The herald., 1896-03-17
The Jurors In the Lowry Case Indignant at
Vandam's Statement

The Jurors In the Lowry Case Indignant at
Vandsm's Statement
Juror Vandam, who won some tempo.
rary notoriety by changing" the Lowry
Jury, has provoked a storm.
1t may be storm in a teapot, but it 10 a
storm all the same-while it lasts.
Certain of the eleven jurors appeared in
the district attorneys Office yesterday, and
protested strongly against Mr.. Vandam's
statement, as given by The HERALD on
Sunday morning. They entered general
objection to Mr.. Vandarn's alleged facts,
and then in detail gave denial to the more
important assertions.
The statement of Mr.. Vandam was, on
its face, sensible and straightforward. The
allegations of the jurymen who made COM
plant yesterday are certainly specific
enough, and the matter resolves itself fin
ally into one of veracity.
1t is claimed that the jury we're by no
means unanimous in the belief that Frank
Lowry had not appropriated the money to
his own use. and found him guilty simply
as an accessory, Furthermore, it is al
legged that Mr.. Vandam's actions were GU.
rious from the outset. In the jury room he
claimed that he was o friend of the de-
fendant's. and wasn't going to convict
him." 1.-THE prosecution ought not to have
taken me-" he is credited with saying, "for
I told them Lowry was friend Of mine."
There is slip somewhere. The ques-
being interrogated as to his qualifications
as juror were as follows:
"Do you know MIR. Ward?"
"Yes, sr.''
"How well?"
"Just merely know him."
"And Mr.. Lowry?"
"Yes, sir"
''How we'll do you know him?"
''Just about the same"
\ The above copy of the official record COR
rbborates Mr.. vandams utterances in
these columns. but are Numerically op-
posed to what he is credited with having
said in the jury room.
The points mentioned above. however,
might possibly result from misconception,
but Foreman Whitaker and Juror Bartl ett
allege that Mr.. Vandam passed most
of his time in a tiny room OPEN
ing off the jury room proper. and
the matter. That two women were
seen waving their handkerchiefs toward
the window at which Foreman Whitaker,
Vandam and another juror we're standing.
The foreman remarked that the women
were surely waving at them. mot at me-"
responded his companion. and thereupon
Mr.. Whitaker waved his handkerchief
and the women Disappeared.
This circumstance, taken in conjunction
with the fact that when the jury passed
along the street to meals passers by would
remark: "There goes the Lowry jury" and
would inevitably add to the remark state
ment as to how they stood, which was al
ways correct, proved conclusively that alb
solutely true information was leaking
from the jury room.
The insinuation thus conveyed is very
serious reflection upon Mr.. Vandam, and is
made all the more serious still when it is
claimed that he was heard to address the
remark to Frank Lowry on the staircase in
the courthouse: II may have lost my
reputation, but I've saved you!'
So the case stands. There are other
inrymen yet to be heard from, but the
three or four who yesterday spoke in reply
to Mr.. Vandam's statement made such q
series of assertions involving the honor
and good name of their number that a
thorough sitting of the matter would seem
now in order.