The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-15

Defendant-He Did Not See Him but
Did Proceed Mr.. Knapp was a Model
Juryman for a Short Time-Mr. Husey
is Put on the Rack and Comes Out Smil-
ing for Another Round-Fired Because
He was a Taxpayer.
The Jack Davidson liquor trial was
up IN the district court yesterday, but
the entire forenoon was taken up N
arguments Of counsel on law points.
The assistant attorney general has
put in the entire week on the skirmish
line, and the long continued strain is
beginning to tell on him. His eyes are
becoming dull and there is a nervous,
careworn expression in his face that
foretells an early nervous collapse.
The assistant attorney general has
an abundanceof bull dog tenacity and
the attorneys expect that he will keep
UP the fight until his nervous system is
completely exhausted, and that when
he does throw up the spongue that he
VIII tumble in a heap like an OK with
his spinal column severed.
A prominent old farmer from Waco
township yesterday leaned against a.
mindow sill back of the judges stand
and looked thoughtfully on the pro-
ceedings for some time. He then push
ed the crown Of his soft hat up to a
sharp point and remarked: 1T is just
simply an outrage that a man of w.
=. Campbells ability and courage
should put himself at the head OF a
band OF crankS and attempt to fight
Wichita and Sedgwick county"
Declarat tons similar to that are
heard every day, and people ask what
Bill Campbell is getting out of this
anyhow. 1t has been more than once
suggested that the enemies of Wichita
are putting up money to continue this
fight, for in all the turmoil and strife
in which Mr.. Campbell has engaged
for the past twenty-one days, he has
never earned a fee because he has
made no convictions.
Nobody as yet can guess the end of
all this strife which was originated and
is kept up by a secret conclave, but the
jurymen called into the box and men
upon the streets every day give ut
terance to words that show a deep seat
ed disgust of the whole unprofita BILE
proceedings and the men behind it,
1t has become simply a battle to test
human endurance and all the time the
costs are being paid by the sweat of
the honest tax payer, and that patient
individual is becoming exasperated to
tax payer expressed it, they are OPP
posed to running after a jack rabbit
when they knew in advance that they
could not catch him
One Of the most interesting episodes
Of the day was the calling of J. NJ
Knapp, the noted prohibitionist into
the jury box He was examined by
Mr.. Campbell and his answers indicat-
ed that he would make model juror.
He was not personally acquainted
with Jack Davidson but perhaps had an
idea where his place of business was.
He had no prejudices whatever in the
case, and knew no rea son on earth why
he could not impartially hear and de-
termine the case.
Colonel Sam Amidon, it seems, had
been nosing around and had learned
some of Mr.. Knapp's history, and when
he opened his battery on that highly
disinterestd individual, he dropped
from his high perch like a failing
meteor.
After a vigorous firing of questions
Tor about a quarter of an hour, Colonel
Sam not only damaged his reputation
as a impartial juror, but caused Bill
Campbell to ask leave TO enter Mr..
knapS name on the information as a
witness against Jack Davidson.
The crOsS-fire of questions drove Mr..
Knapp into a corner, and he admitted
several very important facts which af-
fected his qualification as a juror, one
of which was that he belonged to an
organization which had for its object
the enforcement Of the prohibitory
liquor law.
He also admitted as having been ap-
pointed on a committee TO go to Tope-
ka and induce the governor to appoint
a new commission here for the pur-
pose Of instigating these prosecu-
ficns. and that ne met Governor Nor
rill by appointment on Sunday to ar
range the matter and that hehad told
the governor that there was general
violation of the law in Wichita.
He not only admitted that he had so
Informed the governor. but that he had
in mind Davidson's place. and that he
had passed the place and seen them
setting up the drinks.
The idea of Governor Morrill, meeting
J. W. Knapp on the Sabbath day to
conspire against the peace and hap
pineSS of Wichita. was such a demon
stration of hypocrisy that several tax
payers present who had voted for Nor
ril famed themselves vigorously with
their hats to drive away the bushes
from their faces.
Assistant Attorney General Campbell
wasted the time of the court for more
than an hour in the afternoon when ex-
Commissioner HuSey was called into
the jury box on the special venire. try
ing TO make Mr.. HuSSey blacken the
reputation OF the old board OF police
commissioners and Judge Hatton. He
was willing that the court might in
strUct Mr.. Hussey that he did not have
10 answer any questions that would
commit himself, and the court so in
StrEctei.
Mr.. Husey. however. did not want to
avail himself of the instructions of the
court. but answered all questions and
the manner of asking them showed the
assistant attorney generals ignorance
OF the working of the police govern |
ment Of the city.
He twisted the questions around in |
a hundred ways TO make Mr. Husey !
admit that the old commissioners had |
given orders to the police to arrest no |
saloon keeper that had paid his fine. |
And that by admitting that he per- |
sonally knew that the saloons |
Were running wide open. and that the |
police judge reported money received !
from saloon men. received on condition |
that they be allowed 10 violate the law. |
Mr.. Husey answered every one OF |
these questions in the negative and de- |
clared that he was never in a saloon |
while he held the office of police COM |
missioner, and did not personally know |
that they were running.
Mr.. Campbell gave away the politics |
In this movement when he declared 1