The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-03-22
BILLINCSLEY DENIES
BUYING WITNESS

! Ivy Of the matter presented, the
bearing ft may have on tho guilt
OF defendants. Justice viii ho best
served by permitting all the mat
tors relative 20 the incident cx-
plotted before the jury.
N n witness takes such an In
tcreat In "a prosecution ms To at
tempt TO manufacture false tcntl-
many. the jury should be given an
opportunity 10 hear the matter"
Following charges made yesterday
| by the defense attorneys that Logan
Bllingsloy had paid. or offered to
IpRy. four men TO testify as he direct.
ed. Reames said the federal grand
jury would be called 10 sift this lat.
est development TO the bottom.
Lolter In Building
After an investigation OF two
days. Rcamca said be- was con.
WINGED "A gigantic piece OF jobbery
has been attempted"
Ito declared that underworl
characters have been lettering In
tho federal building and trying to
talk to the Billlngsleya IN AN effort
TO trap them into making state
menta that could be- distorted to
discrodit them.
These men cke out an existence
/ thru vics and resorts that are
countcnanced. aud. TO a certain cx.
tent. protected By the police Of the
city"
| na.,..st cb..g. ,hat q. ,l.t -
listed 10 dlscrcdit government wit
ncsaes was hotly denied today by
Walter Fulton. one OF tho defense
counsel.
WHEN these men came 20 us and
told how BilllngHley had hired
them 10 testify falsely" asserted
| Fulton. we took them direct TO
Reames aud let him question them
We turned the entire matter over
/ 10 him. so that no could satisfy
himself. and would not suspect us
OF trying TO hold anything back"
mcsdof Statement
| According To tho sworn state
mcnta In the hands OF tho defense
attorneys. Logan Billingslcy went
to Mcsdorf. who formerly worked
as "A bootlegEcr under him. Sunday
night. and arranged for confer
cnco At 10 p. m.
After quitting worh AZ 10 o'clock
AZ night. went there" Mcsdorf
Hald In his statement He told me
he thought WAS the only man
around town that would stick BY
him. and do what he told me 10 do
Ho told mo thR, IiaElclt and Han.
son had douhlecrosaed him and
were going on the witness stand ia
n day or two. and that they were
going 10 lie and Aay tina, Hatton
was In the room on tho 30ih day
% August. go We had to have a
witness To dlscredit Hanaon's and
| HAElctts testimony. And he said
We think you are tho only man
who will 20 thru with Il right
Then he said. Now. Il Ia not the
money ! am going 10 give you. but
the appreciation OF friendship and
the showing that am n good friend
of yours. and Il will put you In very
highly with the United States gov.
eminent Now he says. what We
want you TO do II 10 Kei up IN court
and tell tho jury that Haxlett came
20 you on tho 18th or 18th OF March
and propo@i;ioned you that some OF
ellis friends had collected up a
little money and was going TO get
an extra witness with Hazleti aud
Hanson fthey needed thrcel and he
was 10 get another witness to Eo
on the stand and testify that Hat.
ton was In Hanaon'a room all day
on August 90 last lie says.
This will discredit Hazleits and
IIanson's testimony on the witness
stand"
This conversation. he said. vas
IN Ora Billingsley's room. in the
Navarro hotel. lilo picked up 30
two-dollar bills that Logan put on
the bed. he declared. and promised
10 gct two other fake witnesses for
Logan.
lie first engaged man named
Harry Williams. but later paid him
s. for waiting"
Mesdorf also told the defense nj.
torneys that Logan declared that
the griiling OF the smartest aitor.
ncyH could not break down our ties.
| timony--this IL good frame up.
and ] don't want II broken up"
! Mesdorf says he asked Logan ~
he really Slipped the mayor mon.
~" and says Logan told him NO. %
but 10 keep quiet and will take
you 10 Salt Lake and set you up in
the bootlegging business"
Watson Smith is alleged 20 have
been hired by Mesdorf 20 testify
for Logan and later have gotten
cold feet" after he had joined
Mesdorf In making statements TO
the government.
According 10 the defense attor.
neys. Mesdorf finally became wor.
ried and took the whole affair to
Jack Schsffer. head waiter, who
reported to Chauncey Wright.
Statements made by W. I. Der.
~. an admitted gambler. and liar.
ry Williams. who is barber. In
part suhstantiated Mesdorfs
stories, but were vague in details
+, J. Margett. former policeman
who afterwards turned bootlegger.
has been subpoenaed as defense
witness and IL declared to have
made n statement in full concern.
ing his operations here and his
conflicts with the BlIlIngsleys.
|