Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-30
SEEK TO GUST
Continued from Page one)

The petition for Coakley'S disbar.
ment charges that in 1918 he zen.
tered into conspiracy with the dis.
trict attorney of the northern district
of Massachusetts, (MidGlcscx COUNTY,
and others to eXtOrt from divers or.
sons large sums of money under the
threat and menace of the institution
and prosecution of criminal accuse
tions and proceedings and sundry civil
claims and the notoriety which would
accompany the institution Of such
proceedings.
Pursuant to such conspiracy It is
charged, Coakley demanded and re.
cCived for his services as an attorney
sums of money grossly in excess of a
fair and reasonable charge for any
legitimate service performed or to he
performed by him.
Other specifications charge that
Coakley has capitalized his reputed
influence with the district ATTORNEYS
of Suffolk and Middlesex counties BY
charging divers persons lare sums Of
money for services IN preventing
criminal prosecution which had been
instituted or threatened or'whIch
was believed by such persons to he
threatened and that he utilized his
reputed influence with the district at
torney of Suffolk county for the pur-
pose of effectinG settlement Of civil
cases through threats Of prosecution
e~ao;G arn ron.
tanned in the petition.
Corcoran is charged by the Bar
Association with employing women
of loose moral characters 10 entrap
men to the end that he might levy
blackmail upon them, with public
statement stating that he had exort'
ed large sums OF money under
threats of exposure for improper con-
duct. and with charging fees for al
legged professional services far in tx.
cess of any legitimate service rend.
cred.
Victor Searlcs, n nephew Of the
late Edward +. Searles a Methuen
millionaire is mentioned in the pc
tition as having been blaCkmailed by
COrcoran.
Corcoran, it is charged. "conspired
with others to extort large sum Of
money from Searles and to that end
arranged that Searles should he dis
covered with certain women In a
compromising situation and should he
advised to employ CorCOran as his
attorney to save him from publicity
Corcoran, the charge continues
then solicited employment by the
husband of one of the women and
"extorted $4,000 from Searlcs as the
price of secrecy, informing the hus-
hand of said woman that only small
amount had been collected and Undue
ing the latter to accept s5o.o00 in SET
Element of his alleged claim, retain
ing the balance of the $1,000 for him
self and his co-conspiratOrs."
In another specification Corcoran
is alleged to have eXtorted s55O0
from one Joseph +. Osborn after the
latter having been discovered in
private room in a hotel with the wife
Of one John f.. Hart. He also IS
charged with having conspired with
the district attorney of Middlesex
county and others to extort money
from the International Service Com
pany Inc. by threats of criminal
prosecution. The latter case was the
basis OF one of the charges on which
Tufts was tried.
Two charges are made against al
tOrney McIsaac, one of which alleges
he conspired with CoakleY TO Obtain
large sum of money from the estate
of John Sullivan of Brooklinc. The
other had to do with the case Of Hart
named in the charges against Cor
coran. 1t is alleged that Mclsaac ny
misrepresenting induced Hart to ac-
cept $4,000 in settlement of clam
against Osborne for alternating the
affections of his CHart's) wife, the
alleged misrepresentation haynS
reference to the amount Osborne
paid or was about TO pay his attor-
ney, Corcoran. for the purpose OIL
settling the claim. IT also is alleged
that by misleading Hart with false
advice with respect to his rights
in divorce proceedings instituted D!
Mrs. Hart he violated his duty to MS
client.
Attorney General Allen said late 70.
day he had as vet received no forna
notice of the disbarment petition As
soon as he does he Will appoint some
one outside his office to conduct inc
prosecution of the case. he addeo,
Under the law such proceedings shaI,
be conducted by the attorney genera
or such person as he may designate
with approval Of the court.