Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-10
STATE REFUSES IMMUNITY IN
RETURN FOR PLEAS OF GULL
TY IN FEDERAL COURT.
WORK OF SECURING JURY
GOES ON AT COUNCIL BLUFFS
State and County Officers Not Inclined
to Dismiss Suits and Judge McPher-
son Frowns on Suegestion-Immense
Crowd Present in Federal Court
Other General News.

Special to TimeS-Republican.
Council Bluffs. March 10.-No more
pleas of guilty have yet been entered
in the Mabray cases and the court Is
proceeding with the selection of a jury.
Long before court opened this morn
ing the court room was filled and
deputy United States marshal was
placed at the door with orders not to
allow any one to enter. This shut out
several newspaper men who We're
little late in reaching the court house.
Overtures from certain of the defend
ants with offers to plead guilty if the
state cases are nolled have not been
encouraged by the state and county
officers Judge Mcpherson has also dis
couraged such a move by a statement
in which he intimates that any offers
of immunity will have no weight in his
court. Two cases, those of Ben Marks
and John r. Dobbins, were continued
the former on account of i'll health ana
the latter because of his pending ap-
peal in the supreme court OF the safe.
Trio Out Under Bonds.
Marsh, who is better known as Joe
Carol. together with Shores and Har-
ris, the three men who plead guilty
yesterday, We're arrested at Seattle last
fall. They have since been out on
bonds. The three probably will not be
sentenced until the completion Of the
trial of their ellow-defendants. They
will, however, remain In Council Bluffs
until the completion of the case
The court has prepared for long
fight Night sessions will be held.
Judge Mcpherson will demand prompt
ness and punetuality on the part of all
concerned in Nhe case.
| .If the defendants can't get here on
| time j will have to take steps that will
secure their presence here at all times"
he declared. when several defendants
were reported tardy.
The government and the defense
have called together 102 witnesses,
most Of whom are now in Council
Bluffs.
Among the most important Of the
witnesses for the prosecution will be
four of the defendants who, despite
their formal pleas of not guilty in
court. are to turn states evidence and
throw themselves on the mercy of the
L.
E. Coons and Ernest Fenby. The gov
ernment's long list of witnesses in
cludes scores of people coming from all
sections of the country, many of them
village postmasters and inspectors
| from other districts. The story of j.
S. Swenson, postonice inspector, will
be among the most important of the
prosecutions offerings in evidence.
Amopo Those Present.
Those OF the gang" who appeared
in person entering pleas of not gull
| ty." were:
| Leon I.osier. Battle Mountain. New.
! Ed Leach, Montrose, Iowa.
| John r. Dobbins, Centerville. Iowa.
| Robert Goddard, Fort Worth, Tex
| Clarence Glass. Chicago
Clarence Forbes, Chicago.
Harry Forbes. Troy, y. Y.
| Winford Harris, Spokane, Wash
+ John H. Beath. Jacksonville, Fla.
George n Marsh. Seattle, Wash
! Edward X. Morris, Troy. \. y.
| Bert r. Shores. Seattle, Wash.
Those who appeared by counsel en-
! tering pleas of mot guilty" and waiv-
| ing arraignment. Were:
Millard Powell. Jacksonville. Fla.
! Frank Scott. Pender. Neb.
T. S. Robinson, Pennington, Iowa.
A number of other defendants are
yet to appear. among these j. NJ Coon
/ of Shepherd, Mich, and Louis w.
Stone Miles City. Mont.
Mabray Good Listener.
/ John c. Mabray, alleged leader and
| general in all of the operations charged
| to the vast array of defendants. ap-
peared in court as an interested lis
tener. He himself has no part in the
proceedings. He entered plea of not
guilty at his arraignment in court on
Dec. Z, 1868.
Mabray came from the jail at Coun-
ell Bluffs to the court room in the Gus
tody of w. w Groneweg, deputy I'm
| tied States marshal. Mabray was re-
splendent in new suit of sober gray
freshly shaven and the height of good
(, humor. His tie was of a frolicsome
happy tint.
You may say for me that I am inno-
cent, neither a liar nor a thief, and in
good health said Mabray as he took
his seat near the press table.
Mabray then turned in his chair and
surveyed the long row of defendants
with an air of interest. There was a
! twinkle OF smile as his eye shifted
/, from one to another of the crowd.