The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-03
IN THE JURY'S HANDS
Verdict in the Noted Howard Case
Expected This Morning.
Judge Hammond's Charge-A Kentucky
Belle Invited to a Seat on the Bench
The Court Room ThrOnged.

JACKSON. Tenn, Jan 1.-THE district at
torney concluded his argument in the How
ard case at IL 80 O'Clock this morning after
speaking ten hours. He declared that he
had proven every allegation In the indict-
ments; he had proven the fraudulent scheme
and device, without the shadow of a doubt,
and he was entitled to a verdict on the
twenty-five counts. In closing he made an
eloquent appeal to the jury for a verdict
in the name of the poor who had been
swindled from the lakes to the gulf and
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Mr.. Haw-
kins was applauded when he concluded his
argument At Z o'clock this evening, Judge
began his charge to the jury.
He said in part:
"A more simple issue has never been pre-
scented for trial to a jury. You may be as
tonished to learn it, but it is true that. ex-
cept as a useful mass of evidence, 1t is
quite immatertal whether the defendant
ever did business under the names and
styles of European Claims Agency E.
Ross, Manager Felix Toward William
Lord Moore or Joseph Leger,' or either of
them. You may lay them all aside and all
this immense mass of proof about them, If
you find it doubtful or too troublesome, and
consider the case solely in relation to the
Jackson correspondence of the defendant,
and If you find that a scheme to defraud
has been devised by him, to be affected by
use OF the mails, you may convict him
no matter what you may believe about his
identity with Ross, Moore or Leger. We
gave no jurisdiction to try him for his
operations in New York or London and
their only usefulness is as evidence. But
if outside of that evidence you can see that
he is guilty, he should be convicted. But
If you conclude that the business carried on
by the defendant at Jackson was the honest
and legitimate practice of a lawyer, prose
cutting his clients trights to property or
money belonging to them, or that he sin
cerely and honestly believed that such
property belonged to them in foreign coun-
tries. he is not guilty.. and Won should
rsas Hln doubt about BOUT nI i S Sos
But If you believe that he knew no such
vast sums of money or extensive property
vantage of their ignorant decisions on the
subject already existing or ~artfully planted
by the defendant in their minds and that he
took advantage of these delusions to pro-
cure money in small sums from them in
the belief that he could aid them in recov-
| cultivate and stimulate their decisions. he Is
guilty, and you should not hesitate to saw
SO by your verdict. 1t is no defense to say
or prove that these people believed that
tries; If you find that the defendant knew
that they had been by others or by cir
cumstances or by himself deluded and he
promoted and stimulated that deIusion for
fraudulent gain"
The courtroom scenes tonight were I'M
paralleled in the history of Tennessee law
suits. The excitement and interest mani
tested was beyond description. The cor
IiIVlS VI llt ODul liiOuSt NtIc DdChGu anu
TANNED hours before court met, and when
the courtroom doors were opened a rush
and stampede was made for seats. 1t was
a scene the like of which was never before
witnessed by the oldest men present. The
women alone nearly filled the court room.
The marshal and his deputies were pow
erleSS to control the vast throng, who
seemed to have lost their reason. When
order was restored Judge Hammond in
vited Miss Phie Bond, one of Jackson's
reigning bellies, to take n seat by him on
the bench. She handel him a bunch OF
lilies of the valley. which he pinned on the
lapel of his coat before he began to charge
the jury. The jury took the case at $50,
and court adjourned until s o'clock in the
morning., when d verdict is expected.