The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-14
Large Number of Cases Set for
Trial Are Continued.
Judge Pollock Opens April
Term Here Today.
ONLY ONE CRIMINAL CASE
Charles Wesson Charged With
Espionage Act Violation.
Naturalization Cases Put Over
Until Next Term.

1t is probable that no more than
twelve of the 116 cases on the April
term docket of the United States dis
trict court which convened in Topeka
this morning will be tried here. The
balance were continued, dismissed or
otherwise disposed of when the docket
was called by Judge John C. Pollock.
Three different suits brought by the
Wyandotte County Gas company
against the Kansas Natural Gas COM
pany and the receivers charging fall
ure to comply with a contract to fur
nish gas, were set down for trial this
week. The case of NJ. Piowaty & Sons,
who are asking $4,000 from the Kan
sas Ice & Storage company, will be
tried tomorrow. The plaintiffs claim
that the defendants held ten cars OF
onions in storage for them at Salina
and that the onions spoiled.
One Criminal Trial.
On the criminal docket. Charles
Wesson, charged with violation OF the
espionage act, will be the only man
tried. The Kansas City Southern Rail-
way company, charged with violations
of the quarantine act, pleaded guilty
this morning and was fined 500 and
costs. Ohio Battles of Topeka,
charged with selling liquor to soldiers,
court. Fred Williams this morning
pleaded guilty to selling liquor on an
Indian reservation and sentence was
deferred.
The naturalization cases. of which
there were eight, were all put over
until the next term.
The suit of John S. Wright against
L. NJ. Crawford, of Topeka, to collect
a $4,000 note and a $4,000 note SAID
to have been executed by Crawford
and delivered to the Cameograph COM
pany, was dismissed and is said to
have been arranged out of court
Stations Case Is Set.
The suit brought by the South Texas
Land company against w. H. stations
of Topeka, to collect $4,000, was sci
for trial this term. Stations bought
some land in Texas and gave the COM
pany his note for the amount Later
| he claims, he discovered he had been
made the victim of Misrepresentation
on theNpart of the land company and
refused to pay off the note. The land
company brought suit.
The Santa Fe Railway company
charged with violations of the 2S-houI
| law, which provides that stock may
| not be kept in a car longer than TWEEN
| ty-eight hours without unloading, con-
fessed judgment and was fined $10(
and costs. The Kansas City Southern
| Railway company confessed judgment
| in two suits brought on similar
grounds and was assessed the sans
| fine in each case.
An error in the indictment of Ray
| mond l.. Berney. Grover c. Hag
| gard and others. charged with stealing
| from interstate shipments. was dis
| covered and the matter will probably
be represented to the grand jury to-
| day or tomorrow. Ifan indictment il
returned it was agreed to put the cas-
| over until another term for trial.
Court was called to order at II
| O'Clock. The first act was to swea
| in and charge the grand jury. where
upon they retired to a separate room
| The most important case of the tern
to come before this body will be tina
of Pietro ,Pierri. an Italian. charged
with conspiring to kill President vii
SON.