The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-18
CONFESSION
Made Today by Mrs. ThOmann
and III. C.. MedlOck.
COnspiratOrs in Gillett Case on
Mercy of Court.
LETA FOSTER TOLD TRUTH
Girl Confessed at First Trial of
the Case.
Last Chapter of Conspiracy to
BIackmaiI Judge Gillett.
SENTENCE IS DEFERRED
SENTENCE is DEFERRED
Confession duplicates Wilcox
and Ericsson.
Bold and Elaborate Scheme to
Save Wilcox.

Fearful of leaving their fate to a
irrv Mrs. Charlotte Thomann and n
q Medlock. charged with libel agalnsI
Tudga p. r. Gillett of Anthony han''
nIeaded guilty at noon today in Judge
1ana,s division of the district court
sentence was reserved upon request
of the attorneys for the defendants
and will likely be passed sometime
near the close of the year, the exact
date not yet being known.
In the confession statement of fact
is made which clears the name Oh
Judge Gillett of the slightest shadow.
Attorneys say that the facts which pc
came known only in this CONCESSION
would have convicted Wilcox at the
trial held here last summer.
The court room into which the wife
of the Kansas banker and her comrade
in crime were taken was little like the
one they sat in last summer. There
was little heat turned on and the room
was cold and nearly empty. 1t pre-
sented a desolate appearance, strongly
contrasting with the packed room
which greeted the man and woman
when they attended the hearing against
their co-conspirators in June.
There was but one bit of hesitation
1t was on part of Mrs Thomann. Judge
Dana called the case and asked for
pleas. A plea of guilty was entered by
A. T.. Crane, attorney for the defend
ants. The court inquired if the defend
ants realized that they we're pleading
guilty to a serious offense. Medlock
said that he did. Mrs. Thomann did
not answer and the court repeated the
question, calling her name.
Il don't know about the crime she
said But 1 told the TRUTH
1t seemed at this time that the wo-
man might yet withdraw her plea of
guilty.
do you wish to plead guilty?'' asked
Judge Dana
I do" she answered. Il just told
the truth"
The case was called at % minutes
until II o'clock and three minutes later
the attorneys were on their way to
the Office of Charles Bower, clerk of
the court.
In the recorded order of the court is
a complete statement of fact entirely
generating Judge Gfllett on the
charges which caused one of the most
bitterly contested legal BATTLES in the
history of Shawnee county. 1t is the
statement which is signed by the de-
fendents and their attorneys. 1t con-
meets Wilcox with the scheme to de-
]
judge. This statement, by order of the
court, becomes a part of the court rec
ord.
The principal statement is made by
H. c. Medlock. He tells of his con-
nection with the case, his employment
by Ericsson, his dealings with the
ThOmann woman and the Foster girl
of Wilcox's promises to him if hS
would stand pat during the trial and
of the knowledge the entire party had
that the affidavits secured were untrue.
Mrs. Thoman declares she heard prac-
Ericsson and that the testimony of
Leta Foster in the Wilcox, Ericsson,
Black case was true.
MedIocI<'s Statement.
Below is the MedIock statement in
full:
During the month of December,
1911 and January, 1912, I was working
for H. c. Ericsson, of Topeka, as a
detective. lie informed me at that time
that he was employed by a lawyer to
get something on Judge P. B. Gillett, |
of Kingman, saying that there was a
disbarment case against this lawyer
In that case. He said Judge Gillett /
was a lady's man and might have a
lady with him, but that it would be
necessary for me to have a girl ready /
in Topeka about January 20, 1 arranged |
and had Leta Foster come to Topeka /
Just before the 29th of January.
ION the night of January 90,
Ericsson pointed Judge Gillett out to /
me and this was the first time L had 1
ever seen him. He was then at the /
Kansas Day club banquet On that
same evening 1 introduced Ericsson
to I,eta Foster who was at the Fifth /
Avenue hotel. Ericsson had never !
told me the name of the lawyer that (
we were working for. He said it was
best that I not know the details, He /
informed Miss Foster what we wanted /
of her and assured US all that he only /
wanted something to bluff the judge /
with.
ION the morning of January so, I !
went to the National hotel and saw
Leta Foster and Ericsson in the lobby +
and went upstairs with them. Judge I
Cinett at that time was in the lobby /
Of the hotel. This is the only time I 4
ever was upstairs in the National +
hotel and l never saw Judge Gillett I
upstairs in that hotel I left Ericsson |
and the Foster girl at the hotel and /
went to the Rock Island depot. I |
spent the day of January 80 in Holton.
On my return 1 saw Leta Foster sew
aral times.
81 will not undertake to relate the
different conversations but she told |
ne she had been in Judge Gillett's /
room and had had a time with him. /