The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-22
HALF A SCORE ARE GUILTY.
TYSON AND NINE CONSPIR ATORS
PLEADED GUILTY IN COURT.

PLEADED NtALA1 aN OOORI.
only One, Franklin D. wilkes, Per-
sisted in the Assertion of His In
nOcence-In His Case the District
Attorney Consented to the Jury
Returning Verdict of Not Guilty
and Wilkes Was Given His Free
dom-Judge spcer's Praise for
the Jury, District Attorney and
POStOfice Inspector Peer-The Men
VIII BE Sentenced Tomorrow.
When District Attorney Erwin an
nounced that the government rested is
case against Daniel A. Tyson and the ten
men indicted with him for conspiracy TO
defraud through the use of the mails in
The United States Court yesterday morn
ing, the counsel for the defendants asked
for time to confer with their clients. 1t
was granted and resulted in all of them,
save one, pleading guilty.
The exception was Franklin D. Wilkes,
who persisted that he was not guilty and
IN whose case the district attorney con-
scented to a verdict Of not guilty by the
jury. The others all entered pleas and adj
of them will be sentenced by Judge Speer
tomorrow morning. They are D. A. Ty-
son, j. H. Hutchinson, w. L. Hutchinson,
Norris w. Hutchinson, ]. NJ. Harrell. j.
T. Hammond, r. L. Kicks. c. J. Phillips,
J. S. Wheeler, Jr., alias A. L. Wheeler,
and II. B. Watts. alias c. j. Watts
The confession came as surprise 10
everybo From the first the men have
bitterly contested the contention of the
government that they were guilty ana
have been loud in their protestations of
innocence. When the Indictment was
read to them and they were arraigned by
The district attorney, at the inception of
the trial, not a man Of them but answer
ed mot guilty" in tone in which the
closest listener could detect no trace of
nervousness or excitement. The sudden
descent that they made from this lofty
pinnacle of almost sublime innocence to
the lowgrounds of confessed guilt was
shock to those who have followed the
case, not that the men are guilty, but
that they have acknowledged it,
The better part of an hour was spent by
counsel for the defendants, Judge Twiggs
and his associates, in consultation with
their clients and the district attorney. Ii
is understood that at this conference the
majority of the prisoners, as well as the
attorneys, Acknowledged that it was quite
useless to prolong the trial and that YER
dict of guilty was all that could be eX-
pected. To probing the trial, therefore,
with this verdict of guilty furnishing the
only logical conclusion, saVored Of the I'M
necessary, and certainly did not appeal to
counsel or prisoners as proper method
of reducing the punishment or one that
l-11rw s~rF1f ffrrgf if
of the sentences imposed. Thus il was
that they all. with the exception of
Wilkes, agreed to enter The pleas.
This announcement was made by Judge
TWiggs a the conclusion of the recess
that had been granted at counsels re-
quest Judge Twiggs said THAI the dis
trict attorney had agreed that he and his
associates should have an opportunity to
address the court upon the subject of their
clients participation in the conspiracy
and the Worthness of some of them to
receive the consideration of the court.
Judge Speer said he would listen to coun-
sci on this question tomorrow morning,
but would not hear of any compromise
agreement as to She sentences. This, he
said, must be left 10 the court
AS TO Wilkes the distrist attorney did
not insist upon a plea or verdict of
guilty but admitted that the case against
this defendant had not been made out or
able doubt. The jury then returned, as
to Wilkes, a verdict of not guilty. The
wife of Wilkes has been in constant at
tendance upon the trial, and was over
joyed and almost overcome at the release
of her husband from custody. They de-
parted in each others company. Wilkes
was recently appointed postmaster
Covena, Ga, but his commission was held
up by the department. Now that the jury
has found him innocent of the crime with
which the indictment charged him, which
charge was the cause of his commission
being held up, il is possible that it will
be given him anew, and that he will be
permitted TO assume direction and control
of the Office to which he was appointed
by the President.
In Diminishing the jury, Judge Speer
took occasion to compliment its members
upon the close attention they had given
to the introduction of the evidence and
the proceedings at the trial.
Thus ends" said Judge Speer, zone of
the most notable cases ever tried in a
United States court in this country, 1t
Is also the first jury cause ever tried in
this beautiful structure, provided by the
generosity of Congress for the use of our
people. 1t is a case of the utmost conse-
quence to the community and to the safe
ty and certainty of commercial transact
tons and also to the integrity and charac-
ter of the state. This. has been badly
smirched by the widespread frauds ac-
complished by these defendants through
the misuse Of the mails, and>you, gentle
men, have by your own fidelity to duty
your obedience to the instructions
of the court, and your scrupulous atten-
ton to the evidence contributed much 10
bring about this entirely just and right
eous result.
Il must say also, that / think the dis
trfct attorney, Mr.. Erwin, and the post
office inspector, Mr.. Peer, both deserve
great credit for the power skill, and care
fitness exerted by them in the prepara-
ton Of this case and the presentation of
the complicated and difficult evidence,
embracing the testimony of more than so
witnesses and documentary evidence COW
ering shipments from many states in the
Union. in such manner that the learned
counsel for the prisoners, in the perform
anca of iheir dufN felt the nrnfeesinral