The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-11-20
Charges That Accused Said He
Conferred With Heads of
Law and Order League
Rule Issued for Contempt.

Jesse Wells, who was charged By
sam Mari. member of the grand jury,
with having attempted to influence
him, appeared before Judge Cook
this morning and demanded a hear
ing on the rule of contempt that had
been issued by Judge Cook. Com
monwealth's Attorney Denny p.
Smith asked that the rule be con-
tinued until the next term OF court,
but upon objection being made BY
the defendant the hearing was set for
this afternoon. Wells, who was out
of the city when the charge was made
against him, came home last night
and made a statement of his side of
the case this morning.
He denies emphatieally that he ap-
preached Juror MARI, but that on the
contrary MARI went to him and told
him that some of the grand jurors
were attempting to indict Republi-
cans for participating in the primary,
and asked him what he thought of
Iit. Wells said his advice was asked
and he told the Juror 1t looked like
cheap politics and he would have
nothing to do with Il. He denounces
as false any statement that Judge
Wells or any of the others implicated
by Marr's statement ever talked to
him about the subject. Judge Well,
also vehemently denies the charge.
According toJesse Wells statement
Mari is a tenant on the farm of w.
A. Patterson, who was defeated for
the nomination for sheriff by the law
and order people, and he says 1t is
not probable that the men he is ac-
cused of representing would try to
influence a man placed in such a po-
sition as Mari is.
The latest sensational episode that
has occurred in the court and political
circles of this place, which has been
center OF news for more than a
year. was the declaration in circuit
court by Sam Mari, a member of the
grand jury. that Jesse Wells, a rela-
tive of County Judge A. ]. c. Wells,
had approached him and attempted
to influence him to vote against in
dieting Republicans. who had partic-
lpated in the recent Democratic pri-
mary.
The statement as to the alleged at
tempt to b-ibe was made after the
grand jury foreman. Milton lines, had
requested Judge Cook in open court
to re-inst-uct the jury as to their
duty in regard to the cases under
consideration, in which men hereto
fore known Republicans had voted in
the primary. A strong charge had
been made by the court when MARI
arose and said that Jesse Wells APP
preached him during the week and
told him that If he would vote against
certain indictments he would see that
he was amply rewarded. Mari claim
ed that Wells told him that he was
at a conference the night before at
tended by Judge Wells. X. Robertson
and uGs Nix, city marshal of Murray
and he had been delegated to ''see"
MARI 1t was further stated by
MARI that Wells told him three other
members OF the jury had been fixed
and would vote against the indict-
ments.
Judge Cook Immediately issued a
rule against Jesse Wells to appear
and show cause why he should not be
punished for contempt. Wells was
out OF the city and did not learn of
the affair until yesterday afternoon
when he notified his brother, Rainey
Wells. that he would come 10 Murray
today to answer the charge.