The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-26
A Hundred Guns for the
new Anti-MonopnIy
Senator from Cal.
Other Items of Interest.

New YORK, Dec. 24-The counsel for
the defense in the trial of ex-mayor Hall
declined to-day to put in any evidence and
commenced to sum up, saying that they
would ask the court to direct the iury to
aequit the defendant
At the conclusion of Mr.. Stoughtou's ar
gument for the defense, Mr.. Tremaiue
commenced for the prosecution, and in the
course of his argument, called the atten-
tion of the jury to the fact that the defend
ant himself, when District Attorney, pro-
cured the conviction of Judge Bogart for
an act similar to that for which he is now
on trial, and then argued that the word
"corruptly' was mere surplusage, and
that the word willfully" meant intention
ally, and with whatever good faith, if he
| intended 30 do forbidden ACT, it was doing
| it willfully. In that position the court
sustained him.
Mr.. Tremaine spoke for three hours and
concluded by saying that if the offense was
a mere technical one, the jury should so
find and trust the court to administer a
mere technical penalty. He did not ask
| the jury to find that any money went into
the defendant S pocket, and he ventured to
say that there was no proof whatever that
it did. Ii they found general verdict of
guilty, the defendant could only be pun
ished for one offense, or they could find
him guilty on all or any of the counts or
vouchers.
Judge Davis commenced to charge the
ljury at 4:30. He~said the defendant was
substantially charged with wiltul neglect
of duty, and being lawyer and man of
culture and ability. should be held to the
strict performance of the duty imposed
upon him by law. If a public officer will
fully neglects to perform the duty imposed
upon him by law, he is guilty of a misde-
meanor. The duty imposed upon the
Board Of Audit was of personal and ju-
diciai character, which required investiga-
ton. They had no right to delegate that
duty to any one else. 1t was beyond a
doubt personal duty required of the
members of the Board Did the defendent
decline to perform that duty? If he did
so designedly and purposely, he COM
mitted a misdemeanor, for it is not neces-
sary that there should be any design to de-
fraud 1t is enough if the party designs
to perform the act which creates crime
An inspection of the many bills present
ed would have revealed frauds of a gross
character, the Judge instancing one bill
from which was omitted the creditor :
!, name. The public had right to expect
: the examination ri all these bills. He in.
structed the jury that the defence made
= that the duties were too arduous would no
stand as an excuse. for no officer can under
take duty and wilfully neglect it. If the
!. jury are satisfied that the defendant com
mitted an offence, no matter how painful i
lmight be to the defendant or his friends i
was their duty to pronounce him guilty
Rs and unless they had an abiding conviction
j. If his guilt, they must find him not guilty
He instructed them to confne themselve
to the indictment charging the defendan
h with wilfully and Intentionally omitting t
perform the duties prescribed by law
Judge Davis also Instructed the jury tina
" there was no evidence of a conspiracy be
D tween Mr. Hall and his associates, and tha
G. nothing connected him with the fraudulen
X bills.
The jury retired at clock At tn
: jury returned, and were instructed, in an
lswer to queries from the foreman, that tn
simple act of the neglect of duty, if wilful
would warrant verdict of guilty and tina
! the jury were themselves judges whethe
the act was or was not wilful. The jur
retired again.
At lO:30 o'clock the jury entered tn
court room. and, in answer to the usual in
quiry, the jury replied that they had foun
verdict of mot guilty" At this an
nouncement the audience broke into thun
8 ders of applause, which the court did nc
object to. and after the lapse of about te
minutes the court adjourned.
rs MANCHESTER, n. H., Dec. 24.-Th
Masters of the subordinate Grange
nd throughout the State, accompanied b
their wives, assembled here this morning
&C and organized "a State Grange.
A constitution and by laws were adop
ed
es Resolutions also were adopted again!
of special privileges or asking more for then
80 selves than they are wiling to grant fc
ri other industries; denouncing trickery, bril-
mt err and corruption in elections favoriu
equal and just taxation calling upon til
tate to give its children moral and III
eral education; acknowledging the righ
i woman by admitting her as an equal
the order; demanding justice and ecOuon
in public affairs; and recommending I'll
order as a bond Of union stronger than a
uies.
HARRISBURG, Dec. 24-Complete o
uCItl TBluEus uidkc IHt HldJuTlly lOE u
Il. constitution l45, l50.
,,b LOUISVILLE, KY, Dec 22-A dispats
me to the Courier j ournal from Salem, Ind
ON says salute of one hundred guns WEI
Ie 1Ie fred there to-day in honor of the electit
yer Of Governor Booth. of California, to ii
ay' United States Senate, Salemn being b
birth place.
BALTIMORE, Dec 24.-John S. Hopkin
the reported wealthiest citizen of Bal
more died this morning, aged 19 year
In March last be gave property valued
four million dollars, to found free hosl
tai for the INDECENT sick, connected wi
which is training school for nurses. I
also made ample provision for home f
,r,- colored orphans, and set apart $4,000 shar
lin, of the Baltimore 4 Ohio Railway stnc
g valued at two millions, to found unive
the sity on his Clifton estate. lie was unms
18th ried.
.lso CLEVELAND, Dec. 24.-George ID. Ph
ny lips, a we'll known telegraph operator el
rec rec pl yed in the Western Union office of Il
,be, city the past four years. died to-day OF t
r. - smallpox after briet illness.