Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-10-17
BRIBING JURORS
Another Foul Plot in the CrOnin Case
Exposed.
The Defense Attempted to Bride the
Neniremen.
Innocent Women to Have Been Drag
ged Into the Plot.
Five Thousand Dollars Offered to Vote
Against Hanging.
Two Bailiffs Complicated in the Dia-
bOlical Piece of Work.
Names of Those Engaged, it is Said
Will Startle the World.

brought to the notice of the public was
outlined by States Attorney Longenecker' S
right hand man, Mills, this afternoon.
The conspiracy not only includes county
officials but outsiders of high standing and
several arrests have already been made but
more will follow before sunset this eve
ming Not content with the bribery of men
an attempt has been made to drag even in
nocent women into the plot and thus gain
the end which the friends of the defense
have been working on for the last five
months
States Attorney Longenecker desires
me to say" said Mills, who was commits
stoned by the states attorney to talk to re-
porters, THAT this plot has not been dis
closed because it would have defeat
ed Justice had the information
we possessed been made public. We can
not now give any names or details, but the
outline of this conspiracy can now be given
to the public" ut will be remembered, >
continued the attorney, ''that on last
Wednesday afternoon an honest young
man who is employed as foreman in a
large establishment in this city,
was examined and excused for cause. -
Qt is understood though not stated by
Attorney Mills that the name of the We
nireman attempted to be bribed is George
S. I. Schappat. He is foreman for E. V.
Page & Co., oil merchants of this city. J
ION Thursday afternoon, said Mr.. Mills,
"a very prominent citizen of Chicago
entered the court room and very privately
communicated to the counsel for the state
that this foreman venireman in question,
before being called to the jury box had been
approached by a bailiff of the court with
an offer of one thousand dollars to vote for
the acquittal of the defendants. He says 1:
This is not cock and bull story and
bring it before you in the interest of pub
lie justice. He then went away and the
next morning one of the counsel for the
state went down to the factory of the man
whose foreman had been offered the bride
and the moment he saw the foreman he
recognized in him man whose honesty and
independence had impressed itself upon
the counsel for the state while he was sit
ting in the jury box. The man made a
full statement and was requested by the
counsel for the state to come to the state S
attorneys office and repeat his statement
in full. The man, with tears in his eyes,
said: 1T involves a friend, but if it in
volved myself l would uphold law
and order" The gist of his statement to
the council, which he subsequently gave to
the states attorney, is as follows: In
Avoidance to a summons he came to the
court house Tuesday afternoon, and sat In
the ante-room, but was not called. He
came again Wednesday morning and stay
ed in the ante-rOom again and about half
past ten clock man came from the court
room into am ante-chamber who was an
old friend of the venireman. The fact
also appears that the wives of the two men
were friends before they were married.
The man who came to the court room to
the venireman suggested they go out and
have cigar, while there the man from the
court room said to the venireman: DO
YOU want to make some money! The
venireman innocently answered, Certain
ly / do"
Very well. you get on the jury and
stick for an acquittal and you will have
one thousand dollars. The contract and
arrangements can be carried ON with your
wife It can be arranged that she shall
wear certain colored dress if the money
is to be paid her on a certain day. If the
money is not paid her on that day she is
to wear a different colored dress and the
contract is to be off.
The venireman turned reproachfully to
his friend saving: Il am not that kind of g
man. Whereupon the bailiff replied
Il am working for the court. He ther
pointed to a buggy standing outside and
remarked: THAT is my horse and buggy.
At noon, announcement, the veniremar
went back to his place of business and
subsequently returned to the court
house after which he was
detained and returned to the jury box
where he remained until half past foul
o'clock when he was excused for cause
He left the court house intending to return
to his place of business, and on leaving tn,
court house met on the steps leading t.
the sidewalk the man who had attempted
to bride him. The man turned to him anC
said: Where were you this noon
| looked everywhere for you
They said. I'VE will make it FIVE thousan,
and damn him, make him do it. 1t was
too late. however, for the venireman hao
been excused for causel but he at once re
turned to his place of business, having re
preached the man for putting such loy
estimate upon him and reported t
his employer the prominent citizel
what had taken place. who, the following
day reported it to the prosecution. Pun
suant to the appointment of a veniremal
attended at the state attorneys office
and having made full statement of every
thing that took place, was requested t
stem into an anteroom and bailiff wa
summoned. He proved to be one of tn
bailiffs of the criminal court who, durin
the trial, or attempt to procure jury, ha
been in charge of one of the five prisoner
-Coughlin. The bailif was qnestione
closely by the state attorney an
his associates but professed pro
found ignorance until the venlrma
was called from the ante-room. II
venlrman was requested to repeat th
statement he had made, which he dlt
whereupon the bailiff made complete COZ
fession In which he imp icated sever;
prominent persons and another bailif