Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-06-13


investigation by the district attorney
office into the ugly rumors Of al
tempted jury bribing during the re
cent trial Of the case Of the territor
against Robert H. Pierce, deposed su
perintendent of the territorial bin,
asylum at Alamogordo, was taken ycs
terday evening when Captain Ere,
Fornoff Of the mounted police arrest
ed Carlos Olguin, bailiff who serve.
in the court room during the progress
Of the Pierce trial and who had charg,
Of the jury during portion Of thu
time
Olguin was placed in the county Jail
The arrest was made upon a warran
sworn out by Captain Fornoff befor,
Justice of the Peace George r. Crais
and charging Olguin with felony
the specific charge being that he at
tempted to make an offer OF money
to at least one, member of the jury
in the Pierce case.
The warrant is backed up by an
affidavit sworn to by member ~
the Pierce jury, in which. it is un-
derstood, the juror states specifically
that he was approached by Olguiu
and that an amount reaching well
into the thousands was mentioned by
the bailiff as available for the pur-
pose Of securing an acqulttal
The officers declined last night 20
make this affidavit public or to give
the name Of the juror who made it
and other than to admit that such AN
affidavit was in existence. declined to
discuss the case.
Olguin. who has not been connect
ed with the court house force since
the adjournment Of the recent torn,
Of court, was placed under arrest al
the Crystal theater He was taken to
the county jail by Captain Fornoff
and is understood to nave refused to
discuss the charge other than to as
sert that he had done nothing wrong
That the arrest of Oguin is but tho
first step in the investigation is ad-
mitted by the officers who have been
working on the case for some time un-
Ter directions from District Attorney
ieorge S Klock
In spite Of the refusal Of the Offs
GERS to discuss the arrest. it is known
that they expect il to lead to others
and that the final outcome Of the
may prove even more
sensational than was the Pierce trial
itself. The recent trial of the case
here on a change of venue from Otoro
county is still fresh In the minds Of
newspaper readers
Robert II Pierce, an elderly man.
had for some time been superintend-
ent of the New Mexico school fop
blind children at Alamogordo. TIL
community and the whole territory
was shocked several months ago when
u became known that a warrant ha1
been sworn out against Pierce charg
ing him with rape and unlawful de-
tcntion Of woman in room, the
witness being Ada Hook
er. young woman who was stu
dent in the school
Pierce made his escape into Mexico
Later, however. he returned to NcH
Mexico and voluntarily gave himself
up He was released on bail and a
change Of venue taken to the Sec
The case when it came to trial here
attracted wide attention and was bit
terly contested Pierce's attorney
making hard fight TO secure an ac.
luittal Tho jury, however. brought
M a verdict finding Pierce guilty un-
der the charge Of unlawfully detain
ing q woman in room. which under
the New Mexico statute Is practically
equivalent 10 the crime Of rape.
fleree's attorneys Immediately filed
notice of a motion for a new trial
This motion has not yet been argued.
IN the meantime Pierce is at liberty
under bond of $4,000 the same bond
which was given when he surrendered 4
Almost Immediately upon the open |
ing Of the Pierce trial rumors became (
'"irent on the streets to the effect /
lhat friends of Pierce were dctermin- |
'd 10 secure verdict of aequttai. ana /
mat large amount of money was /
'Nalla ablc for buying such verdict /
" no were the friends who had this
money, the rumors did not state. They /
We're vague and indefinite. bat they /
were persistent and they continued af- I
''' the termination Of the case. II 10 I
-aid that offers of money had actually I
o''n made to members of the jury /
nat the offers had been refused ~nd /
mat one or two of the jurors who I
.,au been approached had talked of /
'' approaches made. II was at this I
iine that the district attorneys Of I
.Nt took up the matter Captain 4
oineff began quiet Investigation (
,lih"st at once. under instructions (
rom District Attorney Klock and the (
'"erifis office. 1t being felt that tho
iIltorial officer could move with +
: ,i'4ter quickness In the ease. The
'si result il the arrest Of Oiguin.
me rumors which have been cur
"' ON the street Ia connection with
Hs Pierce jury have been coupled