New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-28
COUNT HANNIBAL
NOT ]. W. OSBORNE
Lawyer Denies Authorship
of Letters from Paris
to Woman Here.
MEETS TANNERS AGAIN
AT PERJURY TRIAL
HeckIed by Lawyer for Hotel
Clerk Who Identified Him as
Elusive Oliver.

James w. Osborne had sizzling
afternoon yesterday in the United
States District Court. He was heckled
vigorously by Maxwell Slade. counsel
for Franklin d. Stafford. the former
hotel clerk. who identified the lawyer
as Oliver Osborne, Rae Tanners COM
panion at the Kensington, in Plainficld,
~ J. Stafford is on trial for perjury.
Time and again Osborne appealed 20
Judge Hough. Usually his tormentor's
questions were ruled out of order and
exceptions taken.
Rae Tanner, whose suit against
James w. Osborne started al the
trouble. was in court with her sisters,
Rose and Dora. Other principals pres,
ent were David and Maxwell Slade and
Harold Spelberg. who succeeded them
as counsel for Rae. Also in the party
was Albert 7. Mccullough, a private
detective employed by the SHADES and
indicted with them on charge Of con-
spiracy to influence witnesses. During
the day they appeared in Judge Cush-
mans branch Of the court and pleaded
not guilty.
Oliver Still Elusive.
Oliver Osborne is still missing. but
his name got into the proceedings fire.
quently during the time the other Os-
borne was on the stand
The entrance of James W. Osborne
was not without its humorous touch.
The three Tanner girls were near the
door as he came along through the
corridor In the confusion there was
n slight collision. The lawyer smiled
broadly as he backed away. Their po-
Etely apologized and walked away as
the girls put their heads together and
whispered sibiantly.
why did you keep the letters ad-
dressed 20 Oliver Osborne which you
say were not intended for you?' was
hurled at the lawyer by Maxwell Slade
after some preliminary sparring, in
which Judge hough was forced 20 in
terfere as referee several times.
Because / had another assumption"
replied the witness. that the woman
was a criminal and wanted to keep
the letters for criminal prosecution
you thought Of blackmail?"
81 might have" Then MIR. Osborne
added he thought she might be insane.
And it was on that ground. because
YOU thought ner insane, that you went
10 The Roman restaurant and had your
stenographer call up the woman writer
Of the letters TO persuade her that you
we're not the MANI"
This brought an objection from the
government Il was sustained and an
exception was taken. Slade then
asked:
"Did you present to your wife a man
you said WAS oliver Osborne who was
the one VINO had been with Rae Tan
zer?"
Oliver Question Barred.
James ". Osborne replied in the
negative. Then came question that
turned the eyes of the witness toward
Judge Hough in plaiHtiye appeal. 1t
was:
Are you certain. Mr.. Osborne, that
YOU never STAYED in hotel giving your
first name as 'Oliver'?'
you need not answer it," was the
courts reply to the appeal of the wit
ness.
Did you ever pass under the name
of Count Hannibal >" was the next
question. "Neyer.' was the answer.
followed by questions about note
book and letters written to a woman
by Count Hannibal from Paris. OBJ
iectiOns were sustained, with the usual
exceptions.
Considerable difficulty was expert
enced in getting jury Several tales
men took notice of the heat of the
court and decided they had prejudices
that would preclude a fair verdict.
One man in a straw hat was excused
without ceremony.