The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-22
THE ARGUMENT.
Each Side Allowed Three Hours De-
fore the Jury.


fore the Jury.
The testimony concluded. Judge Afford
announced that he would allow but three
hours to each side for argument, so as to
complete the case last night. About 2
o'clock Attorney Pugh made the opening
argument for the State lie recited the
law on bribery and what constitutes case
of bribery. In dealing with the evidence
Mr.. Pugh said it was of such nature as
to show beyond doubht that Higgins had
solicited brides, not only from D. NJ. Parry,
but from other business men. The defend
ant, he said. made a practice of this per-
nicious business, and became so embold-
ened that he did not stop to consider the
gravity of the crime. Mr.. Pugh told of the
statements accredited to Higgins when the
defendant said he was not in the Council
for his health, and that. as 1t had cost him
considerable money to get into the Council
and he only received $3.50 year salary, he
was going to make as much out of the Of
flee as he could. He said Higgings APP
preached Mr.. Parry, aud. not being able
to get $1,000 for his influence to get the
switch ordinance through the Council, re-
duced his attempted bribe to $500, and when
he found he could not extort that amount
he came down to 500. Attorney Pugh also
recited the testimony of other witnesses.
His argument was concluded at $50 in the
afternoon.
Attorney Spaan followed Pugh, and he
made the only argument for the defense,
closing his remarks with touching appeal
to the jury at Clio In opening Attorney
Spaan said: There is one thing desire to
call your attention TO upon the threshold of
this case and that is, the State of Indiana,
xxrf%l =, oil t~.l It'd hos
terly unable, with all its testimony. to
show that my client has ever had dishon-
est dollar In his pocket.
A REMARKABLE CASE.
This case is remarkable in some OF its
phases-the most important being the two
chief characters that have been brought
before you. You have heard Mr.. Parry
lauded and my client decried. We are en-
titled to present cur side-our deductions,
weaknesses on the part of the State and
the strength of the defense. i invite you
to contrast the picture drawn by the gen.
tleman who just represented the State No
matter who the citizen may be, be he ever
so rich or ever so humble, it is the impera-
tive duty of the State that he be tried by
jury L want you to remember that while
the State of Indiana is entitled TO a hear
ing my client is also entitled to a hearing.
You cannot whistle down this case by say
ing the defendant is guilty OF perjury and
decide his guilt on that basis
Attorney Span then rehearsed the oaths
the members of the jury took TO try the
case on it's evidence and inpartiality He
then took up the contrast between Mr..
Parry the chief witness for the State, and
his client. I'VE don't measure men by
their pocketbooks," said he. Attorney
Span then denounced Mr.. Parry in scath-
ing language. I'VE have been told he
said, that MIR. Parry carries in his person
a sort of sacredness because he has been
successful I'm life. What is success In life?
Is IL being the head OF big corporation. or
does IL mean integrity of purpose and
heart? The poorest drayman who tolls out
the weary hours of life and cares for his
children Is just as much entitled To consid-
era ton as the proudest president of any
corporation earth. The history of this
country does not show that the president
of a corporation Is the best citizen, and he
does not always get his money honestly.
They are not so very careful as 10 how
they succeed in life.
"Higgins was as good a citizen up to the
time OF this charge, as far as the evidence
is concerned, as ID. NJ. Parry ever pre-
tended TO be. Higgins's walk in life was
not the same as Parry, the proud president
of a corporation. but just as an unedu-
Gated Irishman given some 10 swearing
and some TO drinking, and. as rar as the
evidence shows, not a dishonest dollar
ever came into his pocket. He loves his
family as much as Parry does his. He Is
beyond reproach as far as honesty is con-
cerned. The question is. will you believe