The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-04-19

= Melancholy Judicial Farce.
Indianapolis ssstnsi.
A man named williams was on Wed
nesday acquitted in Judge Woods alleg
"a court Of the charge Of bribery. The
evidence Was such - 70 leave no possible
doubt ofshe mans guilt. He confessed
20 the jury that he had paid I man 81
for voting for "Hsrrison, Morton and
protection There was practically ma
defense. The only plea made IN bis be-
half was the puerilc and contemplate
pretense, insulting alike 70 common
sense and every moral instinct, that be-
cause the man bribed had announced hi-
intention OF voting the republican ticket
(be had always voted the democratic
ticket theretoforel before Williams offer
cd him the SIS, aud because the money
wss paid 10 him after he b "a voted. in
stead Of before Williams Was therefore
not guilty OF bribery. The republican
jury acquitted this self-confessed repub-
lican rascal with but little delay. and
the republican judge. who. on former
occasions. has lectnred juries from the
bench ronndIy and soundly. for similar
performances. had not word of rebuke
or reproofto oIer. The scandalous YER
dict Was accepted as matter OF course.
aud WiIlisms who had publicly pro.
claimed himself bribe-giver, walked
out or court free man. Ii did not de-
velop where the fifteen dollars came
from, but Il IL not . violent presumption
that II Was part Of the money raised by
Russell Harrison ~ Chicago few DAYS
before election 10 Be used in carrying
ludiana.'
The facts-and We have not knowing
ly stated anything but the precise facts
about sny Of the proceedings in this
court-are that on This trial Dist. ATTY.
Chambers made what appeared on the
surface 10 be m earnest prosecution. and
that Judge Woods summed up fairly
and In manner that really made il the
plain duty Of the jury to convict. But,
looking beneath the surface. We fiud that
Mr.. Chambers had taken no pains to in
form himself q to the personnel Of the
jury. or. il he had. that be had not avail
ed himself Of the information thus OBJ
tained TO promote the interesfs Of the
government Preliminary 10 the tally
sheet trisIs the democratic attorneys who
had charge Of the prosecution made
every effort BY letters, kilograms and
other means, TO learn who the Jurors
we're; what were their political sffi!is-
tions; what their personal records and
their standing 10 the communities where
they lived, and everything that could bel
ascertained about them. They used this|
Information to exclude from the panel
every person who might reasonably Be-
suspecfed Of bias ia favor OF the accus-
cd and willing court-this same Judge
Woods-gave them bis potential co.
operation ia these efforts. The differ
euce between 40 honest and dishonest
prosecution Of crime 10 thus strikingly
Wednesdays proceedings cuIminsted,
very fsttinely, with the conviction, amer
twenty Minutes deliberstion, OF young
fellow named Dolsn Ut Henry county,
Tor voting twice ct the same election.
There j. no doubt that Dolan cast two
votes on election day. He comes OF
democratic stock, aud calls himself 81
democrat In the morning, being duly
sober. ''clothed and IN his right mind.ri
~ il were, be voted the democratic
ticket Later 10 the day one OF DudIey's
trusted men with tine necessary Iunds, NJ
got hold OF him, loaded him with bad
whisky. gave him . five-dollar bill aud
look him 10 the polls, where be put in 81
ballot for Benjamin Harrison. Thel
Jury, IS said, made short work OF Dolan.
the evidence rendered il very
doubtful whether, when be cast the ;Ile-
al vote. be was not 90 much overcome
With liquor - 70 b wholly irresponsi.
'le- The case against him was not one
quarter - strong ~ the case against
Williams, although Dolan, no doubt, was
properly convicted.