The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-11
POLITICS AT BOTTOM, SAYS
 PICKS SLAWYER Stratford Judge of Probate on Trial in Superior Court
 for Extortion
PERRY HEIRS TELL
 STORY UNDER OATH
Never Mind Motive Inspir- ing Charges; Is He Guilty?
 Asks Judge Bennett


 caused charges to be preferred against Judge Charles H. Peck of Stratford was made in the superior court this morning by Attorney J. B. Klein dur ing the trial of the State of Connecti- cut against Judge Peck. Attorney Klein declared the complaint wasn't i filed in good faith and that political conditions in Stratford were responsi- 1 ble. tI don't care anything about the motive,'' interrupted Judge Bennett. ''The question is whether your man did these things.
 The story of Judge Peck's alleged attempt to charge exorbitant fee of $75O was told by Francis W. Perry 1 and Nelson B. Perry on the witness stand this morning. They are two of the three heirs of Susan M. B. Perry, who died in Stratford in 1911, leaving an estate valued at $107,000. Nelson B. Perry said his mother deeded the homestead to him m 1911. about a. month before she died. Later when the estate was In the hands of Judge of Probate Peck, the judge call ed Perry to his office and suggested the employment of an attorney for the estate. The witness said he talked with Judge Peck later and the Strat-- ford official said, we have employed an attorney and saved the estate about $40O." He explained that the attor ney had charged only $500 for legal services which another lawyer would have demanded $1,20O for.
 These meetings took place ;n Au- gust, 1912, and during the following week the witness and his brother, Francis had a conference with Jy9Age Peck in the Stratford probate office. In the accounting of the estate there was an item of $983.4O for legal ex- oh comment. Of this amount $75O was said to have been paid for legal ser vices. Francis Perry wanted to know who the lawyer was. Judge Peck ad- mitted he himself was the lawyer. He had asked himself as a lawyer what he would do as a probate judge. The witness declared Judge Peck stated that if they weren't satisfied he would refund the money.
 A few days afterward the Perrys had another talk with Judge Peck. The jurist informed them that if there there was any question about his $75O fee he would call in another judge and let him pass upon it. This might cause a, delay of weeks or months, he told them. The heirs did not want any more expense or delay so they signed a waiver saying they were sat isf1ed with Judge Pecks handling of the estate. The witness insisted that was why he signed the waiver.
 Francis w. Perry, who has been a farmer in Florida, for many years, was another witness. He had not been in Stratford for a long time prior to his mothers death and knew nothing about any trouble with Judge Peck until his relatives sent him clippings from Bridgeport newspapers. He came to Stratford in 1912 and offered to make an affidavit setting forth his grievance against Judge Peck.
 This was talked over at a confer ence in the Perry house at which At torney Ivan L. Morenouse, Fred s. Beardsley and William Crawford were present. The following day the wit ness went to Attorney Morehouse's of fee and dictated the affidavit, which was typewritten. This formed the basis of the charge filed with the Grievance committee of the Fairfield County bar against Judge Peck
 Upon cross examination Francis 1 Perry denied he gave the affidavit so it could be used in a Republican eau l GUS in which Judge Peck and Attor- | ney Warehouse were rival candidates. | The witness declared he knew nothing l of Stratford politics.
 Judge Peck's explanation of the | $750 fee is that Mrs. Perry before her death had him perform legal work l and wrote him a letter saying she | wanted to him him take $1,oOO from | the estate for his trouble. The judge did not preserve the original but has copy of the letter. He thought | $1,OOO was too much and took only 1 $750.
 Nelson Perry said he had never seen Judge Peck at the Perry house during the period just before his mothers death.
 At press hour the trial was still go- ing on.
 Another charge against Judge Peck which may be heard at later date is in relation to the Jeannette Hal locks matter. It is alleged that Judge Peck filed a, claim for costs for trying the Ha1ock woman in the town court, when a, matter of fact she was dead | at the time- Judge Peck is said to have been paid $2.35.