The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-26
COLUMBUS TALLY-sHEET CASES.
One of the Attorneys for the Defendants Bit
terly Assails the Citizens Committee.

COLUMBUS O., Dec 25-All of to-day was
consumed in the tally-sheet forgery cases in an
effort to secure the requisite number of jury
men. From the list of forty names prepared
each side has stricken off twelve, and of the
sixteen remaining, six were excused to-day on
their own application and for reasons set forth
by themselves, which, under law constitute an
excuse. Ten men remain who have not asked
to be excused The court furnished an addition
al list of twenty names from which to select the
required sixteen, when certain number OF
challenges will be made, reducing the number to
twelve before the case can proceed
The courtroom has bsen crowded all day, and
much excitement prevailed at times. Geo. L.
Converse. leading counsel for the defense, OBJ
iects to any proceeding that will admit of an OBJ
lection, and in the course of the preliminary
work has had great deal to say rejecting upon
the citizens committee who aided in the work
OF securing evidence and ferreting out the crime.
He had concluded one of these speeches to-day,
in which he thought it very queer that such tao
tics should be resorted to in the selection of q
jury Prosecuting Attorney Huline next spoke.
and CHI charged that the leading counsel
ing the regulations of all who
opposed him in this case. and especially the
mem bers of the citizens committee. At the last
hearing of the tally-sheet cases he had adopted
the same tactics; he tried to handle the Judge,
and when he found he could not do SO he cursed
him and cast him aside. He charged that Con-
verse had never subscribed cent toward aiding
the conviction OF the men who are accused OF
the crime, but on the contrary had opposed all
efforts to bring about the ends of justice. 1t
did not become him, he said, to besmirch the
characters of men who so far above him in
every way and intimated that the headquarters
for the defe nse OF the forgeres and to prevent
the truth from being known would likely be
traced to the building in which Mr.. Converse's
Office is located
When the prosecutor had concluded the
dence broke into applause. as it had once be-
fore during his remarks, and it was some little
time before order could be restored. Judge
Pugh sternly rebuked such conduct on the part
of the spectators and said if there was a repe-
tition of the conduct he would be compelled
clear the room. Mr.. Converse again made
speech, in which he poured out invectives against
those whom he termed the miserable conspira-
crime in the State did not furnish such
ample of perjury and villainy as had been dis
played by the prosecution and the citizens COM
mittee.
Judge Thurman followed, denying the state
ment of Converse that the prosecutor had his
speech written out at the suggestion of the other
counsel. as not one word was passed between
them on the subject. He said that in a practice
Of more than fifty years such scene as that
which had been enacted had taken place.
but, as he had been playing the Rip Van Wrinkle
probably changed He claimed there was moth
ing in the proceedings to cali for such remarks,
and he protested against such conduct, and said
he expected to conduct the business In a courte-
manner, and wished the others to do the
same.