New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-25
LEGAL TALENT IN LINE
FOR INSPECTORS TRIAL
John B, StanchfieId SignaIizeS
Entry Into Fight by Move
for Delay.
Whitman FACES HARD CASE
District Attorney Served with
Notice of Demurrers That
Are Based on Theory
of Accomplices.


field into the police officers legal defence
line, signalzed yesterday by new move
for delay In the trial or the four III
spectors charged with conspiracy. II be-
came evident that the night precipltaten
by that trial will probably be one OF the
most bitter battles that District Attorney
Whitman has been in since he began MS
police graft inquiries on the heeis OF thc
Rosenthal murder.
Mr. Stanchfield, i'm behalf OF Inspector
James +. Thompson and George Gordon
Battle acting for Inspector Dennis
Sweeney. served notice that they would
move to withdraw the pleas OF not guilty
entered by those two defendants for the
purpose OF demurring to the indictments
The argument on the demurrers VIII come
before Justice Seabury this morning.
Notice OF the proposed demurrers served
on the District Attorney set forth that
they would be based on the proposition
that the evidence against Thompson ana
Sweeney came exclusively from accom-
plices. and ION other grounds when
would be set forth in the arguments.
Justice Scabury has already overrulcd
prev dll'llptS dA b'idS boSth NP'' 49,
"accomplice" theory and it is not be-
lieved that the motions to be argued to-
day will delay matters or cause any post
ponement Of the trial, which is scheduled
to begin next Tuesday morning.
There is a persistent fight being made
by the Tammany friends OF the indicted
inspectors to prevent their trial from
being held before Justice Seabury or JUS
tico Goff In fact. Tammany and he
inspectors feel that their safety lies in
change Of venue. and according to an
attache of the District Attorneys staff
George Gordon Battle and Francis Well
man are TO make fight 10 have the trials
transferred to some county upstate.
Stanchield is against this plan.
This official said that Monday. if the
putative plans OF Battle and Wellman
prevail, a motion for a change OF venue
will be made. II this move proves sue
cessful it would mean that the trial for
conspiracy OF the four inspectors would
go over until next fall. AT least, and with
possible adjournmcnts until after the first
Of the year when. all the friends of the
indicted men hope District Attorney
Whitman will no longer be in Office.
The District Attorney will fight. and he
believes successfully. any attempt to OBJ
tain a change of venue.
Edward j. Newell anu i'atrolman Eu-
ncsses in the conspiracy case against the
big four conferred with Mr.. Whitman
and Assistant District Attorneys Clark
and Groehl Yesterday. while two other
witnesses. whose names have not been
made public and whom Mr.. Whitman in
tends 10 shroud I'm mystery until he puts
them on the witness stand, also went over
their stories with the prosecuting officials
Following a brief conference With Jacob
Rouss Yesterday morning. Mr.. Whitman
had Claus Boiling of the Sinclair Hotel,
in East i95th street before the grand
jury. Boiling was summoned as a grand
jury witness about two weeks ago. but
on that occasion he was not taken be-
fore the grand jury. The story concern
ing Boiling is that he was present in
his hotel on day I'm March, just before
the conviction Of Patroman Hartgan,
when several police officers of high rank
met there to arrange the details OF
fund of money intended as hush fund
for Hartigan's family. provided the
Sweeney messenger kept his mouth
shut"
When he vas summoned down on
that previous occasion Boiling told
reporters that he knew nothing OF any
such meeting. either in the Sinclair or
anywhere else. and that he had never
heard of any Hartigan hush fund
When he came out of the grand jury
room Yesterday. however he refused to
commit himself I'm any way, either as 10
his evidence or his knowledge of the Har-
tigan fund II is believed that Rouss was
able 10 give Mr. Whitman information
on this point, which gave the prosecutor
a leverage on Boiling.