Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-15
HURLEY is ON TOP.
Waters and Sproat Found
Guilty.
IT TOOK JUST THREE MINUTES.
Judge Hzgzersy Gave Them the Fun
Extent Of the Lzw-The Case
Appealed

uS&0 80 = IriBi% - o<eS e9<A<S ia
police eeaTt yesterday, when 1t three
past three s'eisck. the jury IN
the Sprs&t- Waters criminal libel case.
.stirsd 70 deliberate Not "A inch OF
4asccE pied space remained IN the
-ssm- Gamblers and sports were
packed in together like ssrdlnes in
oox- The fsrcibls argument Of Prose
cutting Attorney Ncknlgns glued the
spectators in their respective places.
TIE charge Of the judge was brief. he
trst explained what constituted Grim
NAL hbsl- IL charge you that the
printing or publishing, orally or otner-
wiss, Of malicious or scandalous mat
Ter, such IS would have = tendency
10 bring the person o. persons impli-
Gated into public dispute. contempt OF
ridlcule. constitutes the charge pre-
ferrcd against the respondents named
in this complaint. Ii. however. IL can
se shown that there Was just kcAtion.
and that he article WAS published
IN good faith, then the respondents are
not guilty. yusiIfication constitutes
the substantiation OF whatever 10 pub
lishsd. You must ind that the prison
ers At the bar are connected with
the publication. SIMPLY read the law
to you and you must censtrue and
apply 10 yourselves It must be found
that the article published In the Press
on the morning OF December %, APP
pliss TO the complainant IN this case.
and the different inneundcs must be
eor .sr., "a n. ha mn q fsx5 ana ard bhSinpa
A in all cases OF nisdemeauor, the
respondents are entitled TO the pre-
sumption of innocence until that pre-
sumption is removed by evidence. The
burden of proof devolves upon the
defendants They must show that
they were justitied in printing the ar
.ieie.'
The Jury Tinds Thsn Guilty.
The jury was out Just three minutes.
When II returned. Another death-like
nlence prevailed the room. Then the
foreman arose, and to the question
put by the clerk rs to whether the veI-
Dict was guilty or not guilty, he clearly
and dist,nenvely replied guilty"
After . short interval Judge Haggerty
asked Ii there was any reason why
yentsnce should not be pronounced.
Attorney Mcbride snswered that there
was none, and the judge said: "It is
only the first otferse Of this nature that
can be tried IN this court. / under
stAnd the Law to imply that the fullest
extent shall BE imposed. / fine each of
you SEQ and the costs of the court.
The latter which amounts to $S2. shall
be divided between you"
g. 40 - a,v,xx,k
court and bond of 5000, signed by Pat
pearance OF Msssrs- Sproat and Waters.
Closing Arguments In the Trial.
Tho case Was opened for the people
at the morning SESSION by Assistant
Prosecuting Attorney Malcomb who re-
viewed the evidence IL the case.
dwelling considerably upon the "fishy"
nature Of Cranes testimony. and the
fact thst oil Of his statements had been
refutsd.
L. A. ward opened for the defense
aAd took advantage of every BIT Of
sestimony which ho could twist in favor
Of his clients. During the course Of
bis argument he made many valuable
psints. He claimed the article was
Dyss6ed because nethiuG had been
i'sdduced BY the people to show that
the persons had net said that which
was contained In the article.
. james Mcbride closed for the defense
and made An exhaustive argument,
taking up the thread ~ the different
places where Ward had dropped it. No
stone was left untufaed 10 show that
Hpraat aid Waters we're justified in the
publication Of the item.
Prescribing Attorney Mcknight
slOsed for the people: The most pre-
posteyous. outlsndish trash ever sworn
70 on witness stand was the story
testified 70 by Crane. He 10 the man
from whom all this information comes.
He said certain men told him that Guy
johnston had told somebody else that
money had been paid 70 Hurley TO fix
him. Each and every man with whom
he cisiIned to have talked, came upon
shs stand here and put the lie in bis
mouth. Like all birds of prey he ID
constantly going about 10 seek whom
ne may dsvour."
''Is Crans . Bird OF Prsy?"
McBrids-"fs . crane bird Of preyg'
Yea. He is bird Of prey, and eats
mostly fab. No sensibse man would
place the slightest crsdence upon what
ne has said. 1t wasn't necessary to
impeaeh him. His testimony il not in
the case now, and ] only alludc 10 il.
Under the circumstances. gentlemen oil
Oh, jury, yeu must bring in verdict oil
guilty. n yeu fail TO convict the 70
sponsents you brand Lieut. Hurley q
. corrupt officer, . tool and ths crea
ture of Gambler Johnston. Il il
clearly shown that this article 10 no
true, and that there was no founda
'tion in fact for IL This ollicer has {
reputation which he has been fifteer
years earning. There 10 not spot 81
. blemish upon il. Without any cause
whatever are you going 10 allow Z
newspaper to blast that reputation and
ruin IN innocent mani You are ne
safe gentlemen You must bring in Z
verdict Of guilty"
Several tinss Mcbride rose 10 . poin
Of order and wansed the court TO cal
- a. aeAsx