Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-03-06
THE WHITE CASE /!
Mr.. Cartoons Argument.

goodly sprinkling of people in the galleries.
Mr.. l.. r. Carleton began his plea in a
loud, clear voice, which was distinctly audi.
bic in all parts of the hall. Deeming it so
important, as a very clear and powerful sum-
ming up of this remarkable case, we pub-
lish in full:
NJ. Chairman md Gentlemen Of the Com
miftee:-
| congratulate you that you are so near tie
end of your lahors, so far this investiga-
ton is concerned touching the charges of
bribery of Mr.. Swan and Mr.. Hartman.
1t is indeed high and responsible duty-a
high public duty you are called upon to per-
form, sitting here in judgment ITO a great ex-
tent, at least
Whatever remarks may make before YOU
in submitting this case, / shall endeavor to
be as brief a. possible, and confine myself to
the case and the testimony that has been adj
duced before you. This, gentlemen, is a
most extraordinary case; in some respects il
hts hardly precedent nywhere-certainly
none in our beloved State OF Maine For
whatever view we take of the testimony given
upon the one side and the other. whichever
OF the stories of the leading actors in this
drama are given credence to-whether that of
W. r. White or those of Swan and Hartman
the impression forces itself upon our minds
that of all the startling limitations of Ameri-
can crime nothing so marvellous has ever ap-
reared in the history of this State during the
80 years of its existence as commonw eath
What does the history of this case reveal? 1t
reveals a depth of depravity rarely, if ever,
known in the history of political parties. If
the stories of Swan and Hartman are true.
we see a young man, who, at great expense,
and with long and arduous toll
has fitted himself for the great
arena of life, with bright and hattering pros
pet, before him, committing fragrant
crimc,-a crime that would place the brand
of infamy upon his brow, that can never be
efiaccd; and we see that if the testimony of
these two men be true, they say it is,
their conduct is not less infamous, if it be not
more to be rcprobatcd than that of Mr.. White.
Again, if W. II. Whites testimony be true, if
he has given you the real facts in this case,
the conspiracy of Swan and Hartman ranks
alongside of the most infamous plots ever
concocted by human cunning and
malignty. Gentlemen, with q purpose be-
coming the solemnity of this occasion, with a
.ingleness of purpOse-thc discovery of the
trufh-lct us address ourselves to the consid-
Grafton of the facts in this case. On the
morning of the 9TH of January last this law
abiding community was startled and shocked
as was indeed | may say the whole country,
hy the appearance in the Daily Standard,
new spaper printed in this city, of two affida-
wits, in very large type and in conspicuous
places in said paper, signed and sworn to by
T. Il. Swan, a representative-elect from the
town of Mnot, and Moses Hartman,
representative elect from the town of Kennc
bunk. wherein they said that the day before,
Tuesday, the 9th. they had been paid $1,000 each
0Sn byibe to stay away from the organization
oft',e 18th Legislature of Maine, on the 9TH.
the name Of the party who they alleged
paid the money they did not at that time dis
close, and great deal of talk and specula-
ton was INDUCED in in consequence. On the
Friday following, Mr.. Swan and Mr.. lIarr-
man, in this Hall, in the presence Of a large
lumber of the representatvcs-clect and citi-
2cns of this State, reiterated the statements
contained in their published aflidavits of the
9th, and said that one W. Il. White, young
LAWYER, residing in Winthrop, in this county,
paid them the money. They afterwards
quite substantially repeated the same story
before body ofgcntlcman acting as an in
,cstgating committee to ascertain the facts
in relation to their statements. Mr.. White,
the party accused, on the Saturday follow
ing. or the next day following,
that on which Swan and Hartman charged
him with being the criminal had
published in the Daily kennebec Journal,
paper printed in this city, an unequivocal
denial over his own signature, As soon as
the Legislature was organized. Mr. W. X
White sent a written communication to the
Hon. Speaker of the House of Representatives,
asking for the appointment ot a committee to
investigate the charges of MIR. Swan and Mr.
Hartman. committee was accordingly
appointed. which committee you, gentlemen,
are From various causes the investigation
was postpo. ed from time to time, the principal
of which was the severe sickness of Mr..
White, and that of his father, mother and
brother.
This is Il charge such AS the standard
authorities since the days of Blackstone,
lenomnate AS one easily made hard to prove,
hut great deal harder to be disproved.
\ charge is made here of very serious
nature in its consequences. The presump-
ton of law is that "a person charged with the
commission of crime is innocent until
proved guilty by legal and competent evil
dcnce The wisdom of ages has sanctioned
this. and this presumption follows the ac-
cused from the moment he is accused TIL
verdict is rendered. and the evidence must
convince your minds of the guilt OF this party
beyond doubt, before you can find him guilty
This provision of the law is a wise one, ana
the glory and pride of English and American
liberties But unfortunately for my Client
IN times OF great politlcai cNc'eue"''
party passion is rite. and the excitement IN
tense. the human mind is prone to believe
charges against political opponents, more
than at a..y other time. This charge, If !"
is to be believed readily and easily, is OF the
most alarming character. There is danger
in it. Every mans reputation in Name VINO
takes an active interest in politics, Is enaan-
gered. Not only theirs. but everybody
reputation is at stake, if such men as swan
and Hartman are to strike down man by
their charges.
There have been many unfortunate circuni-
stances attending this trial to my ciieh'.
When the charge was made 1t was o,
such magnitude, so serleus aho
far-reaching in its results, that his first inten-
tion was to bring these men into the courts 10
answer for their enormous crime; but III.
inevitable delay there he was not willing 70
submit to. and he thought public deniai fo'
the time being must suffice until the charges
could be investigated before committee Oh
the House of Representatives. To be sure,
committee OF what has been termed the
other house" was appointed called the In
gals Committee. His reason for not going