The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-15
Banker Evans, of Jopesbcro. and ,. W.
to- SwindIing Farmer.
ENTIRE LEGAL BAR AROUSED
FIVE LAWYERS CHARGED WITH At
TEMPTING To BUY THE JURY.
Grief Matthews. Employed 90 Bribe
Neniremen, Makes Confession-
Prominent People Implicated.


MARION. Ind. Feb. l.-The return OF
the jury tonight i'm the case Of Banker
John &. Evans. Of Jonesboro. and j. W.
Crum. an insurance man Of Marion, fixing
the punishment CT both for swindling
Farmer Alfred Maines. is scarcely wave
in the sensation that is TO arise out OF this
noted case. Jury bribery aud corruption, in
volving a dozen prominent men Of the
county, is to be investigated and the en-
tire Marion bar has offered its services 10
the court to assist i'm purging the county
of this rottenness- The jury in the Evans
and Crum case brought i'm its verdict about
o'clock this evening. and the nnding is
that Banker Evans shall serve five years
in the penitentiary. pay a $1,000 fine and be
disfrancised for five years. Crum is TO
serve three years. pay $50 fine and be dis
franchised for three years.
The stubborn fight OF these two men &c
keep out OF prison began before the first
jury 10 try their case was impaneled. and
the desperate means of bribery were en-
poyed. Grief Matthews. the man who was
employed TO fix the prospective jurors, is
now in jail and on Saturday ne made a
startling confession i'm which he duplicates
four well-known attorneys of this city. and
details under oath, the conversation with
these lawyers and the plans they laid 10
thwart the ends Of justice. This confess
sion. becoming generally known at Marion.
a meeting of the Bar Association was called
in the evening and the document. which Is
now before the court. read. a resolu-
tion was adopted Offering the court the
services OF the Bar Association in probing
the case and prosecuting to the fullest ex-
/ tent every man Connected with the scandal.
There will be "A special session of the grand
| jury on Tuesday and a special prosecutor
will appear before ii TO push the investiga-
| ton. Every man whose name appeared on
| the special venire ordered TO try the two
men the first time will be brought before
the grand jury. together with prominent
men of this city who are suspected Of hav-
ing hand i'm the affair.
Eyans and Crum the convicted men. were
charged with selling a package of green
goods TO Farmer Haines last August. after
having obtained from him $1,000 in cash
and a $4,000 note. for which consideration
| $1,000 in money alleged to be made from
! stolen government plates was TO be turned
over. AS i'm all like cases the farmer found
| a few pounds OF brown paper the result OF
| his investment. The next day he secured
the indictment of the two swindlers. Their
trial was set for last Monday, but before
1t had progressed two days Juror Culbertson
was stricken with heart disease and this
trial collapsed. Joseph KEN, OF the
| venfemen, who was not chosen as a juror,
charged that Grief Matthews had offered
him $50 TO hang the jury In case he be-
came member of it. Matthews was arrest
ed. new jury in the meantime having bees
impaneled on account of the illness OF Juror
Cubertson.
MATTHEWS'S CONFESSION
Last Saturday Matthews weakened and
to his attorney made confession after sub
scribing 10 il under oath. In this he says
he was solicited by Evans and Crum last
summer TO purchase green goods but de-
clined. When Alfred Haires made his COM
plant against the two men. Evans and
Crum employed Matthews TO look after
the jurors asking him to see men whose
names appeared on the venire. Matthews
states in his confession that the two men
took him TO law office where four attor-
news were gathered and there the entire
party went over the list OF veniremen. Mat
thews being given the names OF those whom
he was to visit. Among these names was
that Of Joseph KEN. who to be Of
fered $50 TO hang the jury. KEN Is the man
who afterwards made the charge against
Matthews. The confession states that Zach
an ian Friermood was another OF she venire-
men 10 be influenced. through his cousin.
Marx Marx Mtthsws TfeR9Etsd tbs tbs
|
the veniremen. ''all right" The confession
and details the alleged conversation
tween the attorneys and Matthews, Crum
and Evans. quoting one OF the lawyers as
saying that Friermood was stubborn fel-
low who had better be let alone. This law
yer. according to the same source. vouch-
safed the Information that Ladd was
man anybody might approach. Matthews
claims that two of these lawyers detailed
him the mission Nenireman KEN.
He also says that the fourth attorney told
: him he had better put in considerable time
Nit hers NJ hn ftrF-x el
several OF this panel would probably be
found on the jury to try the green goods
the regular panel then he could devote mis-
entire time To the special Veniremen. IL
seems that Evans and Crum had a dozen
prominent men on the heels OF the deputy
sheriffs who were serving the summons on
the veniremen and these citizens will be
among those called upon to talk TO the
= grand jury on Tuesday.
The conviction OF Evans and Crum is re-
ceived here with favorable comment The
former was. at the time of his arrest pres
, ident OF the State Bank OF Jones bOrO. while
: Crum was the Marion agent for the Metro
York, which makes speciality OF inSur-
ing people for small amounts. The insur-
ance man had a close call some time ago,
when the prison confronted him, but he
escaped conviction He lived at Shelbyvills
and there wrote a number OF policies in a
mythical IRE insurance company. lie WAS
| becoming prosperous till fire brought an
I end TO his operations. The exposure OF this
I he moved TO Marion. where he made the
a | acquaintance of Banker Evans.
THE GREEN GOODS GAME
: Farmer Haines. the victim of the two
p swindlers. was cousin OF Evans by mar
: riage. one Sunday in August the two
\ swindlers drove out 10 Hainos's place. near
e Coronado. and spent the day with ths
: farmer. unfolding a scheme whereby the
: trio could grow rich at rapid pace. The
farmer is a man Of considerable means.
having property worth perhaps $4,000.
Evans told him that the Metropolitan In
I sirance Company by which Crum VS. en-
4 ployed. had in its possession, in New York.
/ / currency plates that had been stolen from
: / the government years ago and that II man
4 , ufacturcd money which was distributed 10
. I purchasers through its agents over the
< | country For Sl.C00 in lawful money. SOU
; ! OF the spurious stun would be given. 10
: was shown that there was absolutely 10
: ! danger OF detection. as the government has
: issued vast sums OF money from these
n plates before they were stolen, and that
q ia was. therefore. impossible for anyone 70
| detect the good money from the bad. AIR.
- | Hafnes could readily see lust as they