The Alaska daily empire., 1922-02-21

Continued From Page ODe.)

ffcatiors Of alleged "malfeasance,
misfeasanca and n0n-feasance in Of
fee" formulated by the grievance
committee Of the Boston Bar Asso-
ciation and by Attorney General j.
Weston Allen. Less than year ago
Nathan 4 Tufts was removed as
District Attorney in Middlese2;
County in a similar proceeding.
Evidence was presented against
he District Attorney, however in
only Ii OF the charges. In 10 OF
those, he was accused of conspiracy
0 commit blackmail. Improper &C
ton in handling cases in his office
was alleged in 10 others and one
specification attributed misconduct
in two campaign addresses in which
the State quoted Pelletier, while
speaking as candidate for mayor,
rs having promised immunity from
prose cution to anyone who got into
trouble through defending him from
reports that he intended to resign
as District Attorney. Pelletier with
drew from the mayorality campaign
before the elention.
Alleged Acts.
Attorney-Ganeral Allen alleged
hat the acts Of Peletier as Dis
trict Attorney since November 13,
1909, when he took Office, down to
he date CT fling the charges, as
lnfolded by witnesses, proved that
lie accused prosecutor had con-
Quoted his Office in an unlawful
and reprehensib BILE manner" None OF
The charges as originally filed speei-
ied that Pelletier had received
money in return for his alleged mis-
conduct bat eyideace to this effect
WIS presented in FIVE cases The
Attorney General offered this evil
dsnee in connection with a claim
that Pelle,ier had participated in
ne profits of q partnership OF
crime
The action of assistant Of Pelle-
ties in disposing of cases brought tC
ne attention of the District Attor-
aey's Office was the basis OF FIVE OF
he charges. The state maintained
hat Pelletier should be removed be-
cause he had retained the assistants
j office Knowing their conduct to
nave been improper.
Among the charges in support OF
which the State introduced testi-
nony was some to the effect that
Pelletier had conspired with Dan
ed II. Coakley, of Boston, lawyer
nd others to commit blackmails by
threatening criminal prosecution
The bank records of Oakley and
Pelletier, offered by the State were
excluded as a whole but were ad-
mitted in four cases involving al
legged money transactions.
No Defense Evidence.
No evidence was offered for the
Defense United States Senator james
A. Reed, Of Missouri, chief counsel
for Pelletier declared that the whole
proceeding was based on a conspir-
acy against his client by political
md personal enemies and also that
the prosecution had fallen fat be.
cause the State had failed to con-
meet the District Attorney with any
wrong doing. Senator Reed said the
defense elected to stand on the case
rs presented by the State, arguing
that there was nothing in 1t to
which the District Attorney need
make the defense by testimony. The
Attorney General, in his closing ar
gumcnt urged Peiletier's failure t.
take the, stand as point against
him. !
: By cross examination of Stat,
witnesses and in the arguments o
his counsel, Pelletier's defense wa,
that he acted properly in handling
Ill cases. that many of those which
ne declined to press were efforts t,
use mis- office as g colleetion agenc,
and that he never at any time, ex
cept in one case when he was pal,
a legitimate fee as attorney in a Law
firm, received any money return.
Attorneys Involved.
Two Boston attorneys Coakle
and William J. Coreoran, the latte
former district attorney of Middle
sex County-were named in the OF
ig.nal information as co-conspirator
with Pelletier, and three NOR
names We're added during the pro
gress of the trial. The latter wer
Francis n. Carroll, former Fire Com