The Washington herald., 1914-06-04
L
DOUGLAS Before
WRIGHT PROBERS
Attorney Explains Financial
Relations with Accused
Jurist. :
AS TO WoMAN's VISIT
Jurist Met Mrs. Rauseher at Am
brose's Office. Which Has Two
Doors. Test6es Clerk.
AS TO w0MAN's VISIT


A detailed story by Charles A. Doug
las a local attorney. Of his financial re-
lations with Justice Daniel Thew Wright
Of the District Supreme Court was COM
pIeted before adjournment yesterday af-
ternoon of the Mccoy subcommittee Of
the House District Committee. which is
investigating Justice wright's conduct.
Between the morning and afternoon
sessions, interesting testimony by various
local attorneys and by Theodore L.
Block. clerk for Attorney William e.
Ambrose was placed in the record of the
case
Two points were stressed by the inves-
tigators:
THE claim that Justice Wright Wis
tied Mrs. Rene Rauscher. principal in q
divorce suit before his court, In the Of
flee Of Mrs Rauscher's attorney, Am
brose, and was closeted for an unde-
termined period with Mrs. Rauscher.
8The fact that during a period In
which Charles A. Douglas, as counsel
for the Washington Railway and Elec-
tric Company. tried sixty-five cases be-
fore Justice Wright, he was almost al
ways one of indorsers on notes made by
Justice Wright in order to carry through
financial operations in connection with
the United States Savings Bank, in
which both Douglas and Wright were
interested.
Tells story of Visit.
Theodore L. Block, clerk for Mr.. Am
brose. was on the stand most of the day.
He was responsible for the story of JUS
tice Wright's visit to the office of Am
brose upon the latter's invitation. and
when Mrs. Rauscher was present. Block
could think of only one specific incident
of this kind. and could not say how long
Justice Wright and Mrs. Rauscher had
been closeted together in Ambrose's pri-
vate office while Ambrose waited outside.
As the Office had an outside door. Block
did not see either Judge Wright or Mrs.
Rauscher leave. On cross-examination he
admitted that he couldn't swear that
Mrs. Rauscher had not left the room by
one door before Judge Wright entered
by another.
The prosecution" claims that Blocks
story establishes the theory that in the
Rauscher divorce case Justice Wright
was unduly interested in Mrs. Rauscher's
side. Mrs. Rauscher's visits to the
judges chambers having been explained
away by her alleged friendship for the
judges clerk. the incident recited by
Block yesterday was considered of vital
importance by the prosecution"
Block also testified that he, on one
occasion. had purchased. under instruc-
tions from Ambrose. a mileage book for
Justice Wright. He had a faint recollec-
ton of grumbling by Ambrose over the
incident Subsequent testimony indicated
that Judge Wright had reimbursed Am
brose. ....-.. .a-..
Douglas ON Stand.
Charles A. Douglas was on the stand
when the committee adjourned. Accord
ing to Mr.. Douglas, the first note Of
Judge Wright's in which he Oouglas)
was interested was made in order to
enable Wright to purchase enough stock
to qualify as a trustee of the United
States Savings Bank. J. Miller Kenyon
offered to negotiate the loan at the
American National Bank and Kenyon
and Douglas indorsed the note for $780,
the stock being purchased and held. Later
the Endorsement of James s. Baker was
substituted for Kenyon's Endorsement,
and the note was renewed until 1872.
when 1t was paid and taken out of the
bank
. In 1907 Douglas went on another Of
Judge Wright's notes in order to make
it possible for the latter to purchase a
part of block of 5000 worth of stock
of the United States Savings Bank.
which was assigned to him when it was
decided to buy up the unsubscribed capi-
tai stock remaining in the treasury. The
Riggs National Bank carried all this
stock for a while. but later demanded
that it be redeemed. Douglas then made
an arrangement with the United States
Trust Company to carry all this treas
ury stock at so. those to whom it had
been assigned to pay the 30 per cent
difference between the Riggs loan and
that of the trust company.
Co-trustees Sign Note.
In order to pay his share of this
amount, Justice Wright borrowed $500.
his co-trustees, N. A. Winter. first vice
president; James l. Karrick, second vice
president; Charles o. Rice, a member of
the board of directors, and Mr.. Douglas.
president of the bank, going on the note.
Later this note was taken up by Justice
Wright.
Have you any knowledge as to who
paid either the $500 or the $500 note?"
asked Chairman Mccoy
None whatever" Douglas replied.
Mr.. Douglas testified that between the
fall of 1906 and the spring of 1870 as as
sistant general counsel for the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company. he
Wright. OF these, nine had been dis
missed, twenty-seven settled out of
court, fifteen decided in favor OF the de-
fendant, seven in favor of the plaintiff,
and seven otherwise disposed of.