The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-10
TRYING HIN FOR BRIBERY
The Sin Farmer Williams Committed
Against Johnson County Democrats.
Shoemaker Without Solicitation or Offer of
Reward Said He Would Vote the Republic
an TicketrThe Confession of a Witness.

The first trial of the election cases pend
ing in the United States Court was begun
yesterday. The defendant, William Will
Jams, is q farmer of Johnson county,
charged with bribery, the indictment spe-
officially alleging hat he purchased the
votes of James Shoemaker, Abner Knight
and Henry Wheaton. There was consider
able trouble in securing a jury, a venire of
thirty men being exhausted. The bystanders
had to furnish enough to complete the panel
With one exception, all the jurors reside
outside of indianapolis, and nearly all are
farmers. District Attorney Chambers Wig
orously prosecuted the case, and made
every effort to bring out all the facts. The
evidence for the government showed that
Williams, upon meeting Shoemaker, a few
days before the election, was told by him
that he intended to vote the Republican
ticket. As Shoemaker had always been an
ardent Democrat, Williams was surprised,
and remarked that if Shoemaker did vote
as he said he would, he would make him a
present of $40 or SIS. After the cleo
tion Williams fulfilled his promise,
SO the testimony went, and gave
Shoemaker SIS. The evidence as
TO WQeaCOn was CnaU WllllduuS hdo
been borrowing money from him, and that
on the day of the election he paid him w.
Abner Knight, whom. iJ was alleged. Will
lams had attempted to bride, testified that
Williams approached him with an offer to
assist in paying off a note in case he would
vote the Republican ticket. Knight said
he refused the offer, and voted for the Dem
ocrat candidates. On crOss-examinatiOn
Knight admitted that he had served seven
years in the penitentiary.
A. -f yrn0 0fr In
forward, he saying that living in
the same township with James
Shoemaker, he knew the latter
had always been q Democrat. 81 had
heard" the witness continued, that Shoe
| maker intended to vote the Republican
ticket. A few days before the election L
went over to his house to borrow a horse.
l found him in the woods at work, and after
talking with him a while, l asked him If
he was going to the election.
YES he replied, and | Am going to vote
a black Republican ticket as long as my
ARM
~ will bet you 9 horse you DON'T 1 said
off you do l said, L will make you a
| present of ten or fifteen dollars.'o Mr..
Williams said he had no thought of
purchasing his vote. On the
a maker Of vent e%ls stssaher he to s sRs po sh1s-
peace at Trafalgar, and in the afternoon,
when they were ready to start home he
| gave Shoemaker the SIS as he had prom
ised. He had given him q Republican tick
eft, and although he did not see him vote it
he believed he did. MIR. Williams reassert-
| ed that he had no intention of inducing
Mr.. Shoemaker to vote any particular
ticket.
In reference to Wheaton, Mr.. Williams
testified that he had borrowed small sums
of money from him at different times. On
| the day of election he paid Wheaton $50 he
owed him.. As to Knights story the wit
ness said that he never had any converse
ton with Knight in reference to purchas-
Knight had given to a man named VAN
diver, but he had never offered to pay the
note if Knight would vote the Republican
ticket.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Williams's testi-
mOny the defense offered evidence to show
that Shoemaker had said. prior to Williams's
conversation with him in the woods, that
he intended to vote the Republican ticket.
Judge Woods said that there was no need
of such testimony as both Williams and
Shoemaker agreed in stating that Shoe
maker had decided to vote the Republican
ticket before the conversation occurred.
Many witnesses were then introduced who
testified that Mr.. Williams was a man of
excellent character in his county, and that
Abner Knights reputation was very bad.
The evidence in the case was closed late in
the afternoon. The argument will be com.
pleted to-day.
The jurors are j. r. Shelton, w. r. Lamb,
j.. w. Crosier. D. p. Leibhart. l.. M. McClan.
mock, T.. j. Sanders, A. b. Milligan. n. q,
Miller, George Rettig, William Hutchinson,
L. w. Swan and John II. Miller.