Republican farmer., 1920-02-20
JUDGE LIGHT HAS BEEN DELEGATED ID
 INVESTIGATE FACTS
Counsel For Lawyers Moved For Immediate
 Hearing Which Was Refused By Judge Bartlett - Cases Con- sidered of Vital I'm pOrtance to Bar.

A new feature was injected into the conspiracy case in volving four Bridgeport law yers in the City court this morning when it came up be- fore Judge Frederic A. Bart lett on a continued hearing from February 9, the new fea- ture being the entrance of for mer Attorney General John H. Light delegated by States At torney Cummings office to in vestigate the charge of con- i spiracy brought against Attor- neys Harry Mesard, Henry Greenstein, Francis J. Breen and Solomon Badesch.
 Judge Light after being introduced to the court by Prosecutor A. L.. De Laney immediately asked for a con tinuance of two weeks in order to fully acquaint himself with the facts of the matter and enable him to give 9 fair and unbiased review of the af- fair.
 In opening the case Prosecutor De- court to the fact that the cases for
 Laney called the attention of the
 trial are of vital importance not only to the men accused but to the bar Of the county and the people of the com munity. Because of rumors that he had been friendly with one of the ac- lcused, MT. Delaney stated, it had
 been thought advisable in the States Attorneys office that some one en-
 tireIy outside of the matter and a non- resident of Bridgeport be picked to in vestigate the evidence on either side.
 After Judge Lights request for q continuance Attorney Henry E. Shan , non, for the defense, made an urgent plea for immediate trial, calling at
 tention to the fact that the accused had been already under more or less of a stain for the past 10 days and l that a further continuance would l work more hardship on them. He . further stated that on the first ap-
 pearance in court of the case Prose cutor Delaney stated that if he found ! no probable cause he would unhesi- tatingly say so today and that he had in MT. Shannon's opinion, ample time 2 in which to make this investigat tior 3 and his subsequent report.
 P Upon the conclusion of Attorney : i Shannon's remarks, Attorney Jacob B s Klein, also for the defense, spoke v along somewhat the same lines, en o phatical1y stating that whatever claiu = of frien dship between Delaney ant
 one of the accused there might hav'
 been it was wiped out entirely by thu
 arrest of the four lawyers.
 Personally we do not object to tn
 entrance of Judge Light in the case,
 said Attorney Klein, but we do no
 think it necessary. Isn't the prose
 cutting attorney of this court compe tent to conduct the business and ism z the court itself familiar enough wit
 the law to decide whether the cas
 should go on or not? Why should tn VI States Attorneys office be called int
 the case? Can this office make a cas
 where none exists?
 1T ''It is a denial of justice not U permit this case to go on. Delane 'h is just as ready to go on with tn II case now as he will be in two week -e We don't want to believe that Sh -o court cannot try the case!
 or 'The only conspiracy in this cas ss is the conspiracy which caused tt e arrest of these men and we urge It speedy trial in order that those al a countable for it may be pulled frol
 the pedestals they occupy
 as Here Klein was interrupted by D' n- Laney who asked whether he was il y cluded in the list of conspirators, le which Attorney Klein responded ot the negative, although stating that g. did think Delaney might have il a vestigated more thoroughly
 a. Continuing, Attorney Klein sai
 @It seems a shame that we have
 ask justice, to plead with this cou
 for trial. As Attorney Shanne
 stated I think a continuance of tn
 case for another two weeks is inhl
 man"
 M Judge Bartlett, however, after col V sidering the opposing claims, grantt
 the continuance, pointing out tn ar Judge Light could not neglect h It. other business altogether and tn ay two weeks was not too long a time he get all the facts together.
 Prosecutor Delaney stated aft he court that the appointment of som he one to investigate the case from u In (continued on Page Eighty