The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-09
WOMAN name in
WRIGHT inquiry
Committee Hears Of Alleged
I Visits Of Mrs. Rauscher
toHis Chambers.
JUDGE CARRIED PISTOL
Easby-Smith Says Client Objected to
Trial Before Justice-Carmody
Paid Divorce Calls.
JUDGE CARRIED PISTOL

Rene C. Rauscher to the private cham
bers of Associate Justice Daniel Thew
Wright, at the District Supreme Court
while her divorce suit was pending. along
with many alleged acts of the Justice on
and of the bench were recounted before
the House subcommittee yesterday by
Attorney James s. Easby-Smith, counse
for Mr.. Rauscher. Mr.. Smith was or
the stand the whole day. and Attorney
]. ]. Darlington, Justice Wright's coun
sci, cross-examined him at length with.
out shaking his testimony.
The witness, who was counsel for Mr.
Rauscher. the defendant, said he asked
for a removal of the case from Justice
Wright's court because his client feared
he could not get a fair trial before him
in view of the alleged visits OF Mrs.
Rauscher to the jurist's chambers.
The attorney also testified to certain
alleged alterations by Judge Wright in
his charge to the jury in a suit brought
| by one James Barry.
Order without Notice.
The attorney said he knew nothing
that would justify belief that there was
| anything improper in the relation be-
tween the litigant and Judge Wright.
but that he felt he must ask for the
| transfer of the case to another court.
Mr.. Easby-Smith said the judge at first
declined. but later certified the trans
fer to the court of Judge Gould.
Mr.. Earle Ambrose asked If II would
| be agreeable to hear the case in open
court and agreed" said he. He asked
! if Judge Wright would be agreeable as
a judge, and I said of course
Picking up the court record one morn
ing l noticed an order had been issued
limiting my time to September Is
had not had the customary advance no.
| tice to file testimony by that time and
was rather angry. went over to
see Ambrose and asked what he meant
by getting the order without any notice
to me.
Mr. Ambrose said II was not his
fault and asked me not to blame him.
He said Judge Wright had sent for him
to write that order and he had written
IT, everything except the date. Judge
Wright had filled in the date and the
order was filed. l got busy and filed my
testimony by the appointed date.
Ambrose and I went to Judge Wright
and told him We had d., ided to go
ahead before Justice Barnard. At the
same time Ambrose announced he was
going to withdraw from the case
Ambrose said IL was a frame-up."
Mrs. Rauscher mt Door.
Congressman Beal wanted to know IL
the attitude OF Judge Wright was men,
toned when Ambrose withdrew.
Il do not know whether to give hear
say evidence" said Mr. Easby-Smith
but Ambrose has told me several times
since that some feeling had been caused
between Judge Wright and himself, be-
cause he would not stay in the case.
George II. Macdonald. who succeeded
Mr.. Ambrose as Mrs. Rauscher's couf-r
sci. said he would not he ready to argue
the case on the Goth. Judge Barnard in
sisted on the case going 10 trial the next
day and the testimony of plaintiff and
defendant was read. Judge Barnard told
Mr.. Macdonald to go ahead with the ar I
gument, l noticed that Louis Carmody.
private secretary to Judge Wright. was
in the court room.
AS Macdonald began his argument
Carmody went up and spoke to him and
Macdonald said:
Judge Wright has sent for me: 4
would like TO be excused for a few min
utes."
Judge Barnard said he would excuse
Macdonald If he was desired by an as
sociate justice. AS Mcdonald got to the /.
door. he said:
1T is not about this case. your hon
or"
Mr.. Macdonald came back in about !,
five minutes, and said he wanted to move
to dismiss Mrs. Rauschers bill. l objected
TO dismissal without an agreement as !
to the payment of costs by her. AS l
left the courtroom with my associate
Mr.. Flehardy, We saw Mrs. Rauscher !
and Carmody standing at the entrance !
to Judge Wright's chambers.
After recess ii was agreed that the !
bill might be dismissed, Mrs. Rauscher
to pay the taxable costs.
No Insinaation Meant.
Il went to Judge Wright and asked him
to certify the case TO the chief justice,
sitting in Court No. l.
Judge Wright asked why / wanted
the case transferred to Circuit Court
No. ], and l told him that the chief
justice had previously decided some OF
the points of law on this matter. and
it would save time II Justice Clabaugh
heard il. Judge Wright said that was
not sufficient grounds.
Il then told Judge Wright that my
client said he could not get a fair trial
before him. The judge said that was
wrong and that my client had no
grounds for such a belief.
Il told him that my client knew and
that I knew that Mrs. Rauscher had
been frequently to his chambers Judge
Wright asked if ! intended to intimate
any improperly of any kind. and !
told him 1 did not. I said, however,
hat il was a matter OF common knowl-
edge and report that Mrs. Rauscher
had been about his chambers good
Zeal.
Il also told Judge Wright that we
knew that his secretary, Carmody, Wis
ted Mrs. Rauscher frequently. and had
ousied himself in both the cases be-
tween the Rauschers, and. that my
,lieut did not feel he could get a fair
rial under the circumstances.
Il also told Judge Wright that my
,lient knew of the connection Frank
Hall had had with the case: he had
,usied himself in Mrs. Rauscher's behalf,
md through Hall, said, Mrs. Rauscher
lad been sent to Ambrose. and he was
tnown to be a friend OF the judge.
Judge Wright asked me If l would
make these statements in the presence
# counsel and when i said l would.
Attorneys Macdonald and Leonard ].
who has come into the case,
we're sent for Ambrose had withdrawn
n both cases.
Messrs. Macdonald. Mather, and my
elf met in Judge Wrights chambers, :
nd / started to repeat my statements | .
bout Judge Clabaugh's previous knowl- Z
dge of the case and the view of my +
lient. Judge Wright said he had de-
ided to certify the case, although the
uspicions of my client were not justi-
ed. He told us to come into court ana
AXE the order of transfer.
81 was busy and asked Mr.. Flehardy
, go into court and get the order a