Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-09
ATTORNEY IS WITNESS
AT THE WRIGHT HEARING
Mr.. Easby-Smith Cross-Examined
Regarding Statement Of
Court Proceedings.

After Attorney James s. Easily Smith
had testified In the Wright Impeachment
investigation before subcommittee of
the House judiciary committee yesterday
that he had requested that the Rauscher
divorce case, in which Mr.. Easily Smith
was attorney for the defendant. be trans
ferred from Judge Wrights court to some
other court, because he had seen Mrs.
Rauscher and Judge Wright's secretary.
Louis Carmody, comforting together in
the courthouse and for other reasons,
Attorney j. j. Darlington began a cross
examination on behalf Of Judge Wright
Mr. Easily Smith had testified as to the
origin of the divorce case which Mrs.
Rauscher had brought against her hus-
band in detail and also as to a replevin
suit for some furniture which Mrs.
Rauscher had taken from Mr.. Rauscher.
Developed by Testimony.
It was developed that William E. Am
divorce suit, had gone with Mr.
EasbySmith before Judge Wright
to ask that the case be placed
on the equity calendar. to be heard by
whatever judge might be assigned: that
because he was convinced the case was
a frame up and that Mr.. Ambrose, Mr.
Easby-Smith said. had told him slight
breach HAD arisen between him, Mr.. Am
brose. and Judge Wright because he
would not take the case 1t was further
testified that George H. Mcdonald took
MIR. AmbroSes place, after the latter's
withdrawal and that when the case was
heard before Judge Barnard only three
or four persons were in the courtroom
and one of them was Louis Carmody.
Judge Wright's secretary, who left the
| room and then returned with a message
to Mcdonald, whereupon the latter told
the court Judge Wright had sent for him,
but that 1T is not in regard to this
case.
Asks for Dismissal of Bill.
He was excused and when he came
back asked to have the plaintiffs bill
dismissed. to which Mr.. Easby-Smith OBJ
jected, although the bill was subsequent
ly dismissed. Mr.. Easby-Smith also said ::
when we left the courtroom, l saw Mrs
Rauscher and Louis Carmody standing
together outside Judge Wright's cham
bers.
ATTORNEY Darlington suggested by a
question that Mr.. Carmody and Mrs
Rauscher We're old friends and school
mates amt that there would be nothing
unusual to see them conversing. Mr.
Easily Smith had said that William r.
Ambrose. attorney. had withdrawn as
counsel from a certain case because II
was rotten and because it was a frame
up. fun of perjury
WAS Judge Wright's name connected
with this so-called frame-up' in any
way" asked Mr.. Darlington.
NJ
Mr.. Darlington also asked Mr.. Easily
Smith If there was any striking intimacy
between Judge Wright and Attorney
Macdonald
reply.
Interested in Exhibit
The subcommittee was interested in
the exhibit offered by Mr.. Easay-Snii-,l
in the late afternoon session when he
presented six photographs oil :, type
written transcript of a charge to the
Jury by Judge Wright in a libel suit in
which Attorney Easby-Smith had APP
peared as counsel Mr. r1asby-Smith
told the committee that the stenogra-
pher had brought him the transcript,
and that Judge Wright had told the
stenographer he desired to make some
changes.
MI. Easby-Smith had made except ons
to portions of the charge as to take
the case to a higher court and did not
relish the idea of verbal changes. He
told the committee that he believed some
of the changes would soften the charge
and that it affected his case.
At one place he said Judge Wright had
changed the word physical to men
tall" Representative Beall Of the sub
committee pointed out that this would
be probably slip of the tongue The
changes were scattered throughout the
typewriter sheets. and We're in the ma
ture of general editing. and the commit
tee brought out the fact that there would
be considerable doubt as to whether the
changes altered the sense Of the charge