New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-11
H. A. Hoffman, ThaW's Personal
Agent, Disappears from His
Home in Pittsburgh on
Eve of Bribery Case.
IS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Friend Writes to Whitman That
He Feared Action Might Be
Take, Against Himself for
Work in Behalf Of
Whites Slayer.


Horace A. Hoffman, one of the most
important witnesses against John Mich
olson Anhut, of No. 60 Wall street
the lawyer indicted for offering $40
600 bribe to DIR. John w. Russell to
obtain Harry TLaw's release from Mat
teawan, has vanished. Anhut's trial IS
set for tomorrow before Justice Sea-
bury, in the Criminal Branch Of the
Supreme Court. Unless word is re-
Ceived from Hoffman. District Attorney
Whitman will ask that the trial be
postponed.
Hoffman is said to be in British Co
lumbia. He started for Canada, ac-
cording TO letters which William A. De
Ford has received from Hoffman's
friends, soon after he left the grand
jury room last month. fearing that
some action might be taken against
him. His friends assure Mr.. De Ford
that now that that fear is removed
Hoffman will be on hand for the trial.
May Halt the Trial.
Efforts have been made to find Hoff-
man by telegraph, but as no answer
has been received the District Attorney
! thinks it unlikely that he will appear.
Should Hoffman have dropped out of
sight permanently it might prove i'm
possible to bring Anhut to trial.
Hoffman was the personal agent o:
Harry *. Thaw. He has represented
him in several of Thaws efforts to OBJ
tain his release from Matteawan. He
was formerly private detective and
his home is in Pittsburgh. He was
with Mrs. Mary Copley Thaw and
Harry at the Carolyn Armc, az White
Plains, during one of the hearings Oh
a writ of habeas corpus, when Thaw
met Anhut. He is said to have intro
duced Harry Thaw to Alfred Henry
Lewis.
Hoffman is said to have acted as in
termediary between Thaw and Anhu'
in all their dealings. He is iLdispen-
sable TO the prosecution. The District
Attorney relies upon him 10 show the
connection between Thaw and Anhut
Hoffman came from Pittsburgh vol
| UNFAIRLY to testify before the Govern
or's commission, and again to testify
before the grand jury. In the latter
instance he signed a waiver OF i'm
munity. II never occurred to the Dis
trict Attorney that Hoffman might fear
to appear at the trial.
Unable to Find Him.
Mr.. De Ford wrote to him as soon
as the date for Anhut's trial was fixed,
asking him to be sure TO be present.
After some delay he got an answer
from a man who said he was a friend
of Hoffman's. and that Hoffman him
self had gone to British Columbia as
soon as he had got through with his
testimony before the grand jury.
Hoffman's friend was assured that
no evil would result il Hoffman re-
, turned. and replied that he had sent
him "A telegram and was sure he woulo
come. No answer has been received
TO that or other kilograms. although
for the last ten days Alr. De Ford has
exerted every effort to find him.
May l. was set as the date for An
huts trial at the request Of the District
Attorney. and there is every prospect
that Arthur c. Palmer, counsel for
Anhut. will insist on bringing his client
to trial at the earliest opportunity.
May Mean Long Delay.
A special panel Of talesmen is 20 re-
port in the Criminal Branch of the Su-
preme Court tomorrow for the trial
writ has been issued by Justice Sea
bury TO bring Harry Thaw from Mat
teawan on Tuesday 10 testify. The cal
endar OF the Criminal Branch of the
Supreme Court has been So arranged
that unless Anhut is tried this week it
may be impossible To try him this term.
The question of immunity is TO be
settled first. and it is possible that II
the District Attorney has any assur-
ance by tomorrow that the missing
witness will appear, the hearing on An
hut's plea of immunity will begin, and
if necessary the trial suspended until
Hoffman can get here.
1t will take at least one day and per-
haps longer 10 thrash out the question
of immunity. The jury will he selected,
and evidence as TO the circumstances
under which Anhut testified before the
Governors commission will be intro
duced by both Mr.. Palmer and Mr.. De
Ford.