Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-06-21
FINISH OF THE FARCE.
After a Siege Of Six Months, she Jury Bring
In Verdict of Acquittal.

WASHINGTON, June 14.--.'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, assembled this morning
Crier Donaldson soon returned with
message that the jury desired to COM
municate with the court. They filed
into the courtroom, apparently none
the worse for their confinement When
they We're seated Judge Wylie said:
Gentlemen of the jury, the court has
sent for you for the purpose of inquiring
whether you have any communication
to make" The foreman, in reply,
stated that the jury had agreed upon
verdict, and painful silence fell upon
the courtroom, only to be broken by
wild shouts of applause, when. in clear
tone of voice, the foreman stated that
the verdict was Not guilty"
Immediately the decorum of court
of justice was forgotten, and cheers re-
sounded from all quarters of the
| crowded room. Mrs. S. w Dorsey
sprang to her feet, clapping her hands,
while tears streamed down her cheeks,
and there were many ladies in the court
room, who were silently weeping. Mr..
Davidge quietly asked To have the YER
dict recorded, which was done, while
the deputy marshals We're yainly en-
deavoring TO quell the tumult.
S. w Dorsey and Gen Brady were
the recipients of warm congratulations,
and as they left the courtroom they
were greeted with renewed cheers by
the crowd in front of the city hall.
When order had been somewhat res
tored 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?n
Juror Vernon-''F irst-rate, sir.''
The Court believe we have moth
ing 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 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 YER
diet, of course, will create dissaiisfac-
ton to many, yet 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
youl duty. If you have done so, each
one 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.
In the ante-room and the halls the
jury was beset by a throng of interested
persons, prominent among them beng
the defendants and Mrs. S. w. Dorsey
and Mrs. Peck. who thanked them for
their verdict with tears in their eyes.
As the foreman of the jury reached the
sidewalk the large crowd assembled
burst into tumultuous cheers, which
were renewed as each juror made his
way out of the courthouse.
The foreman stated that five ballots
were taken by the jury. The first bal
lot was upon the question Of the exist
ence of conspiracy, and resulted in
vote of three for and nine against con-
spiracy. On the second ballot the nine
WIS lHCItaStd W icu, d1tuOupH tut fObS
was upon the guilt or innocence of the
defendants. The vote remained I'M
changed until about eight O'Clock this
morning, when an acquittal was agreed
upon. Mr. Ker was the only represent
alive of the prosecution in the court
room when the verdict was returned.
and Mr. Carpenter, Dorsey's counsel,
congratulated him as the only one of
the government counsel having the
pluck to show up in the hour of defeat.
Ker says he was this morning informed
by court officer that Col. Ingersoll had
said the jury would return verdict of
acquittal. He added that the other in
dictments against Brady would be
pressed. OF course, it would be neces-
sary for the court to enter an Older set
ting aside Rerdell's plea of guilty.