St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-28
1t Takes the Jury Only a Few
Minutes to Decide for
Him.
Thirteen Members Added to
the Democratic Congress
sional Committee.
Master Plumbers Have a Ban
Quet--The Assessment for
1892.

Timothy E. Byrnes, pet of the Repub-
lican party of Minnesota. has, fortu-
nately. been acquitted on the charge of
forgery. His trial begun in Judge Loeb
ren's court, Minneapolis, last Tuesday
morning, and has been watched daily
with a deal of interest. The last Of the
evidence was put in yesterday forenoon,
the arguments were made in the after
noon, and the case was given to the jury
at 1850 o'clock. Twenty minutes later
the verdict of the jury was handed to
the court. 1t was mot guilty" and its
reading was loudly applauded in the
court room. Mr.. Byrnes and his wife
heard the verdict without making any
demonStration-it was just as they had
expected.
When the trial was resumed yester-
day morning Mr.. Than sprung another
of his surprises by calling Prof. c. Z.
Curtis, the writing expert, to the wit
ness stand. The appearance of MIR.
Curtis was a puZZler for the defendants
lawyers until Mr.. Than handed the
witness the two SatiSfactIonS, asked him
to examine the ink of the figures there
OIL and then state whether or not the
figures on both SatiSfoctionS were writ
ten with the same ink.
The purpose of all this, of course, was
to break down the testimony of Dan
Byrnes. who had sworn positively that
he had seen Tim write the figures on
both satisfactlons at the same time and
with the same ink. Mr.. JamiSon inter-
posed an objection to Mr.. Curtis testify
ing on the ground that he was incOmpe-
tent, but the objection was overruled.
80 far as l am able to judge" said
Prof. Curtis" without making chem
ical analysis, the inks on the two salts
factions are not the same"
That's all.' came from Mr.. Than in
tone of satisfaction.
Ms. JamiSon croSS-eXamined the wit
ness very sharply, but did not succeed
In making him qualify mis- statement
that two different inks had been used on
the satisfactions.
Mr. Byrnes took the stand and said
that he had half-doZen or more pens
OIL his desk when he wrote the figures
on the satisfactions, and he might have
changed pens. A change of pens, he
thought, might make the ink Oh one
paper look heavier than that on the
other.
EThis closed the testimony in the case,
and then came an argument between
the attorneys as to the construction of
IHS 6SCllOnS III lilC CIillllldl CNuO UCdI-
ing on forgery. Mr.. Than argued that
ByrneS, if convicted, should be consid-
cred guilty of forgery i'll the first degree.
while Mr.. JamiSon contended that 1t
should be in the second degree. Judge
Lochren ruled in favor Of Mr.. Jamison,
&hereupon Mr.. Than remarked:
''Why, your honor, that ruling places
She state legislature in a ridiculous
nght''
''Its not the first time they've been
placed there" was the quick retOrt
body laughed at the expense of Than.
Immediately after the noon recess
Mr.. Than began the closing argument
of the prosecution. He sized Timothy
Byrnes up as pretty smooth scoandrel.
He told how old MIR. and Mrs. Good
rich had trusted their business in the
hands of Byrnes until they ha | lost
nearly everything they owned by so
doing. Then the county attorney went
through the evidence and endeavored
to convince the jury that it was pre-
ponderously against the defense. lie
questioned the veraclty of Dan Byrnes,
and called particular attention to the
good points in Prof. Curtis testimony.
Mr.. Than spoke in his usual eloquent
style, and his argument was attentively
listened to by the jury.
Mr.. JamisOn closed the case for the
defense. He started his address with a
very pretty word picture.
II have heard of father and a
MOTHER" said Mr.. Jamison, shutting
out from their hearts a son, but it was
because he had covered their gray hairs
with shame: l have heard of father
plunging knife into his only
daughters heart, but it was to
brutal save her from the lust of
men; on this witness stand l have
heard young man give testimony
which sent his two brothers to the gal
lows, but it was in order that his young
and devoted wife might be protected
from the SneerS of a heartleSS public.
For these things there were excuses,
but in this case all is changed, and the
people who would have Tim Byrnes
declared felOn have no excuse for their
actions. They seek to send him to the
penitentiary for term of years and put
out the lamp of Joy which burns within
the breast of his young WHETHER
daughter. They seek to stamp upon
letter which shall hencefortl
shut him out from the society of honest
men. They seek to stamp upon their
young grandson, blood of their blood,
flesh of their flesh, the brand of shame
which will go down with him to the
grave, and all of this III order to get
hold of little of this worlds wealth.
The result means broken hearts and a
desolute home and cloud hanging
over these young people SO low and
dark that it can never be dispelled dur
Ing this life. A white specter rises and
points the finger of pity at this scene.
Years ago, when stood on the uni
verslty campus, green and home-Sick
boy, it was Tim Byrnes who first
grasp ed me by the hand and
sent sunshine into my life.
know him as intimately as any
man in this city does, and l know
my heart tells me-that this indict
ment is written lie. I'll stake my life
that it's written lie. The voice OF
suspicion has never been raised against
genial, honest, whole-souled, kind
hearted Tim Byrnes."
Mr.. Jamison then proceeded to review
the evidence in the case. He paid par
tIcular attention to overhauling the evi
dence of the Goodriches-pointing on
what he considered various incongrui
ties. He would not say that old Mr.
and Mrs. Goodrich knowingly testified
to things that were not true-they hat
only made mistakes on account of de
fectiye memories. As 10 the point made
by Mr.: Thian's introduction of Prof
Curtlss' testimony that the figures il
the two satiSfactionS were written il
different inks, Mr.. Jamison said that i
affected Dan Byrnes' testimony in n,
way, Dan had SWoIn that he had seel