Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-03-11
PETROFF.
HIS CASE WITH THE JURY.
The Argument of Counsel Yesterday.

Tho Argument of Counsel Yesterday.
In. the Petrof case yesterday, Joseph H.
Maclay, member of the Legislature from
Miff1in county, was examined and said Pc
troff asked him to come to his room i'll the
Lochiel for an interview. Witness told
Petroff he would vote as he thought best
on the riot bill. Petroff said he was auth
orized to make it interesting for members
to support the riot bill.
For the defense Petroff himself was
rigidly examined. He detailed SUBJ
staRtially the same testimony he
gave before the investigating committee
MED that either of the three inculpatory
complete innocence. He had never at
tempted to corrupt Watson or made re-
mark to him susceptible of such suspic-
ion. He also denied having told Maclay
that he was authorized to make it "inter-
esting' if he voted for the riot claims act,
and doubted whether he had spoken
to the member from Mitflin on any sub
ject.
Petrof was subjected to a rigid exami-
nation by Mr.. Gowen, after which the lat
ter asked permission to make an offer
which had for it's purpose an examination
into Petroff's former character. 1t was
proposed to question him while ON the
stand with this object in view.
The court decided the proposed evidence
inadmissible, but suspended the decision
for time to allow argument.
Commonwealth counsel all cOntended
the proposed evidence was proper; and
Senator Carpenter remarked that in the
West they were cursed with imported wit
nesses, and to protect justice they were
compelled to ask whether the witnesses
had been in any house of refuge or other
institution for vagabondage in Philadel
phia.
Judge Black being Oh the floor,
Messrs. Cassidy and Herr, for the de-
fense, insisted that he was viO-
latillg the rules of the court in making an
argument, when, as they assumed, the
court had decided the question in dispute.
Judge Black resented this by saying that
he had never been in court where men
stood behind him to pull him down when
he was addressing the court.
The court having decided not to allow.
the examination of PetrOff as to his past
life, Representatives Law, Gillespie and
Pollock, of Philadelphia, were examined as
to the nature of the conversation which
Petroff alleged took place in the presence
of Watson. They all corroborated him
except Law, who could not say that Wat
son was in the party.
Representative Frazer, of Pittsburgh,
was called to show that nothing improper
occurred at the interview which Watson
said was the third. Defense then an
nounced that they were through.
The Argument.
Senator Carpenter being obliged to leave
hurriedly for Washington made the first
speech for the prosecution. He made a
very able plea, interpersed with many
witticisms. He directed a portion of his
In the West nothing was known of this
legislative bird, but he had learned since
he came to Harrisburg that translated the
word meant member of the Legislature
who wanted to feather his nest.
w. H. Armstrong submitted the follow
ing law point on which he asked the ruling
of the court, accompanying their presen-
tatiOn with an argument on them: O
The words "Offer" and ''prOmise' are
not synonymous, and before a conviction
can be had there must he distinct offer or
promise of money or other valuable thing.
(2) The words "directly or indirectly"
do not relieve the commonwealth from
showing there was a distinct tender of
money or other valuable thing. (O The
evidence of Maclay is not sufficient alone
to convict. and unless they unqualifiedly
believe Watson the jury must acquit.
(4) There not being sufficient evidence to
convict, the jury must acquit.
Col. Mann, of Philadelphia, followed in
an address of about an hour. The burden
of it was that if the testimony of Watson
and Maclay were true the charge of cor
rupt solicitation had not been made out.
There was no evidence showing that Pet
rolf had offered anything of value.
MIR. Gowen's Closing Speech.
F. B. Gowen made the closing speech.
1t was a logical and eloquent effort and was
repeatedly applauded. The applause was
SO loud when he ended that the court re-
buked the audience for its want of decor
um. He closed as follows
''For the first time in probably 20 years
we have been brought face to face with an
acknowledged crime-with crime that
has sapped the very foundations of society;
with crime that has destroyed the grand
eur and glory of this commonwealth, and
which has made this state in which was
born and hope to die-a byword in the
other states of the Union. God knows
how long we would have had to wait until
the good citizens of this state would have
made an effort to cure this fostering sore,
which like a cancer was eating its way into
the very heart of the commonwealth. At
last we have met face to face some of
the men who were shown to be guilty of
causing this stain. And now from every
part Of this state-from the shores of
Lake Erie and the border of the Ohio, to
the waters of the broad Delaware, and
from the pine forests of the north to our
southern borders-an eager people are |
looking up to You as their saviour; to
mete out justice to these men. If you be-
lieve these men to be guilty, will you de-
stroy the righteous expectancy of 4 great |
Will you permit this un-
punished wrong, that has been casting it's
black shadow and blight over the people of
this state, for an indefinite length of time,
to continue on unpunished? Or will you
lay your hands upon it and help to stamp
it out forever from the pages of this COM
monwealth
My learned friend, Mr.. Mann, has been
referring to the glorious career of this
state, which during the last war sent her
hundreds of thousands of men to battle,
and to die, if need be, for united and lib
country men who, in the soul
thrilling days of Gettysburg, drove the in
vaders from our borders. l tell you l have
such faith in the pride and glory of this
that if another such epoch
should come, she would again bring to the
'ront her hundreds of thousands of men
who would meet and drive back the inva-
lers, or be left