Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-25
THE WRONG MAN.
John e. Crawford's Trial for
and Acquittal Of Forgery.
HIS BxoNERAT1oN Is COMPLETE.
Jury on distraction of the Court Returns .
Verdict OF Not Guilty Before Leaving Its

Verdict of Not Guilty Before Leaving Its
seat-A Peculiar Csse-The state with
draws.
In the criminal court of Cook
county before Judge Farlin q. Ball
yesterday John E. Crawford. for
merly of Rock Island county. and
son of Hon. w. F. Crawford. of Tav-
lor Ridge. was completely exonerated
of the charge OF forgery. As has
been stated in The ARGUS, Crawford
was indicted on eight charges of for
gerry at the December term of the
Cook county grand jury. as was Au-
gustus c. Wheat, the total amount
involved in the alleged Irregularities
being 1850, and in the hearing
Wheat turned states evidence against
Crawford.
Yesterday while the hearing was
in progress the court interrupted the
proceedings. informing the. jury that
there occasionally comes a time in
the trial of criminal case when a
court should stop the trial. The
court intended to do it in this par
ticular instance, and thereupon he
went on to say that the state had
failed through the evidence presented
to make out case that would war;
rant the jury in finding the defend
ant guilty, and he continued: II
will say from the evidence that no
case whatever is made out here, and
that will not put the insult upon
the defendant, Mr.. Crawford, of
compelling him to go upon the
stand"
State Withdraws.
Assistant States Attorney James
Todd, who was prosecuting the case,
then explained that the state, now
that it's case was in, held to the posi-
ton sustained by the court, and
that in justice to himself Mr.. Todd
said that he desired to make the
statement that he would lend him.
self to no prosecution. and would
ask of no jury to inflict punish
ment that he would not inflict were
he one OF the jury and had heard
the evidence submitted. The state
prosecutor said further that he had
had no confidence in Wheat from
the first and that he believed now
that he had lied 20 him from the
first. and had lied upon the stand,
and that there he had drawn out of
the witness, Wheat, facts that he
had not had before. MIR. Todd fur
thermore stated that the witness,
Wheat, had been promised immu-
nifty to take the state, and that
this was promised before the case
came within the Jurisdiction of the
states attorneys office. and it re.
manned only to take the witnesses
and be bound by the promises made
to them.
Acquitted without Leaving the Seats.
The court spoke of the fairness of
the statement of the states attorney,
and furthermore stated that his sus-
picions in the matter had early been
communicated to the court, land the
long and the short of it is, we have the
wrong man on trial here" The
court therefore asked the jury to
sign a verdict of not guilty without
leaving the seats. The jury heart
lily responded and Mr.. Todd entered
a nolle PROSE- as to the other indict-
ments against Crawford, and as to
the indictments pending against
Wheat, he said: .'At the time he
was arrested promises were made to
him that if he would take the stand
he would not be prosecuted, and
those promises having been made be-
fore the case came into the states
attorneys Office. l am not responsible
for them, but still it would be impos-
sible for me to offer those statements
in evidence against him and l am
therefore compelled. though reluc-
family, to enter nolle PROSE- as to