The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-01

In view of tha. fact I refused my assent
TO the discharge of the jury at that stage
ability that a juror had been corrupted,
that steps should be taken for demon
strating either the falsity of the charge
against the juror or its truth.
NO SHADOW OF DOUBT.
''The result has been spread upon the rec
ord, and am free to say that it leaves no
shadow of doubt in my mind of the guilt of
this man. and that II was not guilt for
which i had great compassion. for some
times guilt comes upon man unawares
and takes him at a disadvantage. and he
finds himself a violator of the law before
he thoroughly apprehends the situation in
which he is. This juror will recollect, as
others who were In the court at the time,
that when / came TO dismiss the jury on
tuesday, having already been informed or
the circumstances that this man had been
endeavoring to sell his vote as juror. /
took occasion to speak in such way as
i supposed would admonish him that he
should be careful. / spoke in very strong
terms-stronger terms than / am in the
habit Of speaking when addressing jurors,
for the reason that l felt that an honest
man acting under an oath needs no admoni-
tion from the court. He should not only be
blameless in regard to conduct and speech,
but he should be above suspicion in every
thing But the words of admonition 1 gave
seemed to have fallen upon leaden ears.
only few hours afterward this man for
been laid upon his conscience, agreed that
ne would defeat the ends OF justice. and
that, that ne would bring his corrupt and ,iul pol
and would prevent the fair and honest ad-
t,dn ninistratlon i Ct the law He should have re
except the very presence Of God, where
virtue and honesty and fidelity. to ones
obligation as man, it is where the solemn
interest Of the citizen is being adjudicated.
/ suppose the reason the Congress of the
United States has never put upon the
statute books law creating the crime of
bribery or the attempt to bribe on the
part OF a juror-the attempt TO accept
bribe on the part of juror-was. because
II was supposed that sort of an offense,
like the offense of piracy. was one that was
hardly likely to be committed. While feel
thus with reference to the character of the
compassion for the wife and family. and
friends, but however strongly 1 may feel
1t. 1t would be misplaced If allowed to inter-
asre as would %h mae tse crme of the uror
thing that should be hereafter indulged.
A MOST HEINOUS OFFENSE-
1.-THE difficulty have in determining what
the punishment should be grows out Of the
suggestions made by his attorney. He is
already recognized to the grand jury on the
cnarge Of conspiracy. 1t is For me to say
that I view corruption on the part of a
juror-a bargain struck for the purpose Of
hanging jury, or delivering verdict Of
guilty or not guilty, as one OF the most
heinous offenses that can be committed.
"If it should come to be believed by the
body of our people that courts would con-
done or tolerate the perverslon or justice
by corrupt means @ or practices. the last s.
is needless to say that to go into a man S
barn and steal his horse. although a grave
oftense is. in my judgment. A trivial al GO com, M,
solemn oath that he will render an
honest and impartial Judgment under the
law and then violate that oath In the very
temple OF justice offers for money con-
slderation to sell the verdict of the jury,
a man who does that commits infinitely
greater crime a crime of the most alb
horrent character. II Is left for the court
to punish either by a fine or Imprisonment.
1 feel in this case that were to infiict
punishment by way of fine, that i would
probably be taking the bread from the
mouths of his wife and child. Nor do 1
feel that any reasonable amount of punish
ment by way of fine would be adequate to
express the Judgment the court feels or
the character of the crime that has been
committed. shall not punish this defend
il not been for the Witnesses, apparently
sincere. who have testified as TO his char
acter; But under all circumstances l feel
that 1 can not permit this TO go with
a less punishment than year and a half
in the northern State prison.
THE sentences of the court is that the de-
fendant be imprisoned. mot at hard labor,
SIMPLY imprisoned). in the northern State
prison for eighteen months
Marshal Hawkins says he never saw but
one man who was cooler after sentence
than Armstrong was. When he was being
conducted to the Jail he said: "Well, the
Judge said 1 don't have to work, and j
don't care" The other cool man spoken of
by Marshal Hawkins was a man, who,
while being taken to the jail under sentence
to the penitentiary, asked If he did not
get S25 when he got out
Armstrong will be kept in the city a
few days until his wife and children can
visit him.