Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-07

n IN avSui contrast TO his Law cArss
| a. Q Judge. He personally was Away
| delighted In sending to reform schooi
young mon who lightly trespassed upo'
| the strict letter of the law. Older poy
| and men. when brought before Dis oar
encountered a ruthlessness that was In
human. In his court a mothers tears
! a fathers prayer. . sisters cry. a law
yer's plea fell upon stone. Terrible, IN
exorabie. remorseiess was this 1uds'
when another mans son was In TIT
dock. but when his son, guilty or tn'
crime of rape, was face to face Will
| the penitentiary, he did not hesitate Il
/ defeat justice.
I'VE. therefore, call upon him to re-
sign at once and we also call upon II
NJ. Havner. attorney general Of TIT
state of Iowa, TO cause the fullest CRANE
jury investigation of this crime. th'
indictment and trial OF the criminal
We ask that copy Of these resolutions
be printed In tho Fort Dodge Messen'
ger and also that q copy be sent Il
Judge r. NJ. Wright. Attorney Genera
II. n. Havner and Governor William l.
Harding"
HeaIy in Statement.
ION the day following the crime
young Wright boosted Of it, sale
Robert Healy. reading the report he, a:
special assistant attorney general ap'
pointed to prosecute the case. mado Il
Havner. It was made on Sept. 20. Q
week ago today. The crime was al
legged TO have been committed on Labor
Day. ...... .....
The savagery OF the assault ane
the prominence OF Wright and his faith
er were such as to arouse public opin-
ion and Indignation to a considerable
degree" the report continues.
"on the day following the crime
Wright boasted Of IL. He confessed
1t to some of his companions. one OF
whom. Hubacher, we examined, whose
testimony Is enclosed. You will also
find herewith the testimony OF Betty
Klein. who was q witness of prior
assault with attempt to commit rape
committed on the same evening. You
will also find enclosed the testimony
Of Wells. whom wo had in mind to
have indicted for conspiracy to COM
NIT rape until the event occurred as
hereinafter set forth"
Rumored Case Suppression.
Numerous rumors have been afloat
for some time past that the case would
never be tried, that Judge Wrights
influence was such as to prevent any
successful prosecution Of the case
Abou: two weeks ago Judge Wright
caused Becher, the father of the girl,
to be brought to his office and In the
conversation that followed Becher said
to Wright that 1t was his (Wrights)
duty to take his boy into, court and
surrender him to justice. Wright said
that he was the boys father and could
not do that
TN this interview Wright endeavor-
cd 70 obtain Recher's consent to mar
rage. This offer was Indignantly
spurned by Becher and tho interview
ended"
ION last Saturday (Sept. I'D. thru
the connivance and aid Of Judge
Wright, his SON in law, Walter Merri-
man. and two women, q marriage was
brought about
This marriage was, Of course,
aboritive of any further attempt OF
prosecuting Wright for rape. owing
to the fact that Freda Becher
would, Of course, be incompetent
as a witness to testify against her hus-
band for a crime that was committed
against a woman prior to her mar
riage."
Call Proceeding Infamous
1.-THE wicked and Infamous part OF
the whole proceeding Is that judge
Of the district court Of the state OF
Iowa should be a party to the violation
OF the act Of the Twenty-seventh gen
erai assembly and should be guilty OF
Offering q thing Of consideration, to-
wit: a marriage status IN exchange for
immunity from prosecution Of the son.
IT you desire County Attorney Ga
brfalson and myself will come to Des
Moines and supplement this report
with an oral and more detailed one,
covering the history Of this crime and
the successful effort to block prose-
cution."
Doubtless Judge Wright has saved
his son from a life term in the peni-
Tertiary, but Wright's judiciary career
should be brought to a termination at
this time"
The report is signed by Robert Healy