The Washington herald., 1914-05-16

finley DIVORCE
Is AIRED AGAIN
Witnesses Tell Probers Of
Events that Led to Wright
Setting Aside Decree.
ATTORNEYS ON STAND
Court Stenosraphe5 Says He Was
Told to Leave Room When
Conference Was On.
ATTORNEYS ON STAND

German H. Pechin, q court stenog-
! rapher, yesterday testified before the
House committee Investigating the i'm
peachment charges against Justice
Daniel Thew Wright that he was en-
ployed by Attorney Earle Ambrose In
May. 1913. to take notes IN Justice
wright's chambers relative to the Fin
ley divorce case; that he was asked to
retire from the room and that after he
went back Attorney Ambrose paid him
] his bill and tore his notes into shreds.
The witness was not cross-examined
on this point.
The once copy of the afidavit made
by Frank Finley in his efforts to have
the divorce decree set aside was pre-
sented to the committee by Attorney
George H. Macdonald, who followed
Pechin on the stand. In this copy two
lines had been stricken out with .
pencil Macdonald said the elimination
had been made by Finley in the judges
chambers after Attorney Ambrose. who
then represented him. had objected t.
part of the afidavit.
Mccoy Reads Amdavit.
Chairman Mccoy read the part that
had been stricken out. 1t was as fol-
lows:
ct reported to Mr.. Ambrose what /
had done and he said 1t was not
enough, and he said must be seen In
q room with a woman"
Asked whether Justice Wright had
objected to striking out part Of the AZ
fidavit, the witness replied NO"
Macdonald recalled Pechin being In
the judges chambers on that occasion.
but said he did not remember Ambrose
tearing up any notes. He said the am
davit had been made in his ONCE at
Finley'a reduest
Macdonald further testified that Justice
Wright had said he would not entertain
q motion from either side to set aside
the divorce decree because the charges
of colIusion by Finley against Ambrose
and Michael J. Colbert put the matter
up to the court itself. and that the court
would take the initiative. 1t was Judge
wright's insistence that the charges Of
collusion be reduced to writing that
brought about the afndavit. 1t was testi-
Ned. Macdonald said the accused jurist
regarded the matter DO seriously that he
thought he had mentioned 1t to Justice
Stafford. -
Attorney Easby-smith vas recalled to
testify regarding Finley's accusations
against Ambrose and Colbert.
Finley told me some things which sur
rrised me SO much" said he. that i
sent for Ambrose and asked Finley II he
the presence of Ambrose. Finley said he
was Mr.. Ambrose had ceased to repre-
sent Finley then. Finley repeated that
she divorce decree had been obtained by
collusion between Ambrose and Colbert.
Ambrose osestis.el Finley.
Mr. Ambrose questioned him some and
then said, you know that is a id he.'
Finley then said that of course Ambrose
Hn.f 70 n xufth NJ
that 1t was fixed up between him and
Mr.. Colbert He later said that Ambrose
had pleaded with him TO file the bill he
originally planned"
Attorney Easby-Smith also told of the
disappearance OF important papers in the
Rauscher divorce case. THE pleadings
and exhibits in the Rauscher case were
missing shortly after the Cooper charges
against Justice Wright were brought"
he testified. II went over to the file
room Of the courthouse at that time to
look up some Of the papers in the
Rauscher case. Albert. the clerk in the
room. looked for all Of them, and said
they were not there. / asked him where
they were. and he said that q clerk in
Justice Wright's ONCE, / am not sure
whether he said Mr.. Lennon or not. got
them several days ago. Later, I went
back and inquired for them. but they
were still missing"
You never inquired of Justice wrisht's
clerkT"
IT made no inquiry"
you did not inquire IL they were in
the safe in the clerks office?''
Il made no further inquiry whatever. I
have been informed that q subpoena had
been issued for them. and some were
still missing
Assuming that they were in the safe.
would that have been the improper re-
moval of them?''
No, SIR
ibid you not think it improper when
you were not notified Of the papers be-
ing in the safe when you inquired for
them in the file room?" asked Chairman
Mccoy.
'Yes, I should have been told where
they were IL the man knew. There is a
rule that a receipt must be left for all
papers taken. but there was no receipt
showing where the papers were"
you do not think that IL they were In