The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-15
LAWYERS CENSURE
LOCAL MINISTER
Majority of Criminal Cases
Not Due to Liquor, They
Claim.
STRIKE AT w. N. NELSON.
MAJORITY OF ATTORNEYS DO
NOT OPPOSE COUNTY OPTION
BECAUSE THEY WILL LOSE
CRIMINAL CASES.

For his statements IN a sermon sun
day evening, the Rev. w. NJ. Nelson
was censured severely by nine of the
attorneys of the city this morning. 1t
was an informal indignation meeting
held in the court room. The Rev. Mr..
Nelson, who is pastor of Grace M. E.
church, was charged with not knowing
what he was talking about. He was
ridiculed severely and one attorney de-
clared he intends to inform the minis
ter wherein lies his mistake.
The Grace church pastor was taken
to task for his statementthat ninety
per cent of the criminal cases are due
directly or indirectly to liquor and IL
the latter were prohibited the lawyers
would lose ninety per cent of their
business. DIR. Nelson said today he
had been given his information by a
lawyer. He said he did not make any
charges that the attorneys may be OPP
posed to the county local option pro-
I ject, because Of their business relations
as counsel for saloon keepers, but 1T
looks as though it might be-"
Attorneys Stand on Option.
OF the nine attorneys who took ex-
ceptions to the statements Of the
preacher, but two said they are oppos-
ed to the dry county idea. One said
| he would not sign the petition for a
special election, owing to personal rea-
| sons, but he will vote dry. Three
said they have signed the petition now
| in circulation. Two said no petition
had been presented to them, but one of
these declared he would sign and the
other intimated he would. The re-
naming member of the group did not
care to commit himself.
There are 80 members of the Wayne
county bar, who engage in active court
practice. There is a number of 9TH
err members of the bar, who never
practice. There are still others who
never plead cases at the bar and have
not presented a case for the past four
years. None of these men ever has
appeared in court in connection with a
criminal or liquor case, it is cleaimed.
| Out of this thirty-two, who may be
classed as the actual "practicing" at
| torneys, twenty four may be placed on
|
! with the "wets" These eight have
not stated they are for the "wets," but
their remarks various times and
their attitude upon the subject of liq-
uor, makes it reasonable to believe
they would vote for the traffic.
| From these figures it can be seen
that only one-third of the thirty-two
may be classified as "wets,' making
the ration sc % in favor of the
"drys" instead of supporting the liquor
business, because ninety per cent. of
their practice depends upon it, as al
legged by the preacher.
Misrepresentation Charged.
The attorneys charged the Rev. Mr..
Nelson with Misrepresentation in re.
gard to the amount of criminal bust
ness in this county. This county is
remarkably free from criminal trials
considering the population. The bulk
of the business in criminal cases lies
with two attorneys, Wilfred Jessup and
Perry J. Freeman. The business falls
to Mr. Jessup because he is the prose
cutor. He is paid stipulated salary
by the state. 1t would make no differ
ence if he prosecuted ten or 100 cases
He is not paid on the theory he is a
criminal attorney alone, but to pro
: tect all the interests of the state. The
large share Of criminal practice falls to
Mr.. Freeman as pauper attorney. He
is paid $500 per year by the county
He might have but one or two paupel
| o1i 10 loft or hn
cry defendant against the states
charges, his pay would be the same.
Criminal Cases Due to Liquor.
4 1t is asserted by local attorneys tha
if all the paying criminal practice were
bestowed upon one attorney, the finan
cial consideration would not be suffi
cient to support him. 1t is maintain
ed that the principal practice of {
Wayne county attorney is the leas
important in which he may be inyolv
ed, when the financial return is con
sidered. 1t was denied further thai
ninety per cent. of the criminal case:
are due directly or indirectly to liz
uor. With the exception of the pure
ly liquor cases--that is those involving
violations of the liquor laws, there ha!
been but one criminal case in thu
Wayne circuit court during the yea
just ending. in which the defendan
has claimed his action was responsible
to intoxication. In the case, which
was the exception, the pauper attorne!
appeared for the client and no attor
ney's fee was paid as indirectly due t.
liquor.
, After reviewing the facts of thei
: business and its relation to criminal
= and saloons, the attorneys united il
j declaring the minister had been mis-
2 informed or made a misrepresentation
r in his sermon.