The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-10-31
State Closes Its Part of the Bribery
Case and Furthman Asks
Dismissal of Charges
PLEADS THE LACK OF EVIDENCE.
Charles Reinardy and Jesse S. Newberry
Give Strong testimony of the
Guilt of the Accused.
(From Tuesdays Daily }

=
derman John Caster, charged with &C
cepting bride, was resumed before
Court Commissioner Henry Hastings
this morning and the case against the
ex-alderman, as presented by the
State, was made stronger by lot of
corroberative testimony.
With the opening of the case this
morning City Clerk Jacob was called
to review the evidence he had given
and make few additions and correc-
tons. After this Charles Reinardy,
another of the star witnesses of the
State, was placed on the stand. Evil
IDENTIFY Reinardy had been given the
full details of the alleged conspiracy,
as told by Caster, and he laid the mat
ter before the court in a manner that
made every point clear. Attorney
Furthman attempted to sheer at the
witness, but the sneers of the attorney
for the defense only proved a foil for
the wit of Reinardy and in the passage
of personal compliments the witness
repeatedly brought the laugh at the
expense of the attorney.
The evidence of Reinardy was large
1y the same as that which had been
presented by Alderman K1eist on Fri
day last. Reinardy reviewed the af-
fair in the K1eist saloon and told of
the different meetings between himself
and the District Attorney. He. told al
SO of one interview at the home of
Caster, at which time Police Officer
John Orth had been discovered be-
hind the door listening to the econver-
sation between Reinardy, Caster and
Buckmaster. This testimony crea ted
a laugh in the court room. The only
new feature brought out by the testi-
mony of the States witness was the
fact that another little social session
had been held by Mr.. C1ausen and the
aldermen at the Langen saloon on
Main street.
AT this session, according to the
statement of Caster as told by Rein
ardy, the Railway company had con-
tributed a hundred dollars which were
divided among six aldermen as fol-
lows: Aldermen Caster, Sershon,
O'Brien, Smith, Weier and Pirsch
A witness who produced a good inn
preston for the case of the state was
Jesse S. .Newberry of the Montgomery
Lumber company, at which place Gas
ter was formerly employed.
Mr.. Newberry has not been in any
way connected with the case. When
called to the stand he testified that
after the preliminary hearing of the
accused aldermen had been started
Caster told him that he had received
$4,000 from C1ausen for voting for the
franchise ordinance. He also stated
to Newberry that one thousand dollars
had been divided between Smith,
Pirsch and himself.
The attorney for the defendant made
no effort to cross examine Newberry.
When the hearing was opened this
afternoon the State at once rested its
case and Attorney Flurthman made a
motion that the case be dismissed on
the grounds that the "corpus deficit"
had not been proved. The argument
is still being made as we go to press,
but it is probable that decision will
be reached before the close of court
today.
(From Wednesdays Daily.@
The preliminary hearing of John
Caster, charge ed with bribery, promises
to be drawn out until the close of the
week, for at the session of the court
Tuesday, after the attorney for the de-
Tense had argued more than three
hours for the discharge of his client,
he asked that another adjournment be
granted in order that he might bring
to Kenosha more law books by which
to attempt to show that the court has
no power to hold the defendant for
trial.
The interesting argument of the
point in question was listened to by
large crowd of people who had almost
packed the courtroom. Mr.. Furthman
was very bitter in his argument, in his
treatment Of the attorneys and wit
nesses for the State. Mr.. Furthman
certainly made an eloquent and i'm
FASHIONED appeal on behalf of Caster,
but to the average man the speech
seemed to be more for a jury of the
people, than for the cold and meditat
ing court. The speech evidently
tick1ed the people who had gathered to
hear it, but at the conclusion
the court was forced to remind the
attorney that his point was not well
taken on account of the fact that no
confession of Mr.. Caster had been in
troduced in evidence, nor had the at
torneys for the State brought any evil
dence which showed that the defend
ant hadmade the statements accredited
to him for the purpose of assisting IN
the conviction of any other man &C
cused. The Court stated that he could
not see under what law Caster could
claim the protection of the State in
his confessions. al
In replying to the oratory of Mr.
Furthman, the attorneys for the State
did not attempt to sway the assembled
multitude, but limited themselves to
the points of law which had been rails
~ Foe lna