The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1906-05-31
SENSATION IN PORTER CASE.
Globe Banker, Charged Having Spirited
Away Important Witness in
Perjury Case.

Causing a sensation which exceeded
anything of the kind that has been
heard IN several years in the district
court at Tucson, Attorney Eugene S.
Ives in open court charged J. N.
Porter, president of the First
spirited away the territory's princi-
pal witness in the perjury case
brought against him in Pima county.
In addition to his banking and
other interests in Globe and sur
rounding towns, Porter is heavily in
terested in Bisbee and Clifton.
Those who know him were surprised
when it was first learned that he had
been indicted by the grand jury of
Pima county for perjury.
Several sensations we're sprung in
Tucson by E. S. Ives, special prose-
cutor for the territory, and District
Attorney Dick, when the case of
Porter was called. Porter is charged
with giving perjured testimony in a
civil case involving a cattle trans
action. The territory wanted a con-
tinuance Rof the case as the main
witness could not be found, although
Sheriff PaCheco spent eight days in
search in ella county. Continuance
was finally granted after heated
arguments between the territorial
counsel and E. J. Edwards, of Globe,
and William Loyell, of Tucson, coun-
sci for Porter.
Ives made the startling statement
that Porter had spirited away wit
nesses material to the sterritory's
case. The mueh-wanted witness who
has disappeared is William Lawrence.
Ives, shaking his finger dramatically
at Porter, exclaimed: "Are the ends
l,G he 1Af Cd n
rich defendant can spirit, away wit
came forward with another sensa-
ton. He informed the court that
from a reliable party he had learned
that Porter handed a witness money
at the Santa Rita hotel, remarking:
eff you need more, call on me-"
Dick could not say whether the wit
ness was for the prosecution or the
defense. The case will be heard at
the October term of court.
Subsequent to the court proceed
| ings Porter made statement in eX-
PLANTATION of his actions in the mat
ter. He had the following to say:
why, yes, L gave some of my
witnesses money. The boys were
not at all flush, and some of them
went broke pretty soon after they
struck tucson, ana COlQ Cnem L
would give them more if they needed
it. Why not? 1t was given openly.
1t was no secret. There were plenty
of folks about at all times. If 1 had
been in the bribing business, 1 would
hardly have done so publicly. And
as a matter of fact there was not a
single person from Globe as a witness
in this case either for the prosecu-
ton or the defense who could not
have had money from me for the
asking, for they are my neighbors
and are clients of our bank, and they
would not have the slightest hesita-
ton in asking me TOR it, and 1 would
have less hesitancy in letting them
have what they needed. It is rather
notifying being stranger among
the people of Tucson that my simply
giving assistance to my own people
should be construed by evil disposed
individuals to be wrong and limited at
as having been given for improper
purposes. Why should l be thus mis-
| Judged and my simple acts be so mis-
construed is marvel to me. These
prosecutors may be better able to
answer this, however"
The people of this section, where
Mr.. Porter is well known do not con-
slider the charges made against him
of serious nature, and as for the
charges made by Ives they are simply
ridiculous. Ives is always sensa-
tional, and in this case he saw an
opportunity for the spectacular and
to bring himself prominently before
the people of the territory.