Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-27
J. w. Wooten Admits He Has No
Right 10 Practise In
Utah Courts.
WHITAKER TAKES ACTION
Judge stops short tho Boistcrous Con-
duct of Police Court "Attor-
ncy" in Reyes Case.


torney at law, was almost dazed this
morning by Judge j. ]. Whitaker OF the
ciVil division of the city court. now
sitting for Judge Dlehl in the criminal
division.
For more than year Wooten has
been practising" law in the police
court and has managed to act as coun-
sci In several cases. In each case that
his name was entered on the records
as counsel he committed under the
statutes. Sec 1i2, contempt of court
and laid himself liable tn a fine for
each oflense, according to Judge Whit
aker
Wooten Is not member of the bar
of the State of Utah.
He made the admission this morning
In answer to a question from Judge
Whitaker.
The man has gained considerable
notoriety about police headquarters
since his arrival here from Colorado
more than year ago by his offensive
conduct and boisterous manner in
handling cases in the criminal division
of the city court, and not long ago he
was reprimanded by Judge Diehl for
using insulting language toward Il wit
ness on the stand.
1t had not occurred to any one to
ask whether or not Wooten had Il
right to practise law in this state and
he was tolerated by the courts until
his clustering became unbearable.
GETS ORDER FOR MONEY.
Last night the man called at the city
Jail and demanded to see Louis Reyes,
Mexican arrested yesterday morn
ing by Patrolman Carlson, for steal
ing silk skirt from Hamiltons store
on Main street and he also wanted to
see Frank Lopez, the Mexican crook
arrested by Patrolman Kast and want
ed i'm Ogden for the robbery of the
residence of j. II. Gordon Wooten
brought an interpreter with him and
succeeded in getting an order from
Lopez for $3.50 credited to Lopez ON
the register of arrests. When Wooten
presented the order the desk sergeant
was not in, and the policeman D.
charge refused to give him the money.
When Wooten returned he was in
formed that an order had been is
sued by Chief Pitt to hold the money
for evidence
JUDGE ASKS a QUESTION.
In court this morning, when the case
OF Louis Reyes, charged with the lar
ceny of the skirt was called, Wooten
arose In his usual bombastic style said
III the court please, All en-, | have
been asked to represent the defend
ant"
Mr. Wooten, are you member Of
the bar?" quietly asked Judge Whitak-
er.
Not of this state" replied Wooten.
"Then you can not practise in this
court" said the judge. Wooten looked
dazed for a moment and then leaning
toward a newspaper man begged that
nothing be said about the matter.
Wooten also offered to do the news
paper man "a great favor if he would
keep the affair out of the papers. He
said he would at once file an applica-
ton with the supreme court and lost
no time III leaving the court room.
Judge Whitaker was compllmented
for preventing Wooten from appearing
In the ease and when asked why it had
not been done before, replied
NOT a MEMBER OF BAR.
Il was informed that Wooten was
not "A member of the bar and | decided
to find out, Under the law any per-
son who is not member OF the bar
and practises law Is guilty of con-
any more than / did"
Some time ago tho man, who has
gained the title about police headquar-
ters as Mt Pelee'' Wooten, got in the
lime'ight through Lieut. John Hempel.
HempeI discovered that two members
of the painters union were going about
various saloons taking subscriptions for
n man in the county Jail being held for
hearing on the charge of forgery. II
was alleged that the prisoner was
member Of the painters union and
Hempel claimed that WoOton matched
the scheme of getting money by send
ing the men about town to collect for
the prisoner. Their work was stopped
by Hempel Just as soon as he found
who was behind il and the further fact
that the prisoner was not Il member
of the union.
BEATEN BY CLIENT.
Wooten also figured in a sensational
case on Second South and Main street
q few months ago when an aged man
Knocked him down and gave him a Sc
we're beating for alleged mlsappropria-
ton of money. 1t was claimed by the
old man, who had been q prisoner for
some minor offensc, that Wooten in
duced him to turn over some money
and other property for safe keeping
and did not return II, az he had pro-
missed When the latter got out of
TAIL he met Wooteu on the streets and
demanded a return OF the money and,
getting no satisfaction, blackened
Wootens eye and otherwise pummeled
him.
Reyes, the man charged with the
larceny of tho skirt, pleaded guilty TO
petit larceny and was sentenced to 80
days I'm the city Jail in default of a
fine of $50.