The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-11
The Speech Of Mr.. Meares.

Lie OUGGCU VI UxI. MGdICSs
Mr.. Spears spoke just one hour and
then stopped, he said, ON account of be-
ing unwell. He was followe by Mr..
Meares for the defence.
"Why." asked Mr. Mears. did the de-
PENDANT Marshall remain silent when the
counterfeiting investigation at Whining
ton began? The district attorney asked
this question. But has not the Detective
Perry answered it? Did he not tell YOU
that when Politz was arrested Marshall
sent for him perry and he Perry did
not go to see him.
He spoke of MarShall's previous good
character and added:
And witness after witness has come
here and said THAT MarshallS character
is still held to be good in the CITY in which
he resides Even out of the mouths of
government witnesses this has been prov
Cd
Mr.. Meares argued that man of Mar
shall's ability and standing, with his
prospects and opportunities for making
am honest living. would not engage IN
counterfeiting. Touching the letters or
dering material for CotSobelus he said
'.If he be not q food of the worst type,
would ne have ordered this stuff on paper
with his card printed ON ii, signed has
own name, have it sent by express and
delivered at his office? Why for SO ne
could have gone to Philadelphia IN per-
sem. put the stuff in his trunk and
brought it hack and no man could ever
have known it.
The letters were commented ON at
length, and Mr.. Meares charged that
there was one letter missing from the
batch. This he said, would have explain
ed Marshall's connection with the mat
ter. and had been taken out by some
bod-.
"And where is CotsObelus? Why is he
not here today? He's the chief eonspira-
tor. They know where he is Why is he
not here? His absence shows that If
he were here he would mot have helped
the prosecution. They know what he
would have said, and that's why he's not
here"
1t was contended by Mr.. Meares that
inducements were held out to Politz to
confess.
.Politz! / pity the man. In a strange
land among strangers; detected IN ms
crime; thrown into Jail with his wrong
doing and certain punishment staring HIM
in the face! Through his dull mind fit
visions of oriental dungeons where a
CLEAN of sunlight never comes. From a
hole chuncks of bread are thrown TO
SUSTAIN life that life may sustain tor
ture. Politz thus dreamed of the penl-
Tertiary and thus dreaming he was but
putty in the hands of the detective"
This brought Mr.. ,Meares to a con-
sideration of detectives and their char
acter.
''There is among the most abandoned
women a certain sort of fidelity. Among
| thieves there is certain sort of honor.
| But the detective when he goes into
the den of criminals and persuades them
| to take him into their confidence leaves
| hle to say there is honor even among
| thieves
| Coming to Hawkins evidence Mr..
! Meares said
Il am willing for the jury to judge
between Hawkins and the other convicts.
| Politz made his confession to Hawkins.
| Hawkins wrote to Marshall, and Mar
shalfs attorneys went to see Hawkins.
know not to whom the district attorney
referred when he talked of some one
bribing Hawkins. / don't think he could
have meant NMarshal's attorneys. When
Hawkins wrote that letter he didn't know
Marshall or Marshall's attorneys"
Closing, Mr.. Meares dwelt at length
on the good character of the defendant.
saving that on one side in this case We're
a lot of treacherous Greeks and con-
yicts. while ON the other was a man OF
highest character and untarnished repu-
| tation.
character is a jewel of value and
must not be lightly destroyed. Important
as is the preservation of the purity of the
coin. mo less important is the preserva-
tion of the sanctity of private character.
Argument of COL Argo.
Col Argo began his speech by calling
attention to the fact that Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Spears did not review the
evidence or lay down the grounds on
which the government would contend for
the conviction of the defendant,
He tried simply to divert the atten-
tom of the Jury from the real facts and
issua i'm this case. The court is not here
to convict any more than to acquit. The
Signature !; &NzZezzw