The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-02-04
JURY
RETIRES
-
Judge Bechtel Delivers His Charge and
Defines the Law.
NOT As SEVERE As EXPECTED !
The Trial of the County commissioner a
Reached Its Last Stage and Those
Interested Await the Verdict
With Much Apparent
Impstience.

lOlIANlllt, ftDs 81 ne lOlG drawn out
case against the County Commissioner has
at last reached the hands of the jurors and
many beside the principals and lawyers are
relieved, as the trial has been one of the most
tedious and monotonous ever tried in this
county.
In closing his charge to the jury Judge
Bechtel said he would leave the whole matter
TO the jury, and intimated that he did not
wish to impress his opinion upon them. Talk
as to the mildness or severity of the charge
is about equally divided.
1t was 1910 o'clock when the Jury retired
to deliberate on its verdict.
wHITEHoUsE's PLEA.
Mr.. Whitehouse began at $3.50 O'Clock and
charged that the corporations were seeking
to override the will of the people. They
want the offices, and you have seen mon out
of jobs here and on the stand who want APP
pointments. They have been giving infor-
nation to the Commonwealth and at least
one Of them has been the most disgraced
witness who left that stand. A man is not
made criminal because he makes a mistake.
If you did you'd have the jails filed. A
Justice of the Peace is 4 sworn officer and
what do we do with him when he makes a
mistake? Do we indict him ? No. We ap-
peal to this court, and if We believe this
court to have made a mistake va anno.I IN
the Supreme Court. and somotimes we annual
from that body TO the limited state sunrems
Court, and if the decision poss apaipst ma VI.
come AWAY sbusing tho .Tudoas for wbot NO..
believe TO he q mistake.
General Grant mada mistokss md xat IL q
man were to charge him with doing ANYTHING
wrong he wouldn't live in Pott.ville long
General Mcclellan. patriot and yr.at g.parsI
though he was. was removed from his nosi.
ton by the machinations and cbargas bronubt
against him at the rear. Every cor.oration
about here was opposed to tho nav countv
bill and issped nass.s to vonted
them and had inAuance. Tn. mon.v .nent
by the Commissioners was not oue.tentb of
the amount needed to defeat that hill. Had
the Orphans Court bill passed we would have
lost one Judge and Judge Bechtel would
not nave been on that bench TODAY. because
his term would have expired.
Unless Senator Losch is very foolish he
would not have given that agreement into
the hands of the Commonwealth were it not
for the fact that he vn,to to get even with
those commissioners, because they did not
appoint the Warden, Deputy Warden, clerk
and assistant %janitor that he wanted them to.
They want positions aud are after them.
As evidence that the law Contemplatss inn.
perfections in officials the speaker cited an
act which provides that "if by accident or
mistake" such a thing occurs, it shall be
remedled in a certain name
Mr.. Whitehouse referred to those who
worked up the French revolution of 1892 and
referred to POntius PLATE, the ~craftest politi-
can of his day, who worked up the
populace against Christ to cruelty him. He
compared VIM. l.. Sheater, the prosecutor in
this case, to Pontius Plate and asked not
only u verdict Of not guilty but that the costs
be put upon the prosecutor. 1t was 4:O5
when Mr.. Whitehouse closed.
wHALEN's ~ELoQUENCE.
Mr.. Whalen at once began the final speech
for tho prosecution and said that instead Of
VIM. j.. Shoafer washing his hands of the
guilt of this prosecution, the defendants had
endeavored all through this trial to wash
their hands of guilt, and put it upon the
heads Of their clerks and others. He took
up the speeches of the defendants counsel.
As to the decrease Of expenses at the prison
he said Mr.. Wilhelm had promised, in his
speech, to prove that the county expenses
had been increased; and along comes Mr..
Mari and says they have been reduced. The
fact is the total prison expenses nave in
creased, but the cost per prisoner appears to
have been reduced about s cents per day. In
reference to bridge repairs he declared that
il there was a board loose up at KliL Eerstomn,
they would start out on q tour Of inspection.
The defendants had tried to make Judge
Pershing responsible for their award of the
lighting contract. Mr.. Whalen said he him.
Market street, and some Of the Jurors had