The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-11
FOUR PLEAD GUILTY.
Alleged Liquor Dealers shorten the
Days Docket

The seriousness of the task of obtain
ing jury in the district court. which
it is reported to be more or less the
same difficulty in other districts, was
again emphasized today when all but
half dozen of the 20 men summoned
last night by special venire to fill the
places of those excused yesterday,
prayed to be released from the duty.
Farmers plead that they have stock
to care for, cows to milk, and feed and
wood to haul moreover they live from
eight to thirteen miles in the country.
They have no one to do the work and
their wives can not do the heavy chores
and take care of several little children.
Legally of course they are bound 20
stay but no judge is SO hard hearted as
to hold them.
None of the jurymen asking release
were granted immediate excuse this
morning but all petitioners We're prom
Used consideration before tomorrow or
another attendance.
The jury box was filed and the first
case to come before the new jury was
the case of R. L. Webb charged with
assaulting Orville c. Betz a North To-
peka groceryman who called upon him
one day in October to collect a grocery
bill. Resenting a threat to put the bill
in a collectors hands Webb grabbed a
stick from somewhere inside his door
and struck his creditor over the head,
knocking him down. The case may be
finished this evening.
Before the jury case was taken up.
however the court accepted pleas of
guilty from four defendants Three of
these were on liquor charges.
Ben Russum, Topeka agent for Dick
Brothers beer who merely took or
ders, finding that that ruse did not ex-
cuse his offense, pleaded guilty to one
count He had been charged with 36
counts. Sentence was deferred until
Monday.
John and Dick Hoffman, charged with
selling liquors, also pleaded guilty to 4
nuisance count each and their plea was
accepted. Sentence was deferred.
A. L. Halderman, q 16-year-old ne
gro and an orphan. charged with the
forgery of two checks. one for $40 and
one for $13, pleaded guilty to one
charge and will probably go to the
reformatory.
In the cases of Wilbur McLain,
grand larceny, and Floyd Wilhoyt,
grand larceny, both of whom had come
over to plead, both defendants decid-
money, so asked the court to appoint
one each. There is no statute provid-
ing pay for such attorneys as shall be
appointed and the county attorney in
recommending Joe Reed and John
Newell and securing their appoint
ment received no thanks from the at
torneys thus supplied with cases.
To make it more obnoxious to them
the county attorney Informed the law
yers who did not know their clients
that McLain had been seen by three
persons to go into a dwelling house
empty handed and come out directly
thereafter carrying shotgun. Floyd
Wilhoyt, he said, had a perfect rec
ord in Topeka up to the time he stole
watch but that was attributed to the
fact that he been in town but an hour
and had nos before had opportunity for
theft Wilhoyt came originally from
Atlanta. Ga. Arriving at the Rock
Island depot in Topeka he stole a
| watch before he had gotten out of that
/ building. There are few hopes held
| out to the appointed lawyers to clear
| their clients.