Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-11

Have seen this photo Supposedly
OF Ritchie) dozens of times; will not
say that at the Hamilton trial l did
not testify that this photo looked like
the man who was in my place.
Cross examination:
never saw this defendant (the
prisoner) before in my life, until
saw him in the Jail here.
Redirect examination.
Il will not swear that | did not see
him in my place.
An Instructed Verdict.
The state closed its testimony. The
jury was excluded from the room and
the defense by Captain Jaques moved
the court to direct a verdict of not
guilty on four grounds.
/. For want of evidence to connect
the defendant with the crime
2. While the crime is shown, the
defendants identity is not.
3. The testimony shows that de-
fendant was not connected with the
act.
4. Because the evidence is not suf-
flcient as a whole to establish defend
ants guilt.
The state was Sweating blood y
figuratively speaking. They knew the
court would sustain the motion and
asked that the case should be adjourn
ed until this morning, stating that they
had reason to believe that AN import
ant witness would arrive at that time,
by whom they could identify the
prisoner. This was shortly before
800 O'clock and Judge Sloan desir-
ing to be fair to both sides said that
he would adjourn until $3.50 o'clock
and if the sheriff, who in the mean
time had gone to Washington after
Stevens, was heard from at that time
and said that he had Stevens, the case
would be continued until this morning,
otherwise the trial would proceed.
Three-thirty came and no answer.
The state was in despair. Court re-
convened and upon being informed
that no favorable answer had been re,
ceived, Judge Sloan instructed the
jury to return verdict for the de-
PENDANT, after selecting one of their
number as foreman. The courts in
structions follow
Gentlemen of the jury: There is
practically no evidence connecting the
defendant with the crime charged in
the indictment. 1t is fact that prac-
tically all the evidence is to the re-
verse of that. There is no use in
consulting you. You are therefore
directed to return verdict Of not
guilty. Whether the defendant is
guilty or innocent is a question we
can determine only upon evidence
and we cannot convict him upon sus-
picion."
Without retiring the foreman select
ed, signed the verdict which had been
prepared and Samuel j. Ritchie was
a free man. In company with one of
his attorneys and the private secretary
to r. A. Wade, his Chicago attorney,
he left the court room, after hearing
Judge Sloan say to him that he was
free man. A second Indictment
charging Richie with larceny from a
building was dismissed and then there
was no possible charge on which to
hold him.
Richie betrayed not the slightest
elation. He picked up his hat and
walked out of the court room just as
lelsurely as tho he had merely come
| in on business and was departing after
finishing it. People who watched him
closely say that he did not SO much as
by the culver of muscle, betray any
emotion in the slightest degree
Dick and Richie are chummy.
The fact that Dick Dodd and Richie
We're strangers before the trial of the
latter, did not prevent them from be-
coming acquainted last evening. They
met in the Ballingall hotel, and after
short conversation repaired to the
bar room where it is said Richie
bought Dick cigar. 1t is said they
seemed to feel very comfortable to
ward each other and had the bearing
of men who were ''out of the woods
Large Amount of Money Used.
Richie is said to have received
about $1,000 by express since his in
generation in the Wapello county Jail
the most of it, it is said, sent by his
wife. While it is said that Other
amounts varying from $50 to $500
came from persons in Chicago.
Was Model Prisoner.
Since REtchie was brought to OF
tumwa he has not given the slightest
trouble to Turnkey Robert Anderson
He was model prisoner and never
| quarreled with the other inmates Of
the steel cage in which he was confin
ed. All the same the turnkey never
relaxed his vigilance and now that
Richie is no longer under his care
breathes sigh of relief.
Interview With Richie.
where did you get anything abou,
my wife being responsible for the dis
| appearance of Dick Dodd, or with
having anything to do with his going
away?" was the question that was put
to the reporter by Samuel Richie
after the reporter had been introduced
by Attorney 10. R. Jaques in the Bal
| lingall hotel last evening. The re
porter told Mr.. Richie previous to his
putting the question that the Courier
would print anything he had to say
about his side of the recent case il
which he was accused of burglarizine
the Eldon bank.
The reporter said that the Courier
| had made no such assertion and Mr.
Richie said that all he knew about Il
was what he read in the Courier. The
reporter said he would have to bs
\ HshouO - and rof docjrinp to ant a pon