South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-22
BAY STATE COURT
GUSTS PELLETIER
FOR MALFEASANCE
District Attorney Of Suffolk
County Removed After
Lengthy Trial.

charges o. malfeasance. mlsfeasance
and -feasance IN Office.
The court's ruling was on charges
brought by state Atty. Gen. Allen
that PeTIetse- had been a party 90
conspiracies 20 extort money under
threats Of prosecution and 90 sup
press indictments. His relations
with Daniel II. Coakley and other
local attorneys were characterized
~ The attorney general az part
nershlp in crime"
TIE trial az Dist. Atty. Joseph c.
Pcileter OF Suffolk county, before
The fuI bench Of the Massachusetts,
Supreme Court. which began on
Dec % last and ended Jan. "a. was
the second hearing OF the kind IN
the states history and involved 81
specifications Of alleged "malfeas-
auce. and uOn-feasauce In office"
formulated by the grievance COM
mittee Of the Boston Bar Associa-
ton and by Atty. Gen. J. Weston
Allen. Less than a year ago Nathan
a Tufts was removed as district at
torney In AIiddlesex county in a sim
liar proceeding.
Evidence was presented against
the district attorney. however. IN
only 81 OF the charges. Improper
action I'm handling cases IN his office
was alleged in y others and one
specification attributed misconduct"
in two campaign addresses fin which
the state quoted Peuetier. while
speaking as "a candidate for mayor.
as having promised immunity from
prosecution TO anyone who got into
trouble through defending him from
reports that he intended 90 resign as
district attorney. Peuetier with
drew from the mayorality campaign
before he election
The action of assistants of Pelle-
tier in dispOsing of cases brought TO
the attention of the district attor-
Eeys office vas the basis of five Of
the charges. The state maintained
that PeIietier should be removed be-
cause he had retained the assistants
IN Office knowing their conduct 20
have been improper
Among tho charges i'm support OF
which the state introduced testimony
were some TO the effect that Peletier
had conspired with Daniel r. Coax
=
20 commit blackmau by threatening
criminal prosecution The bank
records Of CoakIey and PeIletier. Of
fered by the state were excluded as
a whole. but were admitted in four
cases involving alleged money tran
sactions.
No evidence was offered for the
defense. United States Sen. James a.
Reed Of Missouri chief counsel for
PeUetier declared that the whole
proceeding was based on a conspir-
acy against his client by political
and personal enemies. and also that
the prosecution had fallen fiat be-
cause the state had failed 10 CON
meet the district attorney with any
wrong doing SEN Reed said the
defense elected TO stand on the case
as presented by the state. arguing
that there was nothing i'm it 20 which
the district attorney need make de-
Tense by testimony. The Attorney
General. in his closing argument
urged Pelletier's failure 10 take the
stand as a point against him.
Two Boston attorneys
and William j. CorCoran. the latter a
formed district attorney of Middle
sex county-were named iE the or
icinal Information as co-Conspirat-
ors with PcIletier. and three more
names were added during the prog
Iess OF the trial The latter were
Francis ST. Carroll. former tire COM
missioner; Daniel j Gallagher.
former assistant TO Peueter and also
former United States district att
doe
Tho state charged a general con-
sDiacy between Coakley and Peue-
ties. and alleged that the others We're
called bon from time TO time or spe-
cidc schemes To blackmau Tn this
connection tine state called attention
90 evidence tlHt C0akley having a
large IesaI practice. boosted of his
in1ueIB with tine district attorney
i'm and out oC the presence of PelIe-
tier. without resentment by the lat
ter Thus the prosecution charged.
90 became generally known that
Coakley could obtain favors from
the district attorney which were de-
MED others and many cases were
Placed in CoakIey's hands because
OF his reputcd influence. That con-
diuion The state charged made 10
easy Tor Peueter and CoakIev 20
carry ON their ALLEGED Matchmaking
schemes
Gallagher was charged i'm one i'm
stance with havng "sO'l out his
clients" under promise i'm the full
dUment OF which IL was alleged ne
afterwards was appointed an assist
ant district attorney. Tn that case
evidence was adduced 90 the effect
that CCakIev representrc the di-
vorced husband Of Mrs Jennie s.