge. At the time
of my arrest near Ensenada | had but
the sum of $40 in Mexican money, and
said money was taken possession of by
the authorities, and has not been re-
turned to me; at the time of my arrest
and ever since said day have had no
| other assets whatever, except divers
book accounts against various persons,
and second mortgage on a residence
in AmadOr City; said book accounts
sent to collection agency in San Fran
cisco several months ago, but L have
not realized anything whatever on ac-
count of same; said second mortgage
has been attached for sum including
costs of about S441. | made diligent
efforts while coming through San Fran
cisco to get counsel, and tried my best
to communicate with the said collect
ing agency. but said agency, l am in
formed, has moved from San Francisco
/ q nd hntr =
although [ have made repeated efforts
so to do, and so have others in my be-
| half.
On my arrival in jackson on March
B, 1905, person guaranteed the pay
ment OF the expense of a telegram to
my grandfather in Maine and my uncle
in Boston, who were my only friends
and relatives from whom | could hope
to get financial aid; these kilograms
were signed by me; stated that [ was
absolutely penniless, imprisoned, inno-
cent, and begged for financial assist
ance. My father is poor and has no
money to send me unless he got tho
same from my grandfather.
sent other urgent kilograms to my
uncle, asking him to send me what he
could. These kilograms were followed
person in behalf of my uncle, father
and grandfather, in which letters my
condition was exactly stated, and said
letters implored them to send me
money with which to employ an at
torney and prepare my defense.
In response to said letters and tele-
grams, my grandfather finally sent me
money by checks, which checks were
| rarejVp6 nv ma March d 1Q0S
On my arrival in jackson | con tinued
my efforts to get an attorney to repre-
sent me. l solicited employment of
nearly every attorney in Amador
county, also G. A. Swisler of Placer
vile, F. Fl. Gould of San Francisco, j.
G, Brusie of San Francisco, and other
attorneys, but as | was without funds
to pay said attorneys, or pay for the
necessary expenses for the preparation
of my case, | was unsuccessful in get
ting any of said attorneys to agree to
represent me. | was greatly handi-
capped by being confined in jail, but
used every human endeavor to raise
money; tried to sell said second mort
gage and said book accounts, but was
unable to realize anything whatever of
any kind or character until the arrival
of said money from grandfather.
| On March 8, 1905, was taken before
the above court for arraignment, and
stated to the court that | was without
counsel and asked for ten days within
which to employ counsel; the court
granted two days for that purpose; on
the evening of March g. 1905, VIM. G..
Snyder visited me in Jail. He was a
stranger to me. but stated that he had
been recently admitted to practice law;
that he had had no experience what
ever, was an electrician by profession
had heard of my sorry plight and was
| willing to do what he could for me.
gladly accepted his offer and asked him
to try to get me an attorney and also
to write my grandfather and to appear
in court with me on the date to which
my arraignment had been continued.
| believed there was still some possible
| chance to get some money with which
to employ an attorney of experience,
and the said VIM. G. Snyder said he
would try and help me get such an at
tOrney; he also stated to me that he
did not think of undertaking to try my
case alone, but if 1 could get an older
attorney he was willing to assist; he
said he did not ask nor expect any COM
pensation whatever, and his services to
me were actuated wholly by desire to
see that l got fair chance for my life.
| then stated to said Snyder that while
[ gladly accepted his services l of
course could not consent to his trying
my case alone, and it was agreed be-
tween us that he should get another