New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-24
Judge Wadhams ConsultS
Regarding Procedure
Over ShOnts's Action.
LETTERS MAY RESULT
IN TWO CHARGES
Traction Head Denies Any
III Observation-Disclosures
Upholds Legality.

District Attorney Swami conferred
with Presiding Justice Clark Of the APP
pellate Division yesterday, and Judge
William II. Wadhsms, Of General
Sessions, and consulted with Acting
District Attorney John T. Dooling and
Robert E. Johnston, Of the Appeal
Bureau, regarding procedure over
communications sent TO members OF
the grand jury by Theodore P. Shonts'
of the Interborough, urging action
against labor leaders associated with
the strike.
Judge Wadhams refused TO answer
ouestions as 10 how he will advise
the grand jury tomorrow morning.
The District Attorney and members OF
his staff were similarly secretlve.
Two courses of probable action
omen to both authorities. are these:
Members of the grand jury may rec
ommend investigation Of the actions
of Mr.. Shonts which might possibly
result in an indictment charging
"embracery," which makes 1t a mis-
demeanor to attempt 10 exert I'M
proper influence on a juror in civil
or criminal proceeding before him'
District Attorney Swami may go De-
fore the grand jury and recommend
such action.
The other, and, as it was learned
on gooa authority last night. the more
probable one, will rest with Judge
Wadhams. This would be an order to
Mr.. Shonts and other officials OF the
Interborough to appear before the
court and show cause why they should
not be adjudged in contempt.
More Letters from ]. R. 7.
A second unsigned communication
sent out from the Office of the Inter
borough president TO members of the
grand Jury was handed unopened TO
Judge Wadhams yesterday by grahd
Juror. 1t contained printed copies OF
editorials from "The Evening sun
THE Evening World" "The Post ana
"The Globe" in which strike violence
was denounced. 1t also had a printed
copy Of an opinion given by Magis-
trate Joseph Fitch, of Queens, IN
sentencing William Ellenberg. stink
ing conductor of Flushing, to prison
for FIVE days for calling another con-
ductor names and making breach OF
the peace" Here Is one excerpt from
the opinion:
"The laws of this country are very
severe against capitalists who combine
TO raise the price of products or any
thing Of that kind. The laboring man
can still combine, If he wants, with
his fellows 10 strike or quit work.
That is necessary instrument for
his protection in his hands. But II
there are a thousand car conductors
in Queens County and nine hundred
and ninety-nine of them decide to 60
on strike, and there is one man OF
them that wants 10 work, declines 10
60 on strike with the nine hundred
and ninety-nine. ] hold, and il | were
Mayor of New York ! should hold II
il brought down the City Hall upon
my head. that the whole force Of the
police of the entire City Of New York,
il it were necessary, should protect
that one man against the nine hum
dred and ninety-nine, and he should
drive a car II he were the only man
in Queens that wanted TO do il and
his company were willing to employ
him.
"Now, ! am not going to add TO
your punishment by giving you long
lecture. You are n man apparently
of some intelligence above the aver
age degree OF intelligence. That
doesn't help you; that hurts you. II
you were an ignorant man you might
have been misled, but you are above
the average man in intelligence and
you ought 20 have known better"
Shonts Denies Editorials.
At the Belmont yesterday afternoon
Mr. Shonts declared he knew nothing
Of the issuance Of the editorials and
the magistrate opinion to the grand
jury.
81 accept responsibility for anything
bearing my signature. but these mat
ters were in the hands of the legal
bureau" he said. "Wait and I'll have
Mr.. Quackenbush give the facts"
M Quackenbush, when asked who
p Hllll -