Evening journal., 1906-07-28
HERBERT [. RICE
MAKES STATEMENT
ccontinued from First Page,

to warrant a conviction. At the same time
1 told Chief Black that although ] had
advised the Nigro family 10 get ether wit
nesscs In the neishbcrhood and they tai d
to do this. l did not feel Disposed TO dis
miss the case on my own responsible t.
and that would make statement to the
judge and ask him to hear the evidence.
Chief Black at that time told me that
Edith Grant had said to him that every
thing was closed up down there and ne
said IL looked to him like case Of perse-
cutlon. When the case came up for trial
that morning ] explained the circum-
stances 70 the Judge and asked him TO
hear the evidence In the case. The Nisro
family was placed on the stand and
tried TO bring out everything that ] pos
sibly could to convict Edith Grant, and
Mr.. Hayes. who represented Edith Grant,
cross-examined the witnesses. In defense,
Mr.. Hayes introduced a police officer who
stated that everything was very quiet
there whenever he went past; and that
he did frequently go along there at al
hours OF the day and night. The judge,
from the evidence, dismissed the case. and
l think very properly so.
on July 18th Lillian Nigro again swore
out a warrant for Edith Grant for keeping
disorderly house and the additional
name Of Sophia Nigro appeared On the
warrant The morning that the case was
set for trial ! was asserting the warrants
and subpoenas when Horace G. Knowles
came in and called my attention to the
case and told him that i had net ex-
amined the witnesses as yet but would do
SO and at the time called his attention to
the fact that they should get witnesses
from other homes in the nelghborlood as
It had been time and time again ruled in
the Municipal Court that disorderly
house must be proved to be a common
nuisance to the neighborhood and net a
nuisance to any one family In few
minutes went In and ox mined the Nigro
family, they being the only witness S
summoned, as to the evidence against
Edith Grant, and at the same time told
them that they must get more e,iderc
outside Of their own home. When the ca e
was called Edith Grant appeared ana
asked that her case be continued and, as
1t Is the practice in that Court where
such request is made by the defendan;
upon the day of arraignment it IS not =
posed by the prosecuting attorrey and
the judge grants the continuance. TIE
case was continued until Tuesday, July
nth. When Judge Cochran granted tn +.
continuance Horace G. Knowles walkca
over to the Nigro family and began talk
ing with them IN tone sufflc emily loud
20 interrupt the proceedings OF the sourt
and the judge raped on his desk. Horace
q. Knowles paid no attention 10 the rap
ping OF the judge and after waiting a
reasonable time the judge told Horace G..
Nnow-es that !" he wished to conf5r IN
his clients he must either wait until after
court or take them from the court room
lie and his clients then left the room.
and in going out they all made 50 much
noise that 1t was necessary 10 stop the
trial then in progress ard wait until tn y
had departed from the room
On the morning OF July 1.th I arrived
at the police station about ha,f past ei yht
as there were several cases set for tria!.
obtained the clerks sheet, warrants ard
subpcenas from officer Harry Taylor who
was acting house sergeant In the place
OF Mr. Durney who started on his vaca-
ton that morning, and Mr.. Taylor ha
placed he different subpoenas inside Of
/ their respective warrants. / picked cut
the papers in the cases in which 1 had
net already examined witnesses which
happened to be the cases VIII ch were not
! continued and as the case against Edi h
/ Grant was continued one l did not ex.
anime the witnesses again. There were
| quite a few Witnesses to be examined
that morning In the different cases and
il was after o'clock before l again went
into the clerks room. When / d go I'm
went up to Chief Black and consulted
with him about the case against Edith
Grant. and we agreed that the only dis.
position we could make Of the case was
10 ask that it be dismissed and that a
the time should make a statement 70 H.,
court stating why I made the applica
tion. l did not see Horace G. Knowle
that morning at all and ! did net know
that he was in the court ROOM If ! IN,
seen him l would probably have exp!ain,,
what l was going to do. knowing as /
that he represented the Nigro family. NJ
Hayes came in the clerks room and ask
me what was going TO do with the cas-
against Edith Grant as he represente
her told HIM that did not know at tina
time and l again consulted with Chic
Black then told Mr.. Hayes that l wa
afraid I would have TO ask that the cas-
be dismissed and Chief Black at that tim
said that we could not help H.; that W
had done all that we could do. Mr.. Haye.
at that time. and never before TO me 70
had IL ever come to my ears before
stated in the presence of Judge Cochra
who was just about to go in the cour
room that the Nigro people had demand
ed from Edith Grant the sum Of 5000 t.
their house and that he would make sue
a statement in court. 1. 'at that time. tol
Mr.. Hayes that 4 thought such "a state
ment would not be a proper one 70 maxi
When the case was called that mornin
made a statement TO the court explain
ing all the circumstances connected wit
Il and Just why l asked for the dismi.
sal Of the case. After court ! remained
the clerks room for quite a little VIII
talking with the clerk on a different ma
ter. When / left the clerks room ! sa'
the Nigro family and a strange man {
tho corridor. Immediately went up I
them and again explained why disnisse
the case but told them that I would &
with them IN the clerks office to swea
out a warrant for Edith Grant II the
would give me the names Of other peop
In the nelghborhood who would appes
asrafpei hpr Mr. Nfgrn stated fb,t l.