St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-17
THE END is REACHED.
The Longest Criminal Trial
Ever Held in Hennepin
County.
The COLON Forgery Case
Given to the Jury at
6:i5 p. n.
Four Able Arguments by
Eminent Counsel to the
Weary Jury.
Judge Hooker Lays Down the
Law Without Prejudice
or Partially.

At 6:15 last evening, after having
spent twenty-four days in the conSidera-
ton of the COLON case, Judge Hooker
finished his charge TO the jury, and that
body retired to perform the final act in
a case which is destined to go into the
history of Hennepin county as one OF
the most remarkable in her annals, and
which, it is said. is the longest criminal
ease ever tried in the county. Interest
in the case Is not confined 20 HenuepIn
county alone. but it has attracted the
attention of the entire state, if not the
Northwest. by reason of the immense
amount involved. the prominence OF the
interested parties. and the singular facts
and circumstances which surround II.
The case has been ably tried on both
sides, and at an enormous expense.
Whatever may be the outcome of this
particular trial. it is not and cannot be
tbs. end. but will be, on the contrary,
but the beginning of long and costly
criminal and civil litigation. If the
verdict is one of acqUiitaf, the state VIII
move at the next term of court to pro-
coed to trial on another Of the lndict-
mentS. of which there are FIVE. Ii 1t is
one of conviction. an appeal will be
taken TO the supreme court. and that
body cannot reach it until next sum-
mer If the jury disagraes the state will
proceed at the next term of court to try
the defendant again probably on one of
the other indictments. The question of
Mr.. Blaisdell's liability i'll the COLON
notes is one entiI ely independent OF this
case. and will. no doubt, require long
litigation 20 determine, no matter what
may be the verdict rendered by the
jury which went out last evening.
Both sides have plenty of grit backed
by long purses. and the contest will be
a stubborn one. unless the parties ar
rive at some compromise of the difficult
ties Judge HUOker'S charge occupied
about an hour in its delivery, and was
given To the jury in an impressive man.
ner. In additions number OF requests
were sent up by the defense. most of
which were given, but some OF them IN
a modified form. They were largely
covered in the original charge, which
was in the usual form, the jury being
charged that it must he satisfied beyond
a reasonable doubt as TO the guilt of the
defendant before it could find verdict
of guilty. The usual instructions with
regard to weighing and comparing evil
dence was also given. and the jury was
especially charged that it was the sole
Judge of the facts i'm the case, and must
arrive at its conclusions by careful
consideration and sitting of the teStl-
mOny. On the subject of COllOm'S con-
fesSiOn, Judge Hooker denied the mo
ton of the defense made last night. and
instructed the jury that it was not in
eumbeut upon it to first find
that forgery had been committed
before it can consider the confession.
This lets in CollOm's confession in de-
termining the fact as to the commission
of the crime, and materially strengthens
the case of the prosecution. Judge
Hooker also instructed the jury that
confession. when corr0borated by the
facts and testimony. is the highest and
best evidence of guilt.
Opinions differ as to the result, but
there was last evening noticeable in-
crease in the number of those who pre-
dicted a disagreement, and a CORE
spending decrease in the number who
pTofessed to believe that the verdict
would be one of acquittal. There are
not many who expect a verdict of guilty.
In the event of disagreement it is not
probable that the jury will be dis
charged before Monday
At 9:l5 yesterday morning Judge
Shaw commenced his argument and did
not conclude it until IL 80. 1t was almost
entirely devoted to a review of the
testimony, pointing out what the
counsel claimed were the inconsistencies
and in some cases falSehoOdS of those
who testified fer the prosecution. He
paid some attention to Mr.. Nye'S argu-
ment for the state, attempting to show
that the statements of the attorney were
not borne out by the evidence. He
claimed that Judge KOOn, Mr.. Wilson
and himself were in the case because
they believed that the defendant was
innocent. He referred at length to Mr..
Blaisdell's testimony, and said that in
the light of his contradictory and incon-
sisient statements his evidence was not
entitled to any weight whatever.
he then took up the question of expert
testimony and ridiculed the theory of
tTemOrs and snaSms in penmanShip.
He said that Mr.. AmeS' face was as in
expressive as the butt of a pine log;
that Talman should be laughed out of
court; and that CurtiSS is vanishing
line"
Mr.. Shaw used I'D all of his time be-
fore he reached the subject of CoilOm's
confession. but was granted a few mo-
ments more in which to discuss it,
which he did at some length. claim
ing that it was not truthful, but the
mere carrying out of a scheme sug-
Eested by Anderson which was intended
20 result in settlement of CollOm's in
debtedneSS at a big discount. Judge
Shaw concluded at 1870, and Mr.. Well
ingtOn at once entered upon the duty
Of closing the case for the state. He
analyZed the evidence in a systematic
manner from the beginning to the end
as thoroughly as the time would permit.
He said that there was no crime with
out a motive, and that the moving
power which impelled Frank COLON to
the commission of this crime was ava
rice and an inJrdinate desire to acquire
sudden and great wealth.
de ridiculed the claim of Judge Shaw
that he was in the case out of sympathy
for the defendant, or from belief in his
innocence. Mr.. Wellington said that
Judge Shaw was in the case solely ss
the representative of hungry lot of
creditors who were seeking to hold Mr.
Blalsdeli liable for an immense amount
OF pTOmlsSOry notes which he never
signed. and from which he had never
received 81 of value. The speaker paid
particular attention to Collom's teSti-
mOny, and undertook to show that
after he had abandoned his determine
ton to adhere to his confession and
make clean breast of his crimes. he
Immediately plunged into maze Of in
consistent lies and faisehOOds.
At 1880 the court adjourned for din
hraExx II