The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-25
STATUS OF PAUPERS SHOWN
Judge Baker Declares They Have No
Vote in the POorhOuse Precinct.
Rebukes the States Attorney for Assisting in
an 0utrage-ROyster Declared Acquit
Matters in the State Courts.

The Ease OF the State Of Indian against
Charles Royster. for perjury. oame on for
trial in the federal court yesterday after
noon. 1t will be remembered that Mr..
Roy ster was the federal su pervisor of cleo.
tions at the poorhouse precinct of Wayne
township at last November election. and.
as such supervisor. challenged the right of
inmates of the poorhouse to vote. In sup
port of his challenge he filed affidavits.
stating upon his information and beilef
that the various inmates who were offer
ing to vote were not entitled to vote. and
stated in his affidavit that he secured his
information from Ferd Winter and Cal
ChIldera Mr.. Register has lived in that
precinct for many years; Is q man of high
character and excellent reputation and had
accurate knowledge as to all the facts con-
corning the inmates of the poOrhouse.
The information he received from ME-.
Winter and Mr. ChiIders was that under
the law these persons had no right to vote.
The Marion county grand jury returned
ten indictments against Mr.. Roy ster upon
ten of these several aftidavits. charging
him with perjury In each affidavit which
he made. He was arrested and placed In
jail. where he was detained for two or
three hours, and afterwards gave bond,
which was placed by the Judge OF the
Criminal Court at $4,000. being $1,000 in
each case. Afterwards. upon petition of
the defendant. these cases were transferred
to the federal court for trial. This was
done upon the proposition that ROyster,
being q federal supervisor. the federal
court had jurisdiction to hear his case.
When the cases came up Tor trial, yester
day afternoon. Mr.. Hoffman, the States
attorney. made his statement before the
jury of what the State expected to prove.
giving the facts as above stated. When he
had finished his remarks, Judge Baker said
that he might as we'll make frank state
ment of his views with reference to these
cases at this time. He went on to say that
few days before the election he was
called upon In chambers by ME- Bynum
and Judge Jordan, and was inquired OF by
them to his view of the rights of inmates
of poorhOuses to vote; that he said TO them
then. and his view remains unchanged.
that the inmates OF the poor.
entitled to vote; that they are there
as charges upon the State, taken and held
there by process of law, and that 1t would
be an outrage upon the people OF the State,
and upon the voters OF any precinct that
they should be permitted TO elect law
makers or executive officers of the cOun-
try, aud that the interests of the people or
the in terests of any portion OF the people
should not be subject to the domination of
any voters of that claes. cOngregated to-.
he said, that it was the opinion of any
lawyer worthy the name that they had q
right to vote: that he would instruct the
Jury upon the statement of the counsel for
the state TO return a verdict for the de-
PENDANT, and the State could have its eX-
oeption. He then instructed the jury to re-
turn a verdict :or the defendant. which W as
done in all of tho GASES pending, and Mr..
hoy ster was permitted TO go. Judge Clay
pool, who was assisting Mr.. Hoffman,
stated to the court that be CONQUERED with
the court In the sentiments which he had
uttered; that he believed that they ought
not TO be permitted to vote. but desired to
present some tenet of law which seemed to
favor the proposition that they were en-
titled to vote. Judge Baker replied that
his mind was fixed. and that nothing short
of q decision of the Court of Appeals or
the Supreme Court of the United States
would change his mind; that he did not
care To hear from counsel.
When the jury had returned its verdict
for the defendant in one of the cases, Mr..
| Hoffman desired to enter u mol lie as to
the other cases. This Judge Baker refused
to permit, and directed the jury To return
! @ verdictof not guilty In all other cases. lie
thought il was an outrage. he said, that
ten prosecutions should be brought against
any one when one would have served the
purpose as we'll He further said that, as
far as deciding the question AS to the right
of the pa ties vote. 1t see med To Ia m n II
! tho wrong party had been indicted; that
the parties who wrongfully attempted to
! vote the paupers, and the aiders and abet-
tors Of this attempt ought TO be indicted
and punished.
District Attorney Chambers. who had
been directed By the Attorney general ia