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


Mr.. Duncan objected TO this evidence on
the ground that it was hearsay, but Mr..
Kern said he thought IL was admissible IN
this sort of a case TO keep up the connec-
ton of the story, as the court would know
it TO be of no value as evidence. Judge Ba-
ker permitted the witness to answer, say
ing he knew the hearsay statement had no
evidential weight.
MR. COFFIN WONDERED.
The witness then gave the substance Of
the conversation as detailed by Mr.. Coffin.
The latter said Stannard had told him that
he could deliver the vote of one OF the
jurors, and possibly two of them. Coffin said
he wondered if Stannard could do what he
said he could do, and the witness said he
presumed he could. The matter was then
laid before the other attorneys TO see IL
there was not some way in which TO catch
the men iG their offer of corruption. The
next morning Messrs. Winter and Cox were
consulted and the trap laid
AT 6 o'clock that evening Stannard again
came to the Office and went into the pri-
vate room with Coffin. The witness did not
hear any of the conversation held there.
He had stenographer 10 take down tne
conversation, but it was carried on in such
a low tone of voice that IL could not De
caught. When the interview ended Colin
ment men 't to meet stannard. With the juror, at
o'clock that night in the once AT that
hour Stannard came and said he had Deen
unable to the juror, put WOulu
him around at O'Clock the next morning
The next morning he came TO the ONCE with
Armstrong, and went Immediately into the
private office with Coffin. a stenogTapher
who had been employed 10 take down the
conversation was then called and stationed
in the outer office, close TO the board par
tition, and close up TO the northwest corner
of the room, where there was a crack IN
the partition, close to and concealed by the
window jamb. After awhile the witness was
called into the room and Armstrong lett.
Coffin said IL had been arranged
nard that he (Coffln) was to place In the
care of the witness an envelope, 10 De
placed in the Office safe and turned over
to Stannard in case of verdict Tor acqult-
tai or a hung jury In the bank case. fne
witness said to stannard: men a,ore u,iuer 4,
trust until the result of the trial is known,
and Stannard answered Yes. The Wit
ness said the amounts were spoken OF at
that time, and he understood that 1t was
TO be $3.50 in case Of hung jury ana so,-
600 In case Of an acquittal. Then the attor-
neys went to the court room and the war
rant was issued for the arrest Of Stannard
The witness was then turned over 10 MT.
Duncan for cross-examination. Mr. LAY
pool said he was in his office at O'Clock
on the first day Stannard called when ne
returned to meet Coffin. Coffin was there
when Stannard came in, and Nj claypooIi
introduced the two men. he SAID Stannaru
did not give the name or the juror whose
vote he could control at the time or the
hrst meeting with comm. Inc ar arranse s.1qsSa
ments for the second conference were made
before consulting with the other attorneys:
Mr.. Claypool said there was nothing said
between him and Coffin as 10 the probable
result of the bank trial If they caught the
juror. He did not tell Coffin it would result
in mistrial In answer 70 questions py
Mr. Kern the witness said no information
had been given to outside persons, and that
as soon as Stannard made known the object
OF his visit list Of the Jurors was secured
and they concluded that 1T was Armstrong
whom he had in mind, because IL was seen
that both were from the same county
Francis A. Coffin was the next witness
and the fact that he was one of the de-
PENDANTS in the case which had been ended
by the exposure OF the corruption. he was
then asked TO tell in his own words just
what had taken place leading up 10 the ar
rest of Stannard and Armstrong. He gave
his testimony in a straightforward manner
without the least hesitation. beginning at
the time he was told by Mr.. Claypool that
Stannard wanted TO him to the finale,
without once having TO go back and tell
something that had been neglected. His
statement was clear and concise, and told
without the aid Of questioning by Mr.. Kern.
He said:
ION last Monday at about noon, ! was
standing at the corner of Meridian and
Washington streets waitingAfor a car 70 20
and laid hand upon my shoulder. /
turned around and saw Ii was John w.
nard had been if in his office ' during the morn
ing and wanted TO see one of the Coffins,
as he had information Of value. 70 them.
Mr.. Claypool told me he had heard of Stan
nard, and that he was one of the firm of
Stannard Brothers. stock raisers. in the
southern part of the State. Mr.. Claypool
said he had told Stannard 10 return at 2
o'clock. / asked him what 1 should do, and
he said he wanted me to meet him. He
said Stannard wanted to see the slickest
one of the Collins. / went TO the office
that afternoon, reaching it a few minutes
after O'Clock. There was only young
lady In the office. l asked her IL a man
named Stannard had been there to see me,
and she said he had just left, and l must
have passed him upon the stairs. The
young lady told me Stannard had said he
would be back at O'Clock, and / told her
10 tell him Il he wanted TO see me he must
wait, IL / were not there. l went then to
Mr. Harris's office and saw Mr.. Cox and
laid the facts before him as far as they
had gone. Mr.. Cox told me had better
meet the man. L returned to Mr.. Clay
POOLS office about five minutes before 4
O'Clock
STANNARD A SLICK CHICKEN.
"A few minutes afterward Stannard
came in and Mr.. Ciaypool introduced him
to me. We went into the private Office
and Stannard said he had read the news
papers and had heard of Coffin; probably
I did not know him, but he was one of
the firm of Stannard Bros, and showed
me one of his letter heads. / asked him
which one of them he was, and he pointed
| 10 the name f. o. Stannard on the letter
| head. He said he was one of the boys
and a slick chicken; that he had some
| information that would be OF value to me.
| He said: OF course you don't know me- but
| l can give you some good references and
mentioned the names of several persons in
| this city and asked me if / knew them
| l asked him what he wanted. He said
| You are in trouble and want to be ac-
| Quilted l said OF course L wanted to
| be acquitted. He said he could get al
acquttal, a hung jury at least / told
him he could not blk me in that way
| and he said he could prove what he said
and did not want a cent until he came
under the wire on the home stretch. He
| said he had an intimate friend, one who
/ was closer TO him than a brother, whC
| had been drawn on the federal jury for thai
| term, and had intended to get excused
+, on account of sickness, but he had advised
| him not TO do so as there would be some big
| cases before the court that term and there
| might be a chance to make some money
| was the smartest man in their county
| that he had been in financial trouble and
| had stood the cross-questioning OF the law
] yers and would do anything he said he
| would.
Il said it was a dangerous business ant
| would think Of il. Stannard said ht
| would meet me again, and L then saiC
| / would not meet him, as | did not believe
| he could do what he said he could. HI
| said he would bring the juror TO me. face
| to face, and asked me where 1 lived.
4 asked him what he wanted TO know for
| and he said he would bring the juror {
| my house / told him ne could not ds
| this, and he then said he would bring hin
| office the next day. Stannard then left
1 and / talked with Mr.. Claypool and W.
found that Armstrong and Stannard ne.
| sided in the same county. Mr.. Claypoo
| said we had best talk with the other at
| torneys. The next morning We saw Mr.
| Cox, and all of the attorneys were called
| in and said the matter had better be laid
| before Judge Baker. On their return they
| bod m fra abQad xritt