The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-15
AN 0BTUSE JURY.
STAR ROUTE THIEVES CLEARED.
Tie Long Drawn out Trial Fad. Ia the AeqSI.tll
orths DsEndAats-HOW the Verdict was Re
ctlrsd In Coart-What Attorney
George Bliss has 10 say.


George Bliss has 10 say.
WASHINGTON, June l4.-"You can asl
the jury whether they have any com
munication to make 10 the COURT" sale
Judge Wylie to the crier, when CriminA
Court, hearing the Star route case, reas
sem mbled this morning.
Crler Donaldson soon returned with The
message that the jury desired to com
municate with the court. w
They fled into the court room apparent
ly none the worse for their long confne 3
lnent. When they were seated, Judge
Wylie said: Gentlemen OF tho jury, the
court has sent for you for the purpose o.
irquiring whether you have any communi'
cation to make. -,
The foreman, in reply stated the jury
bad agreed upon verdict, and paint b
silence fell upon the court room, only to be
broken with wild shouts Of applause
when in clear tone Of voice'the foreman
stated the verdict WAS not guilty. Immedi'
ately the decorum Of the court of justice
was forgotten, and cheers resounded' from
all quarters Of the crowded room. Mrs. s.
". Dorsey sprang to her feet and Clappsd
her hands, while the tears streamed down
her cheeks, and there were many ladies In
court who wero silently weeping,
Mr.. Dayidge quietly asked TO have the
verdict recorded, which was done.
While the Deputy Marshals were yainly
andeavoring 10 quell the tumnlt, s. W.
Dorsey and Brady were the recipients OF
many warm congratulations, and as they
left the court room they were greeted with
renewed cheers by the crowd in front Of
the City Hall.
When order had been somewhat re,
stored, by reason OF the defendants and
their friends leaving the room, Judge
Wylie turned TO Juror Vernon and asked !:
"Atr. Vernon, how are you this morning."
Juror Nernon-First.rate, sir.
THE COURTS REMARKS.
The Court-I believe we have nothing
further for the jury to do during this term,
and The Court is prepared to discharge you
finally. You have had laborious task to
perform in this case, you have been moro
than six months engaged in this trial.
Many Of you have occupations Of your own
which you have been Obliged to neglect
during that period, and though your yer.
dict Of course will create dissatisfaction to
many, yet having been selected according
to the forms OF law, and having sworn 10
perform your duties faithfully, the Court
is bound 10 presume you have faithfully
performed your duty. II you have dona
80, each one according to tho dictates OF
his conscience, that will be a satisfaction
to you az long us you live. You are now
discharged with the thanks OF the Court,
In the ante.room and halls the jury was
beset by throng OF interested persons,
prominent among them being the defend
ants and Mrs. S. W. Dorsey and Mrs. Peck,
who thanked them for the verdict with
tears in their eyes. As the foreman reach
ed the sidewalk the large crowd assembled
there burst into tumultuous cheers, which
were renewed as each juror made his way
out OF the Court House.
The foreman stated 10 representative of
the Associated Press that five ballots were
taken by the jury. The first ballot was
upon the question Of the existence OF c.n-
spiracy, and the ballot resulted in vote of
three Tor and nine against conspiracy. On
tho second ballot the nine was increased 10
ten, although the vote was then upon the
innocence or guilt Of the defendants. This
vote remained unchanged until s
O'Clock this morning when the
acquittal was agreed upon. Ker was the
only representative Of the proseGu-
ton in court when the verdict was return.
ed, and Carpenter, Dorsey's counsel, con-
graduated him as the only one Of the GOV.
ernment counsel having the pluck to show
up in the hour Of defeat. Ker says he was
this morning informed by court officer
that Ingersoll had said the Jury would re.
turn verdict OF acquiltal. lie added, the
other Indictment against Brady would be
pressed. OF course it would be necessary
Ter the Court 10 enter an order setting
aside Reerdelps plea Of guilty.
Bliss OPINION.
George Bliss, II the counsel for the pros
ecution in the Star Route cases, when aslIa
ed tonight what he thought OF the verdict,
said il had been surprise to him as well
as to his associate counsel. He said he
would not have been surprised at a dis.
agreement Of the jury; that, in fact, he
had been OF the opinion the jury
would stand about nine for conviction
and three for acquittal. The very
men, however, on whom ho had depended
as certain 10 vote fer conviction voted tke
other way. He did not think the honesty
OF the jury should be impugned because OF
the verdict. Where twelve men united on
a verdict no lawyer would care 10 say they
had been improperly influenced. lie be.
lleved the members OF the jury
had been mistsken, but that was all.
Their opinions must be accepted as honest.
Speaking OF the further proceedings against
the defendants who have just been &c.
quilted, he said that he thought thelcases
against Brady, Kellogg, and Others indicted
with Brady would go over until fall, Ds
Judge Wylie proposed to hear cases Of
local importance before again taking up
the Star route cases. Against the Dor.
seys, Vale and Miner there were
no more criminal cases. One
Indictment against them was on record,
but It was one which had been laid aside
because OF the fact that ReerdelPs initials
and Vaile's name were improperly set
down in 1t, and moreover it did not ditter
from one upon which the jury
had just rendered verdict OF aCquittal.