New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-06
Tanner Case Witness Who
Identified J. w. Osborne
as Oliver a Perjurer.
ATTENDANTS PART
FIGHTING LAWYERS
Jury's Verdict. Returned Late
Last Night, Recommends
Clemency.

Franklin D. Stafford. the Plainheld
hotel clerk. was found guilty Of per
jury in the Federal court at 1925
o'clock last night, after the jury had
celebrated for more than eight hours
on his case.
Two minutes after the verdict had
beer brought in 10 Judge Hough and
tho customary motions for an appeal
made. a fight took place between As
sistant United States Attorney Roger
Y. Wood and BENJAMIN Slade, OF the
firm of Slade & Slade, original counsel
, for Rae Tanner. on whose visit TO the
, New JERSEY town Stafford swore James
". Osborne and not Oliver had accom-
panied her.
As the iury. heumed in on either
side BY spectators and court attend
ants. let the room Mr.. Wood ap-
preached Harry Cassel, juror No. 3,
sHd spoke 10 him.
~ hat IS this. a private converse
tor 80 shouted Slade.
Get OF; o. the courtroom returned
, the attorney. Put him out he said
a deputy marshal. From this point
T or the stories told by the lawyers
differ Slade contends that Wood
Z struck him in the eye, while his OPP
I lonent,denies that a blow was struck.
Both men, however. made several
passes at each other. as spectators and
attendants rushed in between them and
hurried the Slade brothers from the
room. Outside. they rushed up to
Judge Hough and demanded an in
Ncstigatior.
Wood struck me in the eye in the
courtroom and ! want you TO look into
st."
Judge HouCh replied that as he had
rot seen the blow and rs court had ad-
,jourrcd. he would rot reconvene II, but
would lcok into the matter this morn
ing. He told Shade that he had the
righ. 70 obtain the names Of witnesses
who had seen the blow. and the law
yers set about getting them.
Woods story declares that Slade
told him he was intimidating one OF
the jurors. and that he asked an attend
ant TO have the lawyer removed from
tho room before any blows we're struck
Remember. some OF the people here
have guns with them" he shouted.
David Slade said after the incident:
81 wish he had hit me instead Of my
brother. If ! had been struck | would
be locked up tonight for what Ia have
done
James ". Osborne was not in the
courtroom when the verdict was re-
turned. The jury retired at 80, and
for several hours he had remained in
the Federal Building. but left in the
early evening Rumors Of dissension
. among the jurors after their decision
were also prevalent in the building.
Two Of them had apparently differed
over the testimony given, and when
they reached the corridor one shouted
10 the other:
"If you don't get out of here I'll
smash your face" Attendants rushed
in before he had the chance, and both
left the building, accompanied by their
friends.
The jury asked for several letters
which had been introduced IN evidence
At PAS o'clock yesterday afternoon,
and announced that they had reached
decision at 9:45. II was 1925 before
Judge Hough had reached the building,
and the jurors then filed in.
After the rollcall Harry J. Kendre-
gan, the foreman, said: 1--WE find the
defendant guilty and recommend
mercy. We ask that the court deal with
him leniently."
Stafford was remanded for sentence
and a motion TO appeal until next Mon
day al 1915 in the morning