The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-04-07

change N the PERSONNEL OF the court
and "a. obtain asbill Of particulars. n :, !.
Neither the defendants nor their
counsel ever named a tentative day or
an curly day for trial until after March
g5 fgi6 when affiant noted the case for
trial on May s. They then. for the
first time. suggested April II as the day
for trial.
i'Affiant further says he has yolun-
tarily furnished o bill Of particulars IN
accordance, with the defendants request.
The said bill. of particulars was
furnished, on April g. 1916, IN strict con,
Garoh Is. 1918, which was the earliest
practicable time Il could be furnished.
Since February !, 1916. affiant has
believed and still believes that the cor.
respondence of the defendants counsel
has been 90 framed as to convey i'm
presslons rnwairanted by the facts ana
Injurious To innocent persons that from
and including his letter OF FEBRUARY =.
1919 afflant has anticipated an mdirect
object tn srein. and he makes the entire
correspondence, Of which copies are
herewith filed a part hereof for such
reference as may be desired and for the
justification OF his BELIEF.
= Earliest Possible Date.
The affidavit of Mr. Laskey further
says:
"AuiaYtt has In good faith endeavored
to select the earliest possible date Tor
trial consiAtent with the proper pre-
snntatio or the Governments case and
with due regard for every just right OF
the defendants, He believes any further
advancement of the case would serious
Iy'inpair the efficiency OF the prosecu-
ton OF these indictments ny Inc Gov
80 80 In order to advance the case
for trial, II was necessary Tor affiant
to displace very urgent business en-
titled to priority over the indictments
herein, but for the claim OF the de-
iendants that II Is essential, Tor the
trial to be concluded before JUne 3d.
1916, when the defendants say the char
ter oil the Riggs National Bank ex-
The bin of particulars flied by the
Government outlines sales and pur-
chases OF stocks, the correctness OF
which the prosecution will seek to es-
tAblish. ,,
The alleged purchases extend from
July 3 1909 to September 2. 1913, and
the stock transactions AL nine pages of
The sales OF stock charged BIZ the
Government are listed In six and a hair
pages OF foolscap, and occur on dates
beginning July {. 1909, and ending Oc-
tober z. 1918.
Resume of Controversy.
On Febvuery 4 District Attorney
Laskey wrote the attorneys for Messrs.
Glover. Flather and Father a letter
which Ia a resume Of the controversy
between those attorneys ard Mr.. Las.
keys office ard which reveals the fact
that counsel for the accused bank Of
fieihls did rot desire Chief Justice Cow
ington 10 presided at the trial. 49,,
AIr. Laskey tcgips his letter with q
reference to the "uElisual request that
justice presiding in Criminal Court No.
sliall rot sit In the cases"
Replying 10 the letter OF Messrs.
Burlington. J1hnson, Hogan. Hoover,
and O'DonnchUe under date of Feb
ruaIv 2, District Attorney Laskcy says:
You state that at the time the indict-
ments against these gentlemen were re-
turned. their counsel understood from
me that the cases could not be tried be-
fore the Christmas HOLIDAYS. in view OF
the business demanding the attention
OF my office. but that an early trial
thereafter might h, expected: and that,
accordirRly. although the defendants
were anxious for an early hearing, their
counsel considered the delay suggested
reasonable one and did not disturb
me further about the case.
AS I" that the facts are before the
indictments were returned against said
defendants. was consulted by Frank
j. Hogan as, to the probable amount of
bond which would be asked for in the
event Of indictment. and shortly after
Ehe indictments were returned was
again consulted bv him as to the ar
raiCnment of the defendants. and asked
by him to defer the arraignment until
the time Of trial. which agreed 10 do.
as his REQUEST was not unreasonable or
unusual. ~
Hogan's Request.
mir. Hogan then asked me when the
cases Would probably be called for trial
and I told him could not tell, but that
they certainly would not be called be-
fore the Christmas holidays. but Mr..
Hogan did not. then or thereafter,
prior to January 8, directly or Indirect
~, Intimate to me that he or his clients
desired an carly trial.
1t Is true. as you state, counsel for
az the parties waited upon me by APP
poirtment at my ofrice on January q
and notified me of the desire of the de-
PENDANTS for the earliest possible trial,
and the fact Is, that that was the first
information or intimatIon ] had, d.
rectly or indirectly. OF the desire OF the