Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-27
GUILTY AS CHARGED
Ex-Treasurer Polk Sentenced to Twenty
Years In the Penitentiary and
Fined $366, 900.
Motion Entered for q New Trial-HoW
the Verdict Was ReceiVed-The
Feeling in Memphis.

Special to the Appeal
NASHVILLE, July 26.-To-day was looked
forward to by the public generally as being
full of momentous interest, eliminating as it
did the Polk case. The Criminal Court met
at $3.50 o'clock am. 10 hear the report of the
jury, 10 whom the charge had been given
last night. The defendant was not present,
and the slow minute hand Of the clock made
one of its tedious rounds ere he Appeared.
He entered the court, taking 3 seat near his
attorneys. The Court ordered the sheriff to
bring in the jury. Perfect silence prevailed,
but the defendant hardly intimat. g.
sisn-As-t -tremor the deep interest he felt in
the next few moments, nor seemed searcely
to realize that few cold words would deter
mine his status in the eye of the world. The
shufiiDg IF the feet of the jurors made the
only sound that broke the stiffness as they
took ihsir positions 10 front of The Judge.
The question was then put,
"HAvE YOU ARRIVED AT VERDICT"
Fl. Stone, foreman, replied, "We have,n
and in a low tone stated that the verdict was
guilty OF embezzlement, with sentence fixed
at twenty years in the penitentiary, the full
extent of the law, with the fine assessed at
1856, 900. The most breathless silence
reigued, and the head of every spectator was
bent forward in a listening attitude to catch
the low tones of the foreman as he returned
the verdict. But the sound OF his voice mad
hardly penetrated beyond the bar, and ss the
u from, hair a..
that the verdict had been returned, they
| rushed forward and crowded inside the bar
and began an eager questioning, each indi-
| vidual trying to discover for himself the re-
suit. The Court ordered silence, and then
stated to the jury that they were discharged.
The intense interest felt in the trial by the
large crowd present. caused a ripple of
| excitement when the result was known, and
all eyes were turned toward the defend ant,
now sdiudged guilty of grievous charge. He
had not heard the words of the foreman of
the jury, but was informed of their import
by his attorneys. What c,ntending emo
tions, what heartfelt anguish was not ex-
pressed by word or look, and could only b
guessed by his overwrought quietude, that
seemed hardly 10 dare to trust itself to ex.
preston. A motion was made for
| NEW TRIAL
aud the defendant and his attorneys retired
from the courtroom. TIE verdict of the
jury was unexpected, which gave it all ths
more sensational character. Folks attorney
will, if necessary, appeal the case to the Su
preme Court, on the grouad, principally, tha
the fret panel of seven jurors ought not t.
have been dismissed on account of Hill hsv
ing been named by.his father smes z. Polk
A prominent ex-iudge ard governmen
official said to your correspondent to-day
after having heard the verdict, that Poll
and his bondsmen might have played differ
ent and more successfully than they did; ths
they might have rendered portion of tn
81 100000 of Torbett, or war issue, whic
is at discount, which the Supreme Court O
the United States decided was nc
issued for war purposes, and tn
Legislature, with its low-.ax teudenciel
J would have refused, and the State could nc
have instituted criminal prosecution to th
prejudice Of Polk on a legal tender. q
cited case OF the came import decided i
Missouri, when such fender in baIk nots
i, was msds 10 the State aud refused, and tn
defendant acquitted.