The St. Louis Republic., 1902-12-12
jury Returns Verdict of Guilty
After Thirty-Fivc Minutes
of Deliberation.
EIGHTH CONVICTION FOR FOLK.
Prisoner Is Affected by Scathing
DcnunciatiOn cf bribery and
BriberS by the Cir
cuit Attorney.

Four years in the Penitsntiary was the
penalty John Il. Schnettlrr' waS ASS ss-.i
for the part h. played in the suburban
bribery deal by The jury. which returned a
verdict in Judge Douglass court yesterday
afternoon at 2:2e o'cl9ck.
Th!rty-five minutes Were spent by the
jurors in deciding uHon the verdict They
retired at I2:5I and at o'clock went TO
Hoeffner's Hotel. Twelfth stree; Az. ciaIk
avenue. for dinner. At ia o'clock they en-
tered the :ury-room and hogan the cc:.sid
Grafton of the case. As the hands On ne
courtroom clock pointed 10 49, o'clock the
announcement came that thc verdict had
been agreed upon. Sehnetti-r was not in
the courtroom al the time, and Judge Clark
went out to find him.
Schnettler was brought in auI took tie
Defendants chair just as the jurors entered
the courtroom. at 2:52 O'Clock. Joseph y.
Evans had been selected a. foreman of the
jury. and as he entered handed! the verdict
to Deputy Clerk J. Adam Du-rr who read
it aloud
PRISONER MOVED TO TEARS
BY THE CIRCUIT ATTORNEY WORDS.
Schnettler paIrd when the verdict WAS
read. He had appeared nervous before. the
jury returned. and wtlii. the attorneys were
arguing the case held hIS handkerchief to
his face. When Circuit Attorney rUlk in
reply TO Judge Clark = r-f-Tsi.,- to t,!, good
character al Scnnettier always had borne,
declared that tn- defendant mad yust TT ~
found out. the defendant seen to press
his handkercniei 10 IiS eyes. as II wlII.g
away n tear.
Later Sgfnettfer stated ;hat Circuit At;ur-
n.y Folk Il words had just acquainted him
with the gravity vi his position. Tne Cir
cunt Attorney had reminded him of the loss
OF his character. he sa!d. ana for the i:St
time since his Indictment it had dawned
upon him that the prosecution had placed
him in an unenviabie position.
ne usual motion Tor new gral was
tered by JuaSe Clark. ana .ILGG. ,,.l!gtds
gave him until DraemLer - to pfcsei: II III
Wrttsn form. feter Megmci. pr-sIGeEt OF
Company OF NO. 55i7 Magr liza avenue. ana
Herman GroeppeT, secretary # ;nc ,IrOti,-
per per- Sooperags p1!Ig c9mPany of No. ~ Menard
which was fixed 1T slVvyJ ana he u.psrtrt.
with several friends
Ihe verdict came as surprise to u num-
Der of persons who have followed the case
since the tria! began. II WAS believed that
Schnettier would he found guilty. hat few
the punishment at more than Two Years
JURY WAS UNANIMOUS
ON QUESTION OF GUILT.
The jurors were retice:.t as 20 their aetIun
on the case 1t was learned trat the u;l.s-
ton of Schnett!er's guilt vas decided on she
hrst ballot. hen L CgTc To iIdi!Utiu.. on
the question OF puI.s nnen!. the first vote
showed that two pf III" Jurors favored the
ma dS!Elt1n nuti$E'.G-f Soy
erai had voted for three years and others
five years Several NOR ballots we're
taken. and the penalty was finally agreed
upon a; four years.
Judge willis H Clark and :. $. Bass. who !
defended Schnettler. We're evidently sur |
expected that the jury. if it Gi. f,d him |
guilty. would make his punishment more !
severe than that me:rd out t. Faulkner. |
Lehman anu Denny. other m-mbeE1 Of the !
combine who have been tried for perjury |
which grew out Of the bribery deal
Circuit Attorney FOX although, he w,uId !
not discuss :h. case. il is he:!eyai sIid NOT /
expect that the jury would give Schnettle. !
NOR than two years
Schnettler said he did not care To discuss !
the jurys verdict but added thar ne had ,
confidence in his lawyers to carry th,. cas-. ,
to a successful issue. in the higher courts II !
Judge Douglas refuses to give min a new
trial.
OF EVIDENCE
BY DEFENSE
After the State had recalled e = Muir !,
rell 70 correct his testimony .qf the day !
before the defense presented witnesses to
show that Schnettier had ALWAYS borne a
good character. They were: joseph Laran.
Schnettler'S partner in the grocery bu.i-
ness; Charles &uth. John ApplebaIlm ana
Iohn H Schwartz. The only other ,vi-
aence introduced BY the defense was doc
umentary. which showed that esrIy in ais
term merlher of the House. Of Dele
gates he had voted against the combine
On cross-e%amin9:ion Of S-bncttcr's
partner, La'en, Circuit Attorney Folk
asked:
Are YOU interested i Schnetrler's HaII?.,
Yes" replied the witness
there"