The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-06
STAFFORD GUILTY.;
SLADE, WOOD AND
JURORS IN FIGHT
Court Room in Uproar When
Verdict Is Returned After
Eleven Hours.
RAE TANZER'S LAWYER
HIT IN THE EYE, HE SAYS

A few minutes after Foreman Harry
j. Kendregen had pronounced Frank
lin d. Stafford guilty OF perjury in the
Rae Tanzer-James w.-Oiiver osborne
tangle at 80 o'clock last night the
| Federal District Criminal Court, where
the trial has been proceeding for sew
eral days before Judge Hough. became
the scene of a brief pugilistic encounter.
Roger y. Wood. who has been assist
ing II. Snowden Marshall. United
States Attorney. In prosecuting the case,
squared of with Benjamin Sladc. one
OF the Slade brothers. who was defend
ing Sanford.
Blows were aimed and parted.
Immediately benjamin slade put up a
loud cry that he had been hit in the
eye and David Slade, his brother. ran to
his aid. Mr.. Wood says he did not
strike Benjamin Slade. but for a few
minutes there was great excitement
both within the court room--from which
Judge Hough had retired barely a min
|
AS 1t grew worse two Of the Jurors
who had found Sanford guilty almost
came to blows and for a time 1t seemed
as II the deputy marshals would have
their hands full.
Jury Out II Hours.
The events OF the trial with the
scathing arraignment OF David and
Maxwell Slade by Mr.. Marshall and the
wait Of eleven hours for the Jurors 20
reach a verdict led UP dramatically to
the climax at the adjournment OF
court. Members OF Mr.. Marshall's stan,
including Mr.. Wood. Samuel Hershan-
stein. Jr., and James W. Osborne's
nephew. had been waiting all day in
court from IL 30 a. NJ, when the Jurors
retired. The Jurors themselves had a
long and heated session in which. accord
| ing 10 reports eleven men were pitted
against one.
Finally when the Jurors had agreed a
message was sent to Judge Hough at his
home to come to court. The atmosphere
OF the court room was surcharged with
Intensity when the court clerk called on
the foreman TO announce the verdict.
4
kendregen. VINO announced guilty" with
the recommendation that the cour; be
merciful with the defendant.
| The verde; Is OF importance because
| II hinged almost wholly on the question
| whether the Jurors believed James w
] Osborne was the man who. as oliver
Osborne. registered at the Plainfield
Hotel with Rae Tanner.
Judge Hough quickly disposed OF the
remaining formalittes remanding the de
PENDANT until Monday morning at lO:ih
| for sentence. Then, instead OF direct!nS
the jury TO pass out first the usual Gus
tom. he adjourned court. Straightway
| jurymen. spectators and ATTORNEYS were
| jumbled together. all moving toward the
doorway as the Judge disappeared in
| mis- chambers.
How Fight started.
Juror No. 3, Joseph Cassel. stepped
from the jury box and by chance walked
side by side -with Mr.. Wood Mr.. Wood
turned to speak to Nm his voice pitched
| low At that moment benjamin Slade.
| short, heavy set and black eyed, stepped
up behind the two and said:
whats this? 4 private conversation
wrh "A juryman"''
Like fash Mr.. Wood turned and.
seeing a laughing sneer on benjamin
SHADES face exclaimed, Get out OF this
court room" Then TO deputy marshal
he ordered, Put that man out OF the
| court ROOM
Whether anything more was said was
not clear in the mixup and excitement
that followed Persons In the court
room say they saw Benjamin Slade' s
arm raised. Others say they saw Mr..
Woods right arm fash out. Mr. Wood
says his right did not reach home. Mr..
Slade says It did
Instantly there arose shouts and yells
| with David Slade. thin and agile. on
the outside trying to get Into the midst
of rhe little group. while deputy
| marshal and two other men stepped be-
tween Mr.. Wood, whose eyes were shin
ing angrly, and the excited Benjamin.
| The group moved toward the door and
| finally Benjamin Slade was hurled into
the corridor, where he Joined his brother
and Jacob Engel, also attorney for the
defendant benjamin Slade made at
tempts to reach Mr.. Wood but without
avail. Then he espied Judge Hough
leaving his chamber and he quickly
lost his pugilistic ambitions.
There's the Judge" he shouted.
/ Lets tell the Judge
Asks Judge 10 Investigate.
/ So hat in hand he raced after the
Judge with Brother David in his
wake your Honor" pleaded BEN
I jamin, holding his hand pathetically
over his right eye, "Mr. Wood struck
me in the eye. | demand an investlga-
| ton.
| Court has been adjourned" said the
Judge. land ] was not in the court
room when II happened"
But II happened in the court room.
your Honor" persisted Benjamin. land
! the witnesses are all here, Now is the
/ time to investigate"
well. ] will do nothing tonight
You as a private citizen have right
/ TO get the names of the witnesses and
| you can appear before me In chambers
tomorrow morning, At that time / will
Investigate the matter thoroughly
The Judge disappeared. but the Jury
men, attorneys and spectators held on,
fiocking backward and forward in the
corridors. Juryman No. 3. and the
foreman got together and there were ex-
cited words between them.
"If you don't get away from me I'll
smash your face'' was one exclamation
heard. The two men were separated and
the deputy narshals finally got every
body out OF the building.
Mr.. Wood. asked about the affair, said /:
81 did not hit Benjamin Slade. He ap-
preached me when was talking to
| Juror No, 3, AS 7 had a perfect right 10
do. and made some sneering renya rk. I
ordered him put out Of the court room.
| He raised his hand at me-
! David Slade said: "If 7 had nit
| Roger Wood instead OF Wood hittip1