Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-23

Boston. Jan. 22-The tangled
skein of indictments and trials grow
ing out of alleged blackmail schemes
in this city was complicated still
further today. AS the outcome of
the days developments William j.
Corcoran. former district attorney
of Middlesex county. must face a
third jury on charges OF conspiracy
to eXtort money from various per-
sons and also must stand trial on
charges of perjury.
Last October Corcoran was
brought to trial with Harry E. Lew
enSon, a Boston attorney, and sew
eral others on the extortion charges.
After several weeks of testimony the
trial was halted by the illness of
Judge Quinn of the Superior Court
and when his illness became pro-
longed the case was adjudged mis-
trial.
When the case was brought up for
mistrial District Attorney Thomas O..
O'Brien elected to proceed at this
time against Corcoran and Levenson
only, leaving the final disposition of
the indictments against the other de-
PENDANTS undetermined. Last week
Levenson interrupted the trial by
pleading guilty and yesterday he
turned states evidence.
Because Levenson testified that
Corcoran had told him that certain
members of the jury were fixed"
Judge Mclaughlin today took the
case from the jury and declared an
other mistrial.
II believe" said the court. that
there rests in the minds of no one
connected with this case the slight
est suspicion concerning the integ-
rity and honesty of any man sitting
upon this panel, but very peculiar
situation has arisen"
Vie explained to the jury that If
the case should be Submitted to
them they would have to determine
whether Levenson told the truth to
his conversations with Corcoran. If
they found that Corcoran actually
told Levenson that some of the jul
rorS had been corrupted. he said.
it would be impossible for them i'm
partially to consider whether Cor
coran was guilty of blackmaii. and
if they found that Eevenson had tcs-
tilted falsely it would "create n re-
sentiment against the government"'
which would preclude them from
fairly dealing with the governments
case.
Judge Mclaughlin also remarked
that there had been some testimony
suggesting that one of the counsel
in the case might have taken steps
to influence the jury and said that
the character and reputation of the
attorney had been such that those
who knew him would feel that 1t
would be impossible for him to en-
gage in such conduct"
Corcoran was arraigned today on
an indictment charging perjury in
his testimony at the trial of n suit
brought by Myer Berman against
Daniel II. Coakley, a disbarred Bos-
ton attorney, seeking to recover
$4,000 which he alleged had been
eXtorted from him under threats of
criminal prosecution in connection
with the presence of woman at a
hotel of which Berman was part
proprietor. The indictment charges
that it was material TO the issue on
trial whether a note introduced as
evidence contained Corcorans en-
dorsement at a certain date and that
Corcoran testified falsely that he
had endorsed the note at that time.
Berman's suit was dismissed in
the supreme court recently, but yes
terday Coakley was arraigned on an
indictment for perjury in connection
with his own testimony in this case.
Coakley and Corcoran will be placed
on trial Jointly on the perjury
charges on Thursday of this week.
District Attorney O'Brien said that
n Jury for the third trial of Corcoran
on the blackmail charges would be
chosen probably some time next
week