The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-07
TIE HILLSB0RO VERDICT.
Judge Phillips Regards the Verdict as a Just
0ne-A Talk with Montgomery.
Hillsboro Special.

Hillsboro Special.
Judge Phillips before whom the case was
tried said to the correspondent:
'There is one thing about this jury that
have noticed as Il singular fact After it had
been sworn in everybody said, That is one of
the best juries every selected in Montgomery
county; it represents honesty, intelligence and
fearlessness and you may depend upon it that
they will give fair and just verdict Every
body said this: | don't remember that l ever
heard jury more warmly compiimented than
was the one up to the time they brought in their
verdict. Then everybody began to damn them;
it was the worst jury ever selected; they We're a
lot Of fools, and all that sort of talk"
But, Judge, what is your opinion as to the
justice of the verdict"
81 cannot see how they could have returned
any other verdict under the evidence. They
were compelled to decide upon the evidence adj
mitted to them and were not informed as to
matters that We're simply outside gossip and
were not admitted as evidence. 1t was good,
fair intelligent jury; and, in my opinion, re-
turned the only verdict that could have been
found from the admitted evidence
'What is your own opinion as to the actual
guilt or innocence of the defendants"
There a great many peculiar features in
the case and were l to judge solely from the
sworn evidence of the witnesses l could do
nothing but admit that these men We're not
guilty; but, | said before, there are peculiar
features in the case which create, apparently,
insurm0untable doubts | have probably
given more thought to this case than any other
that has come under my observation for years;
| have taken the prominent points and built up
theories around them, and | must confess that
they have left the whole as conflicting as it
was perpleXng l would prefer not to express
any opinion as to the guilt or innocence Of these
men, but | will say that | am satisfied with the
verdict of the jury under the sworn evidence.
They did their duty like men, and endured their
long tedious confinement without muImurlnS.
They should not be censured for their verdict,
but rather complmented for so fully performing
what they conscentiously believed to be their
duty"
A special from Blue Mound says: John G.
MOntgomert one of the defendants in the Emma
Bond case, remained here last night at the house
Of George Miller, and early this morning left
with his wife and children and Miss Minnie Pet
tus, for his farm eight miles from here. He
said that he would have gone last night, but that
his infant child was suffering from Group, and he
feared the results of the ride against the frigid
blasts that have been sweeping across this coun-
try during the past three days. Yesterday af
ternoon he was in number of the stores here,
and although he was received by large number
OF his old acquaintance very coldly, the fact
was apparently unobserved by him and he
roamed about with-an air Of easy independence
in striking contrast with his meek and humble
bearing up to the time of his arrival here. He
was asked if he did not fear to go to Taylorvile,
or Grove City, until after there had been a reac
phatically:
mo, sir. I am not afraid to go anywhere;
they're nothing but a lot of bankers over at Tay
lorville, anyhow. l have walked through that
town when it seemed as if everybody wanted to
hang me, and never felt afraid that they'd try
to do it, neither before they hung up there
nor afterward"
"How do you stand at Grove City27
81 don't know; if l want to 90 there, I'll go.
But wish now that the newspapers would let
me alone; they've said enough about me-"
Haven't they treated you farly}"
'"Well, some of them have, and some of them
have told the - lies in the world about the
case; some of them I've got use for; they've
gone out of the way to say that | said and did
things | never did in the world"
us there any truth in the report that you are
going to get rid Of your farm and go out West to
begin lie again'"
''Who told you thatF
II heard it at Hillsboro is it true?"
mo, sir. am going back to my farm and live
like any other man. This trouble has about
ruined me, and am going to work to get on my
feet again. have treated the other side fairly;
you'll give credit for that; and l have not
tried to shirk anything, or shrink from anything.
I've stood my trial like a man, and the jury ac-
quilted me; | didn't try to run away, but stayed
right with them until the case was ended If
they'd found me guilty and said I must go to the
penitentiary, I'd have gone there without kick;
but they found me not guilty, and now want
them to let me alone, and let me go back to my
work and my family"
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