The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-06
Hungate- Intimates Club Won.
en- VIII Take Hand.
He Says They May Try To In
fluence the Jury.
CASE HAS BEEN SENSATIONAL
Sheriff Went to Hotel and
ssOrdered a Girl"
Proprietor Then Charged With
Running Immoral House.

Intimation that rich and powerful
club women of the West side will en-
deavor to influence the jury by their
presence in court in an attempt to
convict A. H. Reichley, former pro-
prietor of sthe Roam hotel, was made
to a jury today by Otis Hungate. at
torney for Reichley. Reichley, with
his wife by his side. today sat in Judge
George H. whitcomb's division of the
district court, facing a charge of rum
ming an immoral house. which. if
proven against him, may send the
man to state prison.
Every juryman examined by HIM
gate was asked If the TACT that a pow
erful set of club women clamored for
the mans conviction would influence
a verdict. Hungate stated that he
knew during the morning hours that
certain club women on the West side
were keeping telephone wires hot in
an endeavor to gather crowd of wo-
men to go to the courthouse and assist.
by their moral support, the prosecu-
ton of the case.
Club women with their knitting sat
by the side of the county attorney at
Reichley's preliminary hearing in the
court of Topeka, and listened to the
lurid testimony from the underworld.
Political attacks have been made on
Mayor. House. as result of Sheriff
Hugh Larimer's sensational raid of the
hotel. Larimer registered. at the hotel,
sent out after a woman and then af-
ter she went to his room arrested the
proprietor of the hotel, situated at
Fourth street and Kansas avenue.
Many Witnesses Subpoenacd.
Fully forty witnesses have been sub
poenaed for the trial which promises
to consume the better part of the
week. Residents of Holton and other
towns in which Reichley has lived are
bavins. subpoenas served on them to-
day. The state has ten witnesses.
Three of the states witnesses are
women. Alberta Goodrich and Min
ME Friend are the two girls caught in
the hotel by Larinler. The Goodrich
girl was the one who went to Lari-
mer's room. Her home is in Kansas
City. The Friend girl lives in Topeka
and atone time was a waitress in the
restaurant, opposite the Roam hotel.
which was run at that time by Mrs
Annie, Trapp. Since the raid the
Friend girl has married.
Katie Henderson, Topeka girl,
now an inmate of the girls industrial
school at Beloit, was a surprise sprung
by the. prosecution today. 1t was un-
derstood during the morning that she,
would be the first witness called by
the prosecution. The Henderson girl,
shortly before going to Beloit, swore to
a damaging affidavit against the hotel
management the prosecution stated.
That was more than a year ago.
Both Sides Use Up Challenges.
Both sides spent the. entire morning
in examining a jury. The prosecution
went the legal limit in discharging
veniremen as did the defense. At IL
O'Clock both sides had exhausted their
challenges and it was announced that
at 1880 O'Clock, Hugh Fisher, county
attorney, would outline the states side
of the case.
George p. Hayden, city attorney, Is
assisting the county attorney in prose-
cution of Reichley. Tinkham Veale,
assistant county attorney. has acted as
an attorney for Reichiey and this
threw him out of the trial Ed Rooney
is assisting Hungate in the defense.
During the morning hours no mem
bers of any club were present
Il know what they're planning on
doing and / wanted to warn the jury
of what may happen unless the club
women decide they'll help Fisher out
more by staying away" said Hungate.
The old SRoam hotel is now under
new management and has changed it's
name to the Reid hotel.
Katie Henderson, on the stand for
the state this afternoon, testified that
she returned from the Beloit Indus
trial school for girls about year ago
last December, on parole and went to
the Roam hotel. The first night she
was there, she said, Reichley came to
her room and made a proposal that
she agreed to, the first time she says,
for compensation. Later. she told the
jury. Reichley brought other men to
her room.
while / was there she said, 81
was. walking thru the hall and hap
pening to glance thru door that was
open slightly, I saw Minnie Friend
and Hattie Michaels in room with
two men"
Fisher. in outlining his case for the
state, stated that he would prove al
legations made at the time of the pre-
liminary.