The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-07
FIGHTS GRAF TERs
WHO ROBBED HIM
Blacksmith Turns Lawyer and II
Prosecuting Cases Against Judges
and Lawyers in Ohio.
BY n. 3. r. BRIGGS.

ASHLAND, o., Feb. 7.--You can die
In Ashland-co, Ohio, now, with the as
surance that your children will get
what you leae behind. For 20 years
you couldn't. A gang OF judges and
lawyers ruled the county, systematic
ally gouging every widow and orphan
In sight Everybody feared them. One
day ten years ago. they grabbed the
little estate left to George Frey, a
blacksmith.
Now that blacksmith, self-tutored
in the law, is prosecuting attorney,
The implacable Nemesis OF Ashlancs s
high-browed crooks. He has sent two
to the penitentiary and Is writing
through bills of lading to the same
destination for several others. The
graft-ridden courts are purged.
It's large-sized example for hund-
reds Of other counties all over the
United States, counties afraid of their
courts, where legal rings rule and
lob.
THAT parcel of lizards had been
looting the country for % years." said
Frey, when artist Valentine and |
found the typical country law office,
up dark stairs, over the drug store.
lie was hard at work In his shirt
sleeves; short on frills, long on brains,
energy and shrewdness. A couple of
blocks away stood the old. whitewash-
|ed-brick, three-pillared courthouse. the
former nest of the lizards" Around
the corner a hundred farmers were
attending horse auction.
Is Dry and Prosperous.
Ashland-so is rural, dry and prosper
Gus. A few days ago 1t learned, with
pleasure. that former Judge Campbell,
white-haired dean of the looters. had
been convicted. Just little while be
fore, f. +. Shelley, the guardian who
helped Campbell rob an incompetent
old man, was sent up. Both convic-
tions were Frey's work. Campbell was
the udge who officiated, years ago, at
the legal ceremonies incident to steal
ing that little Frey estate.
We've got some OF 'em. There's
four or FIVE more on the list; we'il
get EN-" says Frey.
"Yes," he said, II was blacksmith.
end darned good one" He's proud
OF that "All hand work, But I'm get
ting kind q soft pow!'
II He held out hts arm. I felt the
muscles, hard as a steel bar.
Il was thirty-fve then, and studied
law nights. working at the forge all
day. Just naturally had leaning for
the law. Well, maybe what happened
to my folks estate did have something
to do with 1t, but that's long time
ego. Did they rob 1t? Didn't they!"
and. with a sudden blaze-"they
heaped crime on crime!" Then he
smiled: But, of course, that's forgot
ten now. don't want people to think
I'm vindictiye. We're scotchin' 'em on
other cases, bigger cases.
"Yes, ! went 10 law school a while,
IL months, over at Ada. A good law
school? You bet. Two professors
there do nothing but walk up and
down all day lecturing students" His
eyes twinkled again.
Then I came back here But they
drove me out of court. How? Crook
ed Judge, crooked lawyers, crooked
stenographer. Rulings always against
you; testimony changed at night;
plainly OF grounds for exception when
you made your notes, but none left
next day. They drove away every
lawyer that tried to practice here.
$50 went back to the blacksmith
shop. 'Twouldn't do to take cases
when you knew there was no chance
for your clients.
"One day I announced I was can
didate for prosecuting attorney. They
all smiled, just turned and walked
away. But I was out before daylight
every morning talking with the peo-
pie. Most of them knew me. I'd shoed
their horses. Told them I'd work hard
for them.
Well, maybe I did say Something
about taking the roof Off the court
house. was elected by 1900.
First we got rid of that crooked
stenographer. No, we didn't send him
up. Plenty of grounds, but he was
only a tool. 'Twould do to hurt just
a damn food.
"Then they tried to have me dis
barred. IL didn't come to anything,
but I hauled up two OF them, and
they were disbarred. Them's the fell
lers we're sending to the pen now.
turned around to the rest in court
and said: This disease Is ketchin'.'
How did they rob estates? Par IT,
tion cases, where property is left
jointly to several heirs. One heir
would get his share. Then the es-
tate would be sold-say farm, worth
5,000--to somebody on the inside
for $S,0OO-$7, 900 stolen. The execu-
tor would have big fees, and his at
torney would get $500 or $1,000.
More fees, and extras. The sheriff
who made the sale got his. When
everybody else was helped, the heirs
got $1,600
How They DID u.
There was the Freezer estate--all
shot full of holes. That bank over
there used to be called Freer's bonk.
First they got the bank. Widow Freer
never owed a cent, but all kinds OF
bills were brought in. Every time
they got hungry they'd run into the
bank and take two or three thousand.
II they just wanted to go 20 Columbus
to get drink, they'd grab $500, II
one Of them wanted to buy farm,
he helped himself to $500. Estate
was worth about $4,000 at the start.
Most OF It was willed to the children's
home. What the children's home got
was Just s1.44. We've got back {17,-
900; well get more.
ANY looting now? Not on your
life They're all real pious now. See
that street up there? Best residence
rWNN.