Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-12-23
CLOSING UP THE CASE,
Storm Drain Conspiracy Pro.
ceedings Reach Ar.
guments.
PLsADISGs OF TIE COUNSEL

Pssitica rsssn By the Atso,a eys for tn,
Defense - states Attorney sear,e Con
Gliding f-r the Prosecution This AT. r
noor- shsn c mes the judges lo.,r,c
tiens. snd the Jaeors Wis Have IL.
The storm drain conspiracy cas-,
will in all probability 20 to the jury
tonight. States Attorney Searle be
gan the closing argument for tt,
state At 2:3o this afternoon. He re
viewed the case from its inception
and sought TO show that it was, a.
alleged. conspiracy to defraud the
city. When States Attorney Searle
closes. Judge Gtst will deliver his
instructions. and then the case viii
be in the hands OF the jury.
At 3:l5 the jury withdrew from
the court room, while the state asked
that al error in date Ia the te,ti.
mony OF Aid. Kennedy be corrected,
the court rep >rter's notes showing
iha, Looney aud Kelly had been al
the alderman's home Jan. l6, instead
Of Nov. 16.
b d. ConnellT. counsel for vii.
liam Nevin. addressed the jury a,
the opening Of court this morning
He stated HE Embarrassment, wins
20 his recent employment, at COMM
into tbs case after the Jury was
selected and upon the retirement Of
Maj Bea,dsley On scccun. OF illness
The Substance OF his argument was
tina: no Conspiracy was proven, and
whateyet was done that might be
wrong. no verdics OF guilty could be
had On the itd;ctment. lie claimed
that tie sewer Wa, good job and
would las. for years. He ASKED 70,
q fair. candid Consideration OF bis
clients interests aud for the Jurors
70. to allow items ,lves to be influ
enced by the public c!smor.
At ~ o'clock Mr.. Ken worthy began
the closing argument for the defense
He cautioned the Jurors as to theil
obligation under their oaths to give
the Defendant candid hearing. He
denied the formation Of cons piracy
at the time the contract was let, bs.
cause the state admitted tina. Nal
hern was innocent, and no one but
Mulhern and Nevin were connected
'olester ct that time; and assuming
that q conspiracy was formed b,
that time that no connection OF
Looney & Kelly, Dro.t or Schnei
was shown. The balance OF his ar
gument was a review Of the tes.i
mony Of Lshiff and Cox and
claiming its utter unrelia oil
ity. He argued that withou. thi.
testimony there was no case syains'
his clients. The attatk on thes.
witnesses was unrrl. nting, Ken
worthy csll ng them confessed per
jurers, brioe takers. thieves, vsg
abords. and miserable scoundrels
Epithets failed the counsel to properly
haracterize his opinion Of their con.
duct. He pleaded for sympathy for
his clients and urged the jury to ind
them not guilty, il their cons cience.
and oaths would allow them 70 do SO
Opening Of Aree m-sts.
The arguments to the Jury ver,
begun at 2 o'clock yesterday after
noon. z. ID. Sweeney. Of the CO q Sc
for the prosecution. spoke first. II,
talked for two hours. He gave ,
p ain detailed review OF tn, .v,
dence. He conceded the innoceuc,
of MulheTn, and said there VIA. moth
ing to prevent the nolle pressing o.
the indictment against him. As Il
all the other defendants. Nc. Ssee
ney held they were guilty, and ash ed
their conviction. He claimed tn,
existence OF a conspiracy from the
beginning OF the storm drain con.
tract between Schueli, Loorey. Kslly
aud Ne,ia, as evidenced by tho co n
vxrsa,ion Of Lahiff and Cox at Loo
ney & Kelly's Office, and Looney's
remark to William Edwards at the
council cham Der that he might AS
vel have made his bid {, 900 more.
As TO Lahiff, Cox aud D.ost. Mr.
SseoIey said they came into The
conspiracy subs, quen,ly in order tc
msintain tire osigina, schone to &c.
fraud the city.
NJ. III. Sturgeon, attorney ioI
&C ,nell. followed, and occupied tn,
attention o. the court and jury 10,
an hour aud half. He CLAIMED his
client was an unfortunate creature OF
Circumstances; that sll the slight in
crimiDatine facts we're simply the
Outcome OF Schnell's erdeavor Il
assist Nevin by going on his bond
and that without the evidence Of Co,
aud Lshil there was absolutely moth
Ing against his client, and that Co,
aud Lahid were shown to be bri betsk
ers, thieves, etc. With reference Il
the cement, Mr.. Sturgeon commended
that by the use OF Milwaukee q third
less was required. and consequently
by tie difference in price q reduced
cosi Of $500. lie held that Milwau
kee was better than Portland cement
in q Job like the storm drain. II.
Lad 60 apologies to ofrsg for Neviu
but claimed Schueil was en,irel,
blamsless in the matter.