The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-03-20
Aeainst Attorney J. J. p. o'Drssa. d
Testimony In sebenk Divorces
Procesdinea
PHiLLiPs ANXIOUS ron
a CLEAN BREAST or ~


After being trailed from city TO city
and state to state. Dan z. Phillips,
famous witness In the case OF the state
against Laura Schenk, tried ON a
charge OF trying to KIN her husband,
John o. Schenk. by slow poisoning,
arrived in the city yesterday morning
and gave testimony for the plaintiff
in the Schenk divorce suit.
And here's where tho PLAINTIFFS
counsel appears to have put over a
very clever one on the attorneys for
Mrs. Schenk. according to what deveI-
oped late last evening. Information
had been given out to the effect that
Phillips was coming to Warrington.
Pa. to give his testimony. 1t develop
ed, however. that there was not from
the start any intention OF taking testi-
mony In Washington. and when coun-
sci for Mrs. Schenk were about to get
on a B. & o. train yesterday morning
they were served with notices stating
that the testimony would be taken at
the office Of Handlan & Reymann.
II seems that laboring under the i'm
preston that the testimony was to be
taken at Washington, almost a score
Of Pittsburgh newspaper men were
assigned to the affair In that city.
They arrived in the morning and were
there nearly all day. when late In the
afternoon II dawned upon them, after
many telephone calls, that they were
simply holding the bag to catch the
snipes.
Absolute Secrecy
was maintained at the law ofices Of
Handlan & Reymann throughout the
day, and the report that the testimony
was being taken there was not con-
frmed until late last evening. When
Intercepted as TO the nature OF the
testimony. Mr.. ]. b. Handlan stated
that It was along the same line as
that given by Phillips In the criminal
court. The purpose OF getting Phil
lips testimony was to use II in the d.
vorce case. as it could not be legally
used II taken from the records OF the
criminal court. So far as could be as
certained from the attorneys on both
sides OF the case. IL was substantially
the same as given in the criminal
court.
Phillips Explains.
II Is known that Phillips has been
travelling in the west for some time
released as n witness In the famous
trial. When asked yesterday why he
came back TO this part OF the coun.
try he very frankly stated that he
was sick and tired OF being bounded
and inquired about: that he felt in his
own mind that the attorneys for Mr.
Schenk would not permit him 10 res;
until they had secured his testimony
In the divorce suit. So he decided
to make a clean breast OF 1t and then
be in position TO relieve his mind oil
further annoyance.
When asked last night whether
Phillips had left the city or not. at
torneys In the divorce suit were un
able to say. The plaintiffs attorney,
appeared TO be satisfied that they
had gotten all they had gone after.
The O'Brlen Charges.
A rumor was current In the city. last
evening that Phillips. in his testimony
had made grave charges against ]. ]
! p. O'Brien. chief counsel for Mrs
Schenk. The nature OF these charges
could not be learned. There was pres
ent during the taking OF testimony
Mr.. O'Brien. s. o. Boyce, Mrs. Schenk
Mr.. Schenk, Mr.. Handlin and Fred l.
Maury. assistant prosecuting attorney
None would divulge the nature OF the
charges. II being impossible TO com
municate with Mr.. OBrien, the &C
cused. last evening. II Is reported
however. that he Is credited with hav
ing said that he did not care anything
about what Phillips said: that he
considered the source IL came from
Mr. Schenk. Mr.. Handlan and Fred l.
way.
! Demonstration Antieipated
! From other sources 10 was learned
that a demonstration had been antic.
ipated at Washington yesterday, ir
dishonor Of Dan Phillips: that on tn.
showing he had made At the Schenl
trial. the college students OF W. Z J
l had formed dislike for him. ant
were ready 20 give him q rather inter.
estlnK reception Whether plans wer,
I on for such an affair or not. could moi
De learned. but persons In position {,
know made light 81 ~. II was doubt.
less this report that induced the news
paper men % congregate 20 Washing
ton in great numbers
The taking % Phillips testlmon,
started about ~ O'Clock yeEferda'
morning. and Nas Concluded abou
o m. a police oflcer wah on fhl
door during the hours - the session