The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-19

! Drake, manager OF the Gas Consumers
! association. which has its Office di-
rectly across the hall from Fritch, was
injured while returning from a Royal
Arcanum picnic August ~. and after
leaving Harper hospital. few days
| later. was attended by DR.. Fritch. who
| had been his family physician. The
injury was to his head and left him
very nervous. Lodge said. He went on:
ION August q, we shall show. Mr.
Drake was very nervous and was IN
and out OF DR.. Fritchs office several
times. We shall show you by a lady
who was In his Office at the time that
he received telephone call from Mrs
Drake, who inquired about her hus
band and that he immediately locke
up "A number in the telephone book AMI
called up Joe Leachs home
From Lodges statement it was APP
parent that the defense will explain
this telephone call by showing that
Fritch wanted Leach for the purpose
Of sending Mr.. Drake home In an auto
mobile. Failing TO find Leach home.
Mr. Drake was sent home in a car.
Operation Is Denied.
we shall show" Lodge resumed,
that il was impossible for this girl
and Mrs. Messenger 10 have been in
the Office on the day In question: that
II was impossible for an operation 10
have been performed: that II was i'm
possible for a dead body To have been
concealed in that office. and that, as
matter of fact, no dead. body was
! there. We will account for DR.. Fritch's
: y hfN.t -
any man can account for his where
abouts, and that he reached home that
night about 10:45 o'clock
I'VE may submit some evidence as
To that body found on Crosse lie. but
that Will depend on now | view the
matter later on"
Lodge said the defense would admit
that Fritch did leave his Office about
$50 O'Clock on the afternoon of Aug.
p, and that he was angry.
My client. as you can see. has red
hair" he continued, and he has the
temperament that goes with IT, He
left his office and went To see Alex.
Tolsma about that painting ! told YOU
about He said TO Tolsma. Alex.
what the devil do those painters mean
by dripping paint all over my
patients?'"
Lodge, in closing. referred to pr
Fritth's arrest In connection with the
Presly case and said he would show
that the arrest was without founda-
ton
Mrs. Messenger Attacked.
After brief recess. Charles II.
Cody. justice OF the peace in Wayne.
took the stand as the first witness for
the defense He testified that he
knew Mrs. Mignonette Messenger
that her reputation for truth and
veracity was bad and that he would
not believe witness under oath.
Prosecutor Van Zile then entered
upon vigorous cross-examination
and brought out that Cody's opinion
was based wholly on hearsay
When Justice Cody, left the stand
Attorney Lodge said he could go no
further without completing his cross
examination OF Mrs. Messenger. and
court adjourned until Monday morn
ing.
Leach Under Fire.
After a searching and characters
tically skillful discrimination by
Attorney +. T. Lodge. which was nor
concluded until 4.30 o'clock Friday
afternoon. the darnning story OF
Chauffeur Joseph Leach, on which the
prosecution largely bases its case
against Or. George A. Fritch. re-
NAMED mistaken The defense tried
hard to discredit tho witness, but its
efforts were not fruitful. About all 1t
was able To show along this line was
that Leach had held about 40 differ
ent Jobs in the last four or five years,
and that he had been arrested
couple of times on minor offenses.
once for non-support and once on a
charge of making threats. Leach.
however, made no attempt TO hide
these things On the contrary, he was
very frank. Thn longest job he had
held in the period IN question was o.
three months duration. he said.
one interesting tact brought out IN
the REORGANIZATION was that chaui-
feurs receive a commission from the
keepers Of disordcrly resorts for
bringing partise to these places. the
size of the commission depending on
the amount spent by the tourists
Leach's testimony practically closed
the prosecution case.