The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-29
CASE AGAINST CRUSEN
WHILE TECHNICALLY GUILTY,
THE COURT ~SUSPENDS SENTENCE.
The Charge Was that He Had Been
Guilty of Talking to n Witness i'm
the Tyler L%ynching Case.

the Tyler lynching case for an alleged con-
tempt of court and placed under a $1,000
bond, was yesterday found guilty of a tech
rical contempt of court, the sentence of the
court being suspended during good behavior.
Before the trial of the Tyler case began
Judge Baker instructed all the witnesses in
the case In regard TO their behavior during
the trial. He told them that they were not
to discuss the case with one another, either
before or after they had testified, and that
any violations Of his instructions would be
regarded as a contempt and the offender
would be punished accordingly.
There was considerable feeling manifested
between the witnesses or both sides of the
case, and especially was this feeling said
to be manifested against Charles Thomas
because OF his testimony, in which he
alleged that he had told the sheriff about
the coming of the mob and had mentioned
to him the names of the parties who were
getting it up. When Thomas was called up
On the stand to testify he said to the court
that there had been some effort made on the
part of some of the witnesses Of the de-
Tense TO intimidate him., and upon inquiry
of the court he said that Charles Crusen
had met him in the corridor just outside the
courtroom and had made the remark to
him, Thomas, IF you are not careful your
testimony will get you before the grand
jury" Thomas said he took this as a
threat that they would try to indict rim
Crusen was sent for by Judge Baker, and
upon being i~nterrogated said that what he
had said was simply in the nature of a
joke and that he had not intended to inter-
fere with the witness in his testimony be-
fore the court. After a reprimand from the
court the witness was allowed to go, and it
is charged that he again went TO the wit
ness CThomas) and asked him what he had
said to him. and that Thomas had replied
that he was a witness in the case and did
not want to talk about II. This second
conversation came to the ears of Judge
Baker and he Immediately had Thomas
| make AFFIDAVIT to the facts stated, and CRU
sen was arrested and afterward released on
bond.
CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS.
The trial Of the contempt proceedings
came up yesterday, and Thomas was placed
upon the stand and narrated in detail the
same story that he had told the court on the
occasion of Crusen's arrest. After the intro
duction Of one or two other witnesses of
the complainant, who testified that they had
heard the conversation between the witness
es and that it was substantially the same
as stated. the defendant, who was repre-
scented by Charles L. Jewett, of New AL
bany, the former judge advocate at Manila,
and Green Smith, of this city, called At
torney General Taylor to the stand. Mr..
Taylor said that when he was down in
Scottsburg Investigating the lynching that
Charles Crusen, the defendant, was one of
tie few officials of Scott county who had
given him assistance in the investigation.
He said that Cruiser, in his official capacity
as deputy auditor of Scott county, had called
a special meeting of the board of commits
sioners of Scott county and had endeavored
to persuade them TO offer a reward for the
far as he knew Mr.. CruSen was al hon.
orable gentleman and had no apparent in
terest in diverting justice by trying to in,
timidate a witness. After Mr.. Taylor had
testified there were several witnesses intro
duced, among them Mr.. Jewett and Senator
Shea, who testified that Mr.. Crusen was
enc of the most respected men I'm Scott
county. Mr.. Jewett was especially inter-
ested in the defendant because of a strong
said that Mr.. Cruiser. as deputy auditor of
Scott county, had the respect of every man
and woman in the county. He said that
there was not a more honorable gentleman
or q more honest one to be found anywhere.
But" said MIR. Jewett. like all other men
he has $ an unfortunate habit of jesting with
everyone ne meets and in this case Ii has
got him into trouble. In country places
\ IL IL ldhGi 10 Oil III III a hOOu ltllOW,
and some of them think 1t is one of the
essential qualities of a good mixer to be
! able to joke with every man one meets"
SENATOR SHEA TESTTFIES.
| Senator Shea testified substantially as Mr..
| Jewett, and said that he had known Mr..
| Crusen all his life and that he was a "high
minded, honorable gentleman"
When Mr.. Crlsen was on the stand he
said that he remembered that he had had
a conversation with. Thomas, but that he
| had nothing against him and that whatever
he had said to him was in the nature of a
Joke and that he had never intended to
intimidate him. Mr.. Crusen has the unfor-
tunate habit of suffering and his examina-
ton was somewhat tedious. After the festi-
mony was in Mr.. Jewett said that he only
desired TO make a few observations, and he
then spoke in glowing terms OF the charac-
ter of Charles Crusen. Among other things
he said that when he was following the flag
to a far-off land he had no thought that
dust, and he had heard Of the tragedy with
unspeakable horror. He characterized the
lynching as a terrible murder.
case. said that when Mr.. Crusen was first
brought before him NE had no idea of the
character that he Possessed, but that he
men as the attorney general. Mr.. Jewett,
Senator Shea and others who had testified.
He said that the court was willing 10 place
the best possible construction on the motive
OF Mr.. Crusen. but. nevertheless, he was
technically guilty Of contempt and that it
was the duty of the court to so find. but
the sentence indefinitely. and he hoped that
would mean for the period of Mr.. Crusen's
lifetime.
celebrated Tyler lynching case.