The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-16
BIames Detective Ericsson for
His Trouble.
HERE TO SEE HIS LAWYER
Says His Arrest Is Piece of
Persecution.
Believed Affidavits Were True
When He Saw Them.

| gave a statement in which he explain
ed his side of the. GiIlett Matchmaking
plan. Wilcox came to Topeka today to
| consult Major A. NJ. Harvey, his at
tornev and to confer with Corey
Black, of Council Grove, one of the
defendants in the case.
| The Harper county lawyer still in
sists that the prosecutions in the Gil
| lett case are mere frame ups and
that he knows nothing of any plan
| to embarrass or intimidate the King
! man judge. Further than this he in
| sists that it is a member of the Gillett-
| Observation-Disclosures combination that is
| trying to defeat him for reelection in
/ his county.
why, they talk about Ericsson be-
| ing an accomplice of mine. Let me tell
| you something" and Wilcox leaned
over the arm of his chair and convers-
ed for a minute in low tones. when
| they sent Ericsson down into my
| county the first time, they didn't send
| him there to look into the booze situa-
| ton, but to investigate me. l have
| that information from a mighty good
source and 1 think it's pretty anthem
| tic.
| These fellows in the Gillett crowd
want to get me- continued the coun-
! ty attorney from Harper, and they
are hammering me with this thing.
| the good people in my county mean
| the conscientious Christian men and
women-are my friends. Ever since l
brought that suit against officers OF
the fair association for handling liquor,
the liberal crowd, the regular faction
of the Republican organization and
Democrats have raised merry ---. 1t
was Just after I started that case, that
they filed disbarment proceedings Just
now, when L am running for re-elec-
ton, have as an opponent for re-
nomination Andrew G. Washburn, VINO
is a law partner of Senator Tom MOTIF
ger. And Noftzge- has wholesome
disrespect for me-
will you fight the case against
you?" was asked CT Wilcox.
calls 1t Persecution.
It certainly will" said the lawyer.
ct have done nothing wrong and this
thing is pure and simple persecution.
I came here to see Black and talk to
Major Harvey, my attorney Mrs.
Black is very sick and Black cannot
come to Topeka
"What about the connection of Med
lock, Ericsson and Mrs Thomann
with this matter?" was. asked.
Il don't know anything about it.
When saw the affidaVits, 1 believed
they were true. When 1 learned that
the 17-year-old Foster girl had re-
pudiated her statement, l wasn't at all
surprised. That's the usual thing in
such cases Then l went to Mr.. Simon
and told him L didn't think proscu-
ton would stick if the girl denied her
statement. Still 1 don't think that her
statement or those of Medlock and
Ericsson were absolute fabrications."
Wilcox was asked when he first
heard OF the affidavits.
II can't give the date without looking
it up,'' said Wilcox. But it was sew
eral weeks ago. 1 knew nothing about
them until they were shown to me by
Black
The lawyer insisted that it was Black
who employed the detectives in the
case. After getting the information,
Wilcox said, Black told him of the
statements on which County Attorney
Simon was asked to- bring a criminal
prosecution against Judge Gillett.
AT no time" declared Wilcox, "have
ever seen that Thomann woman or
the Foster girl. / never heard of them
until this matter came up; and if there
was anything wrong in the matter, I
certainly had nothing to do with it,
MedIOcs Stands by Affidavit.
Detective Medlock who was seen by
a State Journal representative reiterat-
ed his declaration that he would stand
by the contents of his affidavit.
Every word of it is true" said Med
lock.
What time in the morning did you
see Judge Gillett and the Foster girl on
the fifth floor of the National hotel?'
was asked.
ut was between Z and o'clock the
morning of January 30" said the de-
tective Il am not sure as to the exact
time. but it was between those hours
Did you see them in the parlcr
earlier in the morning."
mo, 1 never saw them in the par
Tor at all. Ericsson saw them talk
ing in the ladies' parlor. SO he says.
but l was on the fifth floor and saw
them enter room No. 5O7,' was the
detectives answer.
This answer contradicted the detec-
tive's affidavit in which he said he
saw Judge Gillett and Leta
roster talking in the ladies' parlor
room. In his statement made for pub
LEGATION, Medlock said he did not see
the Judge and the Foster girl leave
the room.
Detective Ericsson volunteered the
information that pressure was brought
to bear on the Foster girl to secure
a retraction of her original statement.
..When did you get that informa-
tion?'' was asked.
'sewelI. had probably better not talk
about that, only tell you they used
nrison trip as one of the clubs in fore
ing a denial of her former affidavit
Neither of the detectives would state
+ba nature of their communications
from Marshall county where the Tho.
mann woman and Leta Foster live.
They also declined to state just when
they had heard from Mrs Thomann or
what attitude she had taken toward |
the case
Tn SuTnmerfield this week it was
stated that Attorney WOODBURY., of Hoi- |
TON. visited the Foster girl a few DAYS
before the warrants in the GilIett case
were issued. WOODBURY. visited Leta
Foster in the Thomann home.
srHe said he was with Judge GiIIett
and his friends declared the girl. land |
asked me to tell him about the case I |
told him my last statement was the |
truth and I would swear to every word