Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-01-27
The BabcOck Trial.

Special 10 Inc MhulSOTl DeHOrTHb,
MAUsToN, Jan. 22.-The case OF
Potter vs.. The Necehah Lumber COM
pany, which has been on trial here for
the last ten days, was brought to
close by verdict for the defendants.
The jury was out only a short time.
When the complaint in this case was
filed much notriety was given it in
| Wisconsin and the Associated Press
carried the news all over the United
States that Congressman j. w. Bah
cock, who was n member of the firm,
had been sued for conspiracy and at
tempt to defraud. The plaintiff in the
case brought suit for S4l 900, and
charged that the defendant had enter
ed into conspiracy by which the es-
tate OF George A. Potter was defrauded
of this amount, but in the trial no
evidence was introduced that would
tend to show II conspiracy on the part
of the defendants and by the testimony
I of expert witnesses, which was uncon-
tradictcd, 1t was proved by the Niece
dab Lumber company had actually
paid 1921 900 more than the estate was
worth. Among the witnesses as to
the value Of certain lands were eX-
Governor w. II. Upham, of Marsh
field, James J.. Gates, of Milwaukee,
and Ira t'ike, who has for 20 years
been the chairman of the town in
which II large portion Of the timber
lands in question were located. The
plaintiff made no attempt to introduce
testimony in rebuttal of these expert
Witnesses.
The result of course is II full vindica-
tion Of the company, and the feeling
Of those who listened to the trial Is
that there was no foundation whatever
upon which to bring the suit.
LHCrosse Chronicle.
Representatives j. w. Babcock's
many friends will be glad to know
| bIIul IIt lIhN D'tlI Nlllultbbth III WV
trial just concluded ut Mansion, in
which Mrs. George A. Potter had
charged him and the Necedah Lum-
Der Co.. with fraud. The chief sig
nihcancc of the verdict for the dclen-
dants lies in the fact that an attempt
seemed to be made to make political
capital out of the case. tt was elab-
oratcly paradcd in the newspapers in
advance.
Madison Democrat
II one is to Judge from the news re-
ports from Maustin, the suit against
Congressman Babcock, rs we'll M
against his business associates, has
eventuatcd in what falls very little
short of being u liasco. The charges
were ugly in the extreme, embracing
conspiracy to defraud n certain wom-
an who owned stock in II business with
which he Was prominently identified,
the Juggling Of accounts to show n
reduced valuation of property, and
other doings equally dishonorabc.
The complaint was drawn in II singu-
larly sensational style and its publ
cation was exploited SO conspicuously
In u certain Milwaukee newspaper
known to be politically hostile to Mr..
Babcock and aftcrward that paper
was circulated SO widely over Bah
cock y district, that it Is not remark
able that strong conviction ut once
took possession Of the public mind
that the whole proceeding had it's in
SEPARATION in partisan luminosity. This
conviction will naturally be greatly
strengthened by the result of the trial.
Indeed, those who followed the tt-ti-
mony from day to day We're convinced
long before the conclusion that the
case was wholly one-sided. While
Congressman BahcorlS and his Assoc
ciatcs have been us fully indicated as
Is possible in Il court of law they are
yet entitled To that wider vindcatiou
which an honorable press is ever will
ing to accord to men against whom 1t
may have previously been led to cir
culate false accusations.
Aberdeen >. Oak. Daily News: