Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-30
END OF THE STAR.ROUTE TRIAL.
uNot Guilty." the Verdict Rendered by tho
Star-Route J~ury-Scenes in the Court

"You can ask the jury whether they have
any communication to make to the Court"
said Judge Wylie to the crier, when the
Criminal Court hearing the Star-route cases
reassembled yesterday morning. Crier
Donaldson soon returned with a message
that the jury desired to communicate with
the Court. They filed into the courtroom,
apparently none the worse for their confinc-
mcnt. When they were seated, Judge
Wylie said: Gentlemen of the jury, the
Court has sent for you for the purpose Of
inquiring whether you have any commune
cation to make"
The foreman, In reply, stated that the
jury had agreed upon a verdict, and a pain
full silence fell upon the courtroom, only
to be broken by wild shouts of applause,
when, in a clear tone of voice, the foreman
stated that the verdict was mot guilty."
Immediately the decorum of a court of
justice was forgotten, and cheers resounded
from all quarters of the crowded room.
Mrs. S. w. Dorsey sprang to her feet,
clapping her hands, While tears streamed
down her checks, and there were many la
dies in the courtroom who were silently
weeping.
Mr.. Davidge quietly asked to have the
verdict recorded, which was done, while the
Deputy-Marshals were vanly endeavoring
to quell the tumult.
S. w. Dorsey and General Brady were
the recipients of warm congratulations, and,
| as they left the courtroom, they were greet
ed with renewed cheers by the crowd in
front Of the City Hall.
When order had been somewhat restored
by reason OF the defendants and their friends
leaving the room, Judge Wylie turned to
Juror Vernon, and asked: Mr.. Vernon,
how are you this morning""
Juror Vernon-First rate, sir.
The Count believe we have nothing
further for the jury to do during this term,
II the Court is prepared to discharge you
finally. You have had Il laborious task to
perform in this case. You have been more
than SIX months engaged in this trial. Many
of you have occupations of your own
! which you have been obliged to neglect dur
ing that period, and, though your verdict of
course will create dissatisfaction tomany,y vet
having been selected according to the forms
of law, and having sworn to perform your
duties faithfully, the Court is bound to pre-
sumo that you have faithfully performed
SNtl NAoy. IL SSu lloNC NOllC SO, CUCIl OllC
according to the dictates of his conscience,
that will be a satisfaction to you as long as
you live. You are therefore discharged
with the thanks OF the Court.
Information gathered from members of
the jury discloseS the fact that several in
formal votes were taken in addition to those
already recorded. A vote on the question
of the innocence or guilt of all the defend
ants excepting Brady stood nine for acquit-
tai and three for conviction, the latter vote
being cast by jurors Horrigan, Sheriff and
Green. In Brady's case the jury stood ten
to two in favor of acquittal, the two mega
tive votes being cast by Horrigan and Sher-
lift. OF the jurors who voted for acquittaI,
Evans, Loway, Gill and Reshaw gave as
their reason for voting in that way that they
failed to find any proof of the existence
of a conspiracy. Juror Sheriff, who
at first voted for conviction, said that in the
minds of some of the jurors there was a
doubt as to the innocence OF the defendants,
but after a long deliberation the jurors felt
it to be their duty to reserve that doubt in
favor of the defendants. He thought that
it the Government, with all its power, in
six months trial could not convict a man,
he ought to be acquitted. Sheriff further
said the extreme length of the trial, the
large amount of oral testimony and the
documentary evidence in the case, and the
long arguments of counsel seemed TO have
had the effect of betogSinG the minds of the
jurors so that they found it a difficult mat
ter to reach anv firm and fixed conviction.
None of the Government counsel ex-
pressed any surprise at the verdict. Mer-
rick sarcastically remarked that they had
been informed authoritatively by counsel
for the defense what they might expect.
Gas to Rerdell," said Bliss, "%justice, as
wall nc %lo 4oob,;oo1;+;n, >f H. 1e-. -.
quired Government counsel formally to move
that his plea Of guilty be set aside and he
be released"
Ex-senator Kellogg and George Brady
will on Monday next be called upon to plead
to indictments in their case. 1t is not prob
able the trial of the Kellogg and Brady cases
will take place before next autumn, as
precedence will be given to cases of local
Importance.
The new of the verdict reached the De-
partment of Justice shortly after ten o'clock
i'll the morning. At that hour the Attorney
General was in consultation with George
Bliss.
"What do you think of that ?' Brewster
asked his Lieutenant.
81 am astonished," was Bliss reply. IT
thought some of the jurors might get mud
died on the conspiracy question, but 1 did
not anticipate acquittal."
"Well," said the Acknowledgement, "that
settles it. When twelve men agree the mat
ter is settled. I feel satisfied the Govern
ment has presented the case in the best pos
sible Manner"
Bliss said he would not have been sur
prised at disagreement-that in fact he had
been of the opinion that the jury would
stand about nine for conviction and three
fG- acquittal.
NEW YORK .1nna TX
EX-Postmaster-Ge General James manifested
some surprise when he heard the verdict.
81 an no longer a public man." he said,
sand since my retirement have refused to
take part i'll discussion of the Star-route
cases. I have not said anything even when
l have been abused by those men. The time
will come, l suppose, when I shall nave
something to say. Now you must excuse
me-"
WASHINGTON, June Is.
The Evening Star says editorially: The
verdict of acquittal rendered by the iury in
the Star-route case was unexpected, though
it was supposed probable there would be a
disagreement upon conviction. While the
verdict is in the nature OF a surprise the re-
suit does not justify any censure of the iury
as having acted otherwise than concien-