Omaha daily bee., 1892-12-17
NEWS FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS
Another Sensation Comes Up in the Mes
chendorf Libel Suit,
VERDICT FOUND FOR THE DEFENDANTS
Amer Twcnty-siy Hours OF Deliberation tho
jury Decide in Favor of the Accused
An AnidnNit Charging the Plaintiff
with Attempted Corruption.

After being out twcnty-threc hours, the
jury in the $4,000 damage suit Of George II
Mcschcndorf against j. II. Pace, +. Nj. Sean
Ian and NJ. Wclkcr returned verdict at
o'clock yesterday afternoon in favor of the
defendants, and throwing the costs OF tho
prosecution ON the other fellow The vote
in the jury room stood nine TO three in favor
of the defendants until II o'clock Yesterday
morning. when 1t stood eleven to one. 1t
stayed at this figure through four ballots,
but Immediately after dinner the one man
who hung out came into the fold and the
verdict was handed in,
Mr. Mes,hcndorf states that the case will
be appealed unless new trial is granted.
Just before the verdict was returned by
the jury somewhat sensational step was
taken by the attorneys for the defendants by
filing this affidavit with Judge Smith:
l. NJ Wull,cr being first duly sworn, on oath
say am one OF the defendants IN the case
Of George u, Mcschcndorf " ). II. Pace, VI.
day submitted to the Jury after trial OF over
eight days Involving large expense 10 the
county; that have Just learned that George
II, ,Mrschcndorf, the plaintiff in said cause,
towt: Charley Nicholson and Robert II, Hunt
inEton scycraIiy, and asked each Of them to
stick TO him, the plaintif, in said case and
he would see that they were. well compensated
anu pllU nltunllH anu lnltHullE lutitby
to corrupt, and influence a aono p2rdi ptnd
said proposition to each of said witnesses and
begged them to do this as n favor to him; that
said Charley Nicholson had a son in the cm-
ploy of said McschCndorf; that said acts were
done on or about the night Of December ID,
1899, in the city of Council Bluns, Ia; that
said persons so spoken to were addressed per-
sonally by the said George II. Mcschcndorf as
aforesaid, and his talk referred plainly to the
case then ON trial, and referred to a certain
juror or jurors then mpancllcd and sworn
well and truly to try said cause and said prop
ositiOnS were made and corrupt attempts
made before said cause was finally submitted
10 the jury and while the Jury were Stll ut
large and before they were entrusted to the
care of the court balitfs. WhcreupOn a1iant
charges the said George II. Meschemdorf with
contempt of this court. NJ, WELKER.
I'VE want it UNDERSTOOD said Attorney
Trimbe of the defense during the afternoon,
that we do not expect to show that
McSchCndorf tanpered with the jury. nor do
/ we make any such allegation. All we expect
to prove is that he was looking around for a
chance to get in some crooked work. and we
have the evidence which will substantiatC
every claim Wclkcr makes in his affidavit.
Mr.. Mcschcndof, on the other hand, denies
| having done what the affidavit alleges. lie
admits having had n conversation with
Nicholson and Huntington. but denies that
anything was said with reference to any OF
the jurymCn sticking to him. or being
paid for doing so" He claims that the filing
Of the affidavit was simply bluff game
worked for the purpose of influencing the
minds of the jurymen in favor of the defend
ants,