The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-30
AN HONEST VERDICT.

T. AN HONEST VERDICT.
To say that the verdict of the jury in the
case of the tally-sheet forgers causes some
surprise is simply to say that most people
feared justice would not be DONE Among
honest and fair-minded men the opinion has
been general that the defendants were guilty
and ought to be convicted, but everyb has
recognized the difficulty of fastening the
crime upon them. Given twelve men of
moral standards and methods of mental action,
and it is not an easy matter to prove contro-
verified case so clearly and strongly that they
shall all come together in a single focus Of
| opinion. Thus majority Of those who en-
tertained no doubt Of the defendants guilt
recognized the difficulty Of proving it to the
satisfaction of jury. Besides this it was
feared that partisanship would prevent a
verdict of guilty, which, in the opinion of
honest men, was the only just verdict that
could be rendered. The jury disagreed in a
former trial, and it was feared, almost
expected, they would in this one. Political
| partisanship entered the jury-room before,
| and it was feared would now. It was known
the defendants and their attorneys were doing
| all in their power to give the case partisan
aspect, in the hope of influencing Democratic
| jurymen, and experience in the former
trial justified apprehension that
| the effort would succeed. For
! these reasons there has been pretty general
belief that the jury would disagree. The re-
| suit proves that the belief was not we'll
founded. The jury was composed of better
| stuff than the public feared. A great deal of
| partisanship was introduced in the trial-more
than should have been permitted, we think
but it failed of its object. The jury refused
to be Influenced by partisan considerations,
held strictly to the question in hand. and rem
dered an honest verdict according to the law
and the facts.
The case has become celebrated, and the
result will be memorable The trial has at
tracted large degree of public attention with
in the State and outside of it, and the result
will be hailed as vindication of law and
triumph of justice. There is public demand
for honest elections and the publication of
politics. The control of politics has been
passing too much into the hands of unscru-
pulous men. Political methods have been
growing more corrupt, not only in Indiana,
but in other States, until reform is de-
manded. Honest men Of all parties demand
fair elections and an honest count. Frauds
the ballot-box are crime against the peo-
pie. Altering or forging election returns is
treason to free government. No government
no administration, no party can tolerate
such crimes. The men who conspre
to do them, no matter in whose
interest or by what party name they call
themselves, are public enemies. The law
makes the perpetrators of such crimes felons,
and in the eyes of all honest men such they
are. Hence it is that the present case has at
tracted wide,attention. 1t was contest of right
against wrong, of fair elections against fraud,
of honest men against rascals. 1t has been
long chase and hard fight, but justice has
trium phed at last. We say this without re-
gard to future developments. Defendants
counsel say they will at once move for a new
higher court. It matters not what they may
do, the moral triumph of the prosecution is
complete. The deliberate verdict of twelve |
honest, intelligent men is that the defendants |
are guilty. That is great fact that cannot |
be got around, nor wiped out. It is arrant |
nonsense, idle as the wind, to question the |
methods by which the jury reached its verdict. |
Hours after it was reached the jury was polled |
and every member declared that guilty" was |
still his verdict. 1t was fair and impartial |
jury, composed of intelligent represen-
tative men from distant parts of the |
State who were absolutely devoid of
prejudice. Politically the jury was
nearly tie. The verdict of such
a jury in such case and under the cir
cumstances surrounding this case and this
trial is an impregnable fact. 1t stands like
stone-wall, and all the hairsplitting of all the
lawyers and judges in christendom cannot
affect it. Whether the defendants get a new
trial or not, whether they go to the peniten-
tiary or not, are questions of minor Importance
compared with the fact that a jury has pro-
nounced them guilty. They are branded as
felons, and every honest man believes rightly
So
The verdict establishes the fact that there
was q conspiracy to obtain unlaYful posses
sion and control OF the tally papers, and that
Coy and Bernhamer, two of the defendants,
were engaged in the conspiracy. OF course
there were others engaged in it. They are
under indictment and should be prosecuted
with as little delay as possible. Let all the
guilty actors in this nefarious business be
dragged to the light and branded as these two
have been,