The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-10-09
TITUS. PRICE AND SADLER
ARE FREED BY JUDGE
HUMPHREYS.
Release of Socialist Chiefs and Re
mission of Several Fines
Is a Surprise,
COURT HAS A VERY BUSY DAY
Declares twenty-five Persons Are
Guilty Of Contempt Assesses $1,000
In Penalties and Keeps Up a Stream
Of Chatter From Bench

surprise to defendants and a mass Of
spectators crowded in his court room,
Judge John r. HUMPHREYS, a few min
utes before adjournment Friday aft
emoon. dismissed the charges of CON
tempt against Dr. Herman f. Titus.
Willard Price and Kate Sadler for al
legged contemptuous speeches made in
city Hall park August "a.
Before the final case was called
Judge Humphries had spent a busy
day declaring twenty-five persons
guilty of contempt and assessing fines
amounting to approximately $1,000,
the total of fines and sentences for
Thursday and yesterday reaching the
total of approximately $4,000 and
forty-nine convictions.
RENTS and Reduces Fines.
After dismissing DR.. Titus, Price and
Kate Sadler, Judge HUMPHREYS remit
ted the fine of Mrs. Sadler of 800 i'm
posed Thursday morning for interrupt
ing the court; RENTED the fine of
800 imposed upon Mrs. f. c. Spencer
yesterday morning and reduced the
fine of Edwin Lewis from $25 to So
and costs.
The final climax was an unlocked
for ending of the two days trial of
more than fifty persons. Those con-
victed of contempt had signed petit
ton addressed to the Judge, saying
that if he proceeded with the prosecu-
ton of DR.. Titus, Mrs. Sadler and
Price they would violate his speaking
injunctions by the wholesale. The
fifty were declared guilty of contempt,
while the trio of City Hall speakers
were released.
"CIear Above Governor"
81 am clear above the governor of
the state in this matter" said Judge
HUMPHREYS. q can put you people in
Jail and take you out. | have the
pardoning power. In my right hand l
hold the key to the jail
The case of James A. West, charged
with sending a threatening letter to
the court, was the last one tried Fri
day afternoon. West admitted send
ing a letter in which he criticised the
Judge las a private individual" and
wanted to add his name to the ninety
nine cited ito make it an even hun
dred."
Judge HUMPHREYS assessed the NOM
inal fine of S. and costs.
The trial of DR.. Titus, Kate Sadler
and Price was expected to be the
climax of the two days proceedings.
A short adjournment was called before
Special Prosecutor H. E. Foster sum-
moned DR.. Titus to the witness chair.
Hoover Allowed to Appear
Glenn Hoover, who had been dis
barred from the practice of law in this
state, was allowed to act as attorney
for the defendant. In the opening
skirmish Hoover's motion to the court
to impanel a jury to try the defend
ants on the grounds that the questions
of fact were in dispute, and somthing
else besides documentary evidence
was necessary, was overruled by the
court.
Sent His Old Cook to Jail.
"Now you have had your say" said
Judge HUMPHREYS after DIR. Titus had
made an impassioned address in his
own behalf. Let me tell you that
am a better friend than you are of
these people in Jail. My heart goes
out to these people. If l can get you
a job by getting up in the middle of
the night | will do it, l have done it
lots of times. l am trying to set
these people right. Now, Bob, who
was my cook for years, got imperti-
nent today. | could not let my friends
go free, could I? That would not be
right. | sent him to Jail. When they
are red hot to go to Jail, l let them
slip in.
Warns Titus of ST. Peter.
q do not understand, Titus, why
you do these things. If you were get
ting ducats for it or medical patron
age, | could understand it. You think
it is a nice thing to get your meals at
the Wallingford hotel referring to
the county stockade for prisoners),
but it is not Do you want to pull
stumps like you pull teeth? st. Peter
will jog you up for misleading your
fellow men. l am lawabiding. If the
supreme court overrules me ! would
not go to Olympia and tear down the
temple of justice"
Hoover broke in and asked that SEN
tence be deferred until Kate Sadler
and Willard Price were examined. DR..
Titus left the witness stand. Price
was called
Price Stunned by Dismissal
After a few perfunctory answers to
opening questions by Foster, Judge
HUMPHREYS ordered Price dismissed.
Price left the chair i'm daze and the
crowd gasped