Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-08

found only on March IL and that the
man has been out on bail. He intro
trict attorneys once had advanced
some cases. while other men were
languishing in Jail. impatient to be
tried.
He challenged the district attorney
to state il he really intends to try
any of these cases quoted before May
8. the date set for the Riggs Bank
case.
Question Of Intention.
Attorney Archer on arguing for the
government explained that there Is a
contention as to whether the defend
when they said they had not bought
and sold stocks, or whether they meant
they did not do 1t for speculation and
their own profit. He said that in CIV
ing the bill of particulars covering all
the items in the Lewis Johnson & Co.
books they were safeguarding any
items they might have to introduce in
proving their perjury charge.
He said that the account was SO ex-
torney could not fail to know Of it when
the affidavit was drawn stating that they
had not bought and sold stocks and that
this constituted perjury-this was why
the lengthy list Of items was given to
show the extensiveness of these transac-
tons
He said that the counsel and the court
cannot know how many Of these 1t may
be necessary to introduce and to attempt
to prove on trial.
He said that early trial" AZ he and his
associates understood 1t. was one that
would not ride roughshod over the prior
rights Of others, would not set aside other
cases and play. favorites for these de-
PENDANTS as against many others.
He said there had not been any ca
PRECIOUS delay, but that the trial had been
advanced as far as possible to favor these
men.
Not Unusual Time.
Mr.. Archer, in conclusion. declared
eight months is not an unusual time
to defer the trial of a case when the
accused is at liberty on bail. Nor is
even two years an unreasonable time"
the assistant prosecutor said. He also
called attention to the fact that since
the return of the Glovsr-Flather in
dictments the grand jury had reported
l 100 indictments. and that IT took
practically all the time Of the Criminal
Division to sit as a court Of Jail delivery.
United States Attorney Laskey fol.
that the present cases are not the
only ones in which insistent requests
for trial are being made. although the
dockets do not show these opportunities
any more than did the record Of the
of the present motions April S. The
insisted that the criminal
business of this District has outgrown
the limitations Of his once force and
more judges are almost imperative.
He pointed out that between 1900 and
1912 only 40 per cent Of all cases In
which the accused were on bail were
ever tried and that because Of the con-
gestion Of the courts the cases grew
old and were abandoned for that rea-
son. Last year, he said. 1900 indfct-
ments had to be nolled. He insisted that
the bank officials were being given an
early trial in view Of the conditions.
Mr.. Laskey scored the suggestion of
counsel that they had to know what
justice would try the case before they
could take up the preliminary matter
Of asking for a bill Of particulars. He
said that no moro trifiing argument
had ever been advanced in a court of
law.
He reiterated the statements Of his
affdavit and declared that no purpose
is to be served by beginning the trial
April "a, as requested. rather than
neither event. according to counsel for
the defense. could 1t be completed be-
fore June 80.
Gives History Of Amdavits.
Attorney johnson. in his closing argu-
ments. gave the history Of the affidavits
on which the perjury charges are based.
He called the attention Of the court to
the long time that transpired before the
were returned. He reminded
the attention was called by Mr.. Inter
myer to their alleged faultiness before
the district attorney even brought this
matter to the attention Of the grand
jury.
indicate any zeal on the part of the
district attorney to bring the matter to
early trial.
Mr.. johnson said that when the dis
trict attorney did present the matter
hours. showing that he must have pre-
pared his case very carefully.
Speaking for the defendants, he in
sisted on the importance of early trial.
He said that their enemy in the civil
suit, meaning Controller John Shelton
williams, from which civil suit the
perjury charges originated, will take
these indictments. the defendants ex-
pect, as evidence against the 'unblem-
ished character" required of the bank
newed.
Long Period to Answer.
He figured that IL the defense must
prepare to answer all of the ss2 items
listed by the government In its bill of
it will take more than three
months to try the case.
He alluded to the request made for
the assignment Of some other justice
than the chief Justice then prsiding in
Criminal Court No. /. and said the
counsel for the defense have no apollo
eies to make-they have done what
they thought was their duty toward
their clients.
Mr.. Archer advised the court that the
District attorneys ONCE wishes to sub
nit a compilation Of authorities setting
forth their position on the question Of
\ speedy trial.
MRS. BRUMBAUGH Is CHOSEN.