The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-18
SOME BIC CASES
Will Be Tried at April Term of
Federal Court.
COpe-Morris Controversy May
Be Aired Here.
SPEELMAN CASE is UP
Believed He VIII Plead Guilty
After Indictment.
AtchisOn Libel Case Promises
to Be Sensational.

One of the heaviest dockets in several
| years is for disposition at the April
term of the United States district court
| in Topeka Judge Pollock will convene
the term of court Monday April at
| 10 o'clock. Two or three weeks will
probably be required to dispose of the
| cases.
| On the docket for April are more than
| 80 criminal cases. Some of them will be
1 holly contested and week will prob
ably be required to dispose of these
actions. In addition to these cases, are
! some 80 other actions in which the gov
eminent is interested. These include a
! long list of actions against railroad
| companies for violations of the % hour
/ law and for minor offenses against the
| federal statutes. total of 221 cases
are on the docket, including criminal
actions, suits in equity and law cases.
With the probability of a trial of the
Cope-Moore case, the term is of special
interest to Topeka people. This is the
suit brought by Carrie e. Cope, of To-
peka, against Bishop David H. Moore,
of Cincinnati, in which she seeks to re-
cover $4,000 damages for the writing of
certain letters. The Moore obin-
son troubles are of vital interest to the
Methodist church and missionary or
CARNATIONS in general and have at
tracted interest in church circles
her suit against Bishop Moore, Mrs.
Cope has a similar suit against Mrs.
George o. Robinson pending in the fed
eral court. Mrs. Robinson is the wife
of Detroit millionaire banker and is
high in the offices of Methodist mis-
sionary societies. This case was set
for trial in Wichita last week, but was
continued. While no definite arrange
ments have been made, yet it is prob
able that both cases will be aired here
in April.
Speelman Case on Docket.
Ward Speelman's troubles will also
be disposed of next month. His case
does not appear on the April trial
docket. This is due to the fact that
Speelman has never been formally in
d1cted. Following his indictment early
in the term, it is probable that Spell
man will at once plead guilty to the
charge of embeZzling more than $4,000
from the funds of the Merchants Ma
tional bank
Another Topeka case on the docket
is that of Arthur Capper against the
Consumers Heat, Light & Power COM
pany. This case is the result of a gas
explosion in the Capper building sew
era1 years ago.
Agnes Boss Thomas libel suits will
also be tried here next month. These
actions total nearly $4,000 in claims
against the Atchison Globe and it's
publishers and are the result of GER
tain articles published in the Atchison
paper several years ago. The cases
have been on the docket more than a
year. In Topeka last December, Judge
Pollock was assured by the attorneys
in the case that the suits would be
ready for trial al this term of court.
Many other important damage cases
are for trial in April and unless some
of these big cases are compromised or
continued, Judge Pollock will have a
busy three weeks in Topeka. Under
a rule of the federal court, jurors will
not be announced until the day court
convenes.