New Britain herald., 1924-04-02
CORCORAN GUILTY
 AFTER THIRD TRIAL
Jury ConViCts Mass. Attorney on
 BiaCklnal Count

Cambridge, Mass. April At the cnd Of his third trial on charges ot Liackmail and cAtortiOn William J. Corcoran, former district attorney of hiddlesuN county, yesterday was found guilty by q jury in MlddiescA county superior court. Corcoran Was I.acud on trial twice III suffolk county, but in each case q mlstrial M;.s dec.ared, once because the pre- siding. judge met with an accident and Ni;s Bnabie 10 continue hearings. the second tlmc because witness de turcd that attempts had been made to ,ampcr with tine jury.
 5lachmail Charge
 The MiddlcseX county indictment charged Corcoran with threatening 10 accuse Kenneth Merrill, of Newton, Of a serious offense with intent to cAtort money. Two women, Mrs. Theresa Duggan and Mrs. Lillian Hardy Reese. alleged lures, were indicted as ac- cessories, as were ]. Warren Kane and Theodore C. Bearse. Mrs. Reese pleaded guilty al the opening Of the trial, Mrs. Eaggan and Kane were found guilty with Corcoran, while Bearse was found not guilty. Judge II. Whiting on motion Of defense counsel, set the date Of sentence at two weeks from yesterday, 10 allow filing of exceptions. Bail for Cor coran was set at Sl0,000 and for Mrs. Duggan and Kane at s3,0O0 each.
 Jury Out Nearly Five Hours.
 The trial, which lasted three weeks, attracted wide interest. Counsel for Corcoran fought against the transfer of the case from Suffolk county courts. An indictment charg- ing Merrill, the alleged victim of tl. defendants, with u statutory offcnse, was mol pressed just before the trial he gan, and Merrill appeared as wit ness for the state. Another witness was Harry E. Levenson. disbarred Boston attorney, whose charges against the jury at Coreorans pre- yious trial caused the judge to call a mistrial, LeNenson was indicted with Corcoran in Suffolk county and pluced on trial, but pleaded guilty and turned states evidence, The jury yesterday was out four and half hours.
 Allen Cd Investigation.
 The charges against Coreoran grew out of the investigation by former Attorney General ]. Weston Allen which led to the removal or Nathan A. Tufts as district attorney Of Mid dleseX county in 1921 Mr. Allen named Coreoran as one Of an alleged "blackmail gang" Of attorneys and others who, it was charged, sought to eNtort money from wealthy victims they had lured into compromising situations. After the removal Of Tufts the Boston Bar association sought to have Corcoran disbarred. buf he claimed residence in New York and offered to resign from the Boston bar.
 Corcoran was indicted by Suffolk county grand jury on blaekmail charges in December, ta2i, but dc- laultcd when the case was called for trial early in l922. He was arrested in New York last July and pAtraditrd to Massachusetts where he was placed Dn trial in Snffolk county last October. Early in November the trial was dis continued because of the illness Of Judge Quinn. Tho second trial in SuToik county in January or this year ended when 1scvensons charges were made against the jury. shortly hftcrward the Middleseg grand jury found an indictment against corcoIpn and the others.