St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-28
That Peculiar Prosecution
Ended in Whitney's Tri-
umphant Acquittal.
The Shakiest System Of Book
keeping Ever Submitted
to Court.
Queer Work of a Detective
Hounding Whitney for
Weeks Passed.
Some Work That Looked Like
an Effort to Work the
Jury.

That the proceedings against George
B. Whitney. charging him with being
short in his accounts as agent for the
Phoenix Beef company, amount to a
persecution pure and simple seems to
be generally conceded, and the wonder
is that the jury was not prompt with a
verdict of acQuittal. If the truth were
known, it is very probable that the
states representatives are almost ready
to admit that there is not as much as at
first seemed to them to be in the case.
The jury went out at O'Clock, and 1t
was before verdict was reached, and
then verdict of acquittal was returned.
This result was not unexpected by the
prosecution, and it is probable none
of the remaining four indictments will
be tried. The case went to the jury
without argument on either side after
Judge Kelly had delivered his charge.
The charge was fair one and an able
presentation of the case. In this char ge
Judge Kelly called the attention OF the
jury to the fact that the evidence
showed that a business of $4,000 had
been done by Mr.. Whitney, and
the state claimed that the books
showed a shortage of S2.9l6.06. The
defense went. over $4,000 of the bust
ness, and showed i'll that amount of
business with butchers that the books
RI a n MOI Of 81 900
Mr.. Whitney's favor. The inference
was, as claimed by the attorneys for the
defense, that it is true Mr.. Whitney'S
accounts with the company were not
short a dollar. In his charge Judge
Kelly said that in six years experience
on the bench ana many years observa-
ton before going on the bench he had
never seen such crazy bookkeeping.
Last evening Mr.. Whitney, while
waiting for the verdict of the jury,
maintained his innocence and coII-
planned at the attempts made to wreck
his business standing and 70 disgrace
his family. He said that he did not
blame others so much as he did the way
he was bounded and abused by detec-
tive. He said he could forgive all others
put not the way he was treated by that
detective.
A gentleman connected with the pros
ecutiOn said yesterday before the ac-
quittal was announced that he believed
this a case of bad work by third-rate
detective. Another gentleman in high
authority, who was not associated III any
manner with the defense but was sup
posed to favor all reasonable prosecu-
lions, stated that he believed that in
such cases as this the prosecution should
be required to pay the costs, especially
when they know that there is no reason
tor conviction.
1t is said that one Of the jurors hung
out for conviction. 1t is intimated that
a detective has been DIGGING the steps
of Mr.. Whitney since the trial began
and watched his every move. He was
frequently seen in conversation with
Mr. Hayward and was seen to mingle
with the jury when they returned from
supper last evening. lie did not hold
converse with any others about the court
room and is not known by the attorneys
for the defense. He was in the court
room last night when the verdict was
returned and all the evening before.
He notified Mr.. Hayward at the Windsor
billiard room last night when the jury
agreed, and before the judge came held
a consultation with Mr.. Hayward in the
corridor. Mr.. Whitney said that he was
a stranger to him, and has logged his
steps since the trial began. Mr.. Whit
ney was discharged OH the case tried
last night. He is still under bail, how
ever, and will be in court if any Of the
other cases are ever called to trial. He
stated last night that he will be on hand
to fight the cases, and to fully establish
his Innocence if ever again questioned.