The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-06-24
WAS JURY INFLUENCED
IN MCDONNELL CASE ?
ATTORNEY BREMEN CHARGES
IMPROPER RELATIONS WITH
JURORS BY LIBELLANT.
Court Granted Rule to Show Cause
Why New Trial Should Not Be
Granted, Returnable in August
Much Interest Manifested.


Much Interest Manifested.
Joseph E. Brennan, of Carbon
dale, who with Chas. A. McCarty, of
Honesdale, conducted the defense in
the case of P. j. Mcdonnell against
his wife, Teresa Mcdonnell, for di-
vorce, appeared in court Thursday
afternoon, and made a preliminary
motion for new trial of the case,
on the grounds that some of the
jurors who had tried the case had
been improperly approached during
the trial of the case. Mr.. Brennan
was permitted to examine several of
the witnesses.
Otis lighthouse, one of the jurors
was called to the stand and said that
he had boarded with his sister dur
ing his stay in Honesdale but that
on Tuesday he had stopped at the
Commercial Hotel. He denied that
Mcdonnell had invited him to have
dinner or that the meal had been
paid for by Mcdonnell. He said that
the case had not been discussed but
said that Mcdonnell had been stop
ping there.
Ernest Ludwig, or Hawley, was
next called. He said that Mr., Bas-
the train and they walked over to
town together. Mcdonnell was with
them. They asked me to go in and
have a drink but 1 told them that l
could not do it because someone
would think because 1 was a Juror
in the case that l was being in
fluenced
George w. Wegst was then called.
In. IN, t1,D
divorce case. He said that he knew
Mcdonnell by sight and knew that
he boarded at the Commercial.
Wegst said that he had occupied
room No. % while there. He denied
that Mcdonnell had called at the
room to see him. Tuesday even
ing" he said, Mcdonnell did not
give us anything to drink. l took
cigar and went out. He asked us
to have drink but we walked out.
He treated after the case was over,
however"
Earl Crooker, of Damascus. was
called. He said that he was a mem
Der of the jury and stopped at the
Commercial Hotel. He occupied the
same room with Mr.. Wegst. He said
that Mcdonnell had not talked to
oDOoI bhO ScioC lie
denied that he had taken a drink
or a cigar on Tuesday evening. He
said that Mcdonnell had offered to
give him something that evening but
that he had refused and walked out
of the bar-room. He said that he
had not been introduced to McDon-
nell while at the Commercial.
On Friday morning at eleven
O clock JnSaDb Il prappon oY1
A. McCarty, attorneys for Teresa Nc
Donnell, presented a formal motion
to the Court for a new trial in the
case. The petition named several
reasons why new trial should be
granted. Some of the reasons are:
That the verdict was against the
law in the case.
That the verdict was against the
weight of evidence.
That the verdict was against the
charge of the Court.
That the verdict should he sci
aside and a new trial granted be-
cause the libellant in the case, p. 7
Mcdonnell, interfered with the iury
by offering to treat them.
That George w. Wegst met and
talked with the libellant and LAT
ter had treated him with drinks and
cigars.
That the libellant treated the iur-
ors to drinks Immediately following
the conclusion of the case.
That the jurors accepted the lio-
uor and cigars at that time and dur.
! ing the case.
Judge Searle granted a rule IL
show cause why a new trial shouId
not be granted, returnable the sec.
ond Monday in August. He stated
however, that a more specific rea,
son on how the verdict was against
the charge of the court should be
given. -N Oe
1t has been intimated that sev.
eral other jurors in the case other
than those above mentioned, were
improperly approached by the libel
iant or some interested party dur
ing the trial of the case.
Detective Edward Neary of Car.
bondale, had been here most of the
week and procured most of the evi.
dence in regard to the alleged ac.
ton OF some of the jurymen.
WAYNE COUNTY DAMSET, MAR