100 years ago in Spokane: Allegations of Watergate-esque burglaries led to a courtroom shouting match in the Maurice Codd perjury trial

Two sensational developments took place in the already sensational Maurice Codd subornation of perjury trial.

First, the defense attorneys accused the prosecuting attorney’s office of burglarizing the Codd brothers’ office and “stealing a letter written to Mr. Codd by attorney Gleeson.” This allegation came when the prosecutors attempted to enter the letter into evidence. Defense attorneys jumped up and said it “should be suppressed and returned to Mr. Codd.”

Much shouting then ensued in open court. The exasperated judge said he could “only listen to one man at a time.”

When the ruckus died down, the prosecutor said the letter was sent to him anonymously by mail, and he held up the envelope to show two special delivery stamps.

Attorney William H. Plummer shot back, “This letter was secured through a gang of burglars working for the state in this case. Codd’s office is not the only one that has been robbed since the case started. There has been wire tapping.”

Another defense attorney leaped to his feet and said someone also went into his office and searched his desk.

The jury was present for this exchange. The prosecutor eventually offered to withdraw the letter “for the present.” But the defense demanded the judge return the letter to them, to which the judge replied he had no power to return it to anybody.

The second surprise came when the prosecutors made a motion to dismiss the case against Margaret Botts, one of the 15 defendants. The prosecutors said they had insufficient evidence to connect her to a conspiracy to obstruct justice in the earlier Maurice Codd murder trial.