The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-08-04
mo MONEY OFFER
ASSERTS TUFTS
But Many Persons Had
Urged Release of "Poco"
Bennett
POGO" DECLARED
$1,000 WAS PAID
And Was Returned Later
Sensational Case
Nears End

Boston, Aug. Am early decision
on the petition of Attorney General
j, Weston Allen for the removal OF
Nathan A. Tufts as district attorney
of Middlesex county was indicated to-
day when the trial was resumed before
the supreme court. The defense ex-
pected to complete presentation OF evil
Sdence during the day and rebuttal tes-
\ timony and arguments were to follow.
IT. was understood that the Ave jus
tices would hold conference immedi-
ately upon conclusion of the case to
prepare their finding.
The 81 charges against Tufts include
allegations that he eonspired with at
torneys and others to Nxtort money
from persons threatened with indict-
ment and that he failed to prosecute
many eases from improper motives.
Captain Herbert Gordon of the Cam
bridge police, who is attached to the
district attorneys office, testified for
the defense to-day.
Gordon was questioned about sever
al cases which have been the subject of
testimony and then was asked regard
ing money he borrowed from Daniel
Sughrue, an associate of Daniel H.
Coakley, an attorney, who represented
several moving picture magnates in
the settlement Of cases growing out of
a midnight dinner at a Woburn road
house
The witness said stock that ne
owned had slumped badly and Sughrue
helped him ouu by transferring to
Gordon's account about $4,000 and
some shares of stock. He assigned his
own stock to Sughrue as security. He
never told the district attorney of his
transactions with Sughrue, he said,
Tufts was then called and testified
regarding the alleged payment of
81 900 by Louis POGO Bennett to Sc
cure his release from the house of cor
rection. Bennett claimed his money |
was paid to two employees of Sheriff |
Fairbairn Of Middlesex county and was |
returned later
Tufts said the story was brought |
to his attention by Fairbairn and that |
he placed it before the grand jury. |
Tufts testimony before the grand Jury |
was then read. In ii he said no one had |
him with offers of money
but that many persons had been to him
urging Benefits release.
District Attorney Tufts repeated his
charges that Attorney General Allen
had sought to have him press for an
indictment Of John W. Coombs,
charged with operating an automobile
while under the influence of liquor, in
,rder that he might be able to
strengthen civil suit against Coombs
n which Mr.. Allen was interested rs
counsel.
The attorney general was cross-ex-
lmining the district attorney.
'Do ! understand that you said !
allied 10 have an indictment by the
,rand iuryl'
Certainly you did, you said you
we're interested in finding a car be-
suse you wanted to attach It, You
hought if pressed the matter il was
he only way TO bring the man 10 the
Iough dish" II
you had brought the matter to the
rand jury in January and | called
n you in March," Mr.. Allen declared.
Mr.. Tufts said he wrote to the New
on chief of police in an attempt to
ncate the car but did not request the
id of the Cambridge police because
ir. Allen had not requested it.
do you consider that wherever
here is a criminal case of this char
cter--a man being killed--that, if
ivil suit is pending, the criminal case
lust wait four or five years ?"
IL know that repeatedly we have at 7
empted TO try such cases, and that
here have been only two ordered tried
! my experience, the almost invariable i
ale being to continue such cases if I
iere are civil suits pending" was Mr..
ufts' answer.