Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-05-01
Took the Jury Only Eight Minutes
to Reach Verdict in His
Case.
SENTENCE THIS MORNING
The Prisoner and His Wife Bore UP
Well under the acknowledgements
Were Condensed and Very Earn
est-Lieut.- Gov. Aliens Case
to Be Acted on To-day.

Rutland, April 25.-John W. Ketchum
Ncrgennes' representative in the Legisla-
ture and ex-publishers of newspapers. was
today after four days trial found guilty
ON two counts of completely in wrecking
the Farmers National bank of Vergennes.
the jurors remaining in deliberation only
eight minutes. The verdict delivered late
this afternoon at the federal court
loom in this city was heard by a large
Number of people, apparently the least
lloved of which was the prisoner at the
bar. Although the verdict came like n slap
in the face. he did not finch. and to the
end maintained the nonchalant air which
has marked his bearing from the first. HIS
wife was in the adjoining room when the
verdict was pronounced and she too bore
up bravely under the blow. Exceptions
were filed by the respondent to the judge s
Charge and the case may go higher.
The session to-day was almost en-
tlrcly given up to the arguments in the
case and the judges charge. The former
were more condensed than was anticipated
and in all cases were strong and earnest.
The defense was solely that the false en-
tries although made by the respondent.
were not made with criminal knowledge or
intent on his part Lewis, the ex-cashier.
was repeatedly assailed and pictured as
the INSCRIPTIONS rascal who deceived In
UNI.
The prosecution maintained that the re-
spondent was no fool and could not have
made the confessed entries as he did with
out discovering the dishonesty it yelled.
The famous Currey- Ketchum interview
was referred to by all the attorneys and
the discrepancy in the testimony regarding
it was emphasized by the respondent
counsel. The prosecution made little of the
interview, except as it bore on the other
evidence. which the government claimed
was alone sufficient to convict.
INTENT TO DECEIVE AND EN-
BEZZLEMENT.
The return of the jury in so short a
time was a surprise to all. The indictments
guilty are for making false entries with
intent to deceive and for embezzling the
funds of the bank.
The closing arguments made this after
noon by Attorney Brown for the defense
and District Attorney Martin were even
stronger than those Of the morning. Mr..
l;roWn spoke from 1:55 to $40 o'clock and
the district attorney from then until $3.50
o'clock. Mrs. Ketchum was in the court
room during the afternoon and while part
the closing arguments were being made
,',e respondent sat with her on the east
side of the room. Judge Wheeler charged
The jury from about 3S5 until about AS
o'clock.
lie took up the two important counts, the
false entries made with intent to deceive
and the embczzlement or abstraction of
the bank funds, cited the law. told the
bearing Of the evidence on each and care
fully instructed the jurors as to what they
we're expected to do In closing no warned
them against allowing their sympathie5 to
Influence their verdict illustrating the
point by referring to the personfcation Of
Justice" a woman with eyes bandaged
holding the scales blind to the conse-
uuences."
The respondents counsel noted some ex-
Icctations to the charge and at AIT o'clock
the jurors were conducted to their room by
Baiin Ezra II. Allen. The interim before
the jury returned was spent by the prls-
oner with his wife and Attorney Cushman
in the marshal's Office.
When at 40 o'clock the jury returned
Mrs. Ketchum did not accompany her hus-
band to the court room but was later told
the verdict by the deputy marshal
The respondent sat within the rail neal
his counsel and watched without apparent
interest the roll-call of the jurors. He
showed no concern when the foreman
stated the verdict guilty and not until the
court had been adjourned and the room
nearly cleared, did his face show the in
tcnse WEAKNESS, which he felt, now the
work and nervous strain Of the week were
ended. Mrs. Ketchu also maintained a
several hours this evening with her hus
band, who was at once placed In charge
of the marshal.
MORNING PROCEEDINGS.
When Judge II. II. Wheeler entered the
court room at 9:l2 o'clock there were only
a few persons outside those connected witt
the trial present Several of the importa AM
witnesses among them N. +. Dunshee OF
Bristol, president Of the bank and Spencer
Ilindes of Vergennes. the son-n-law OF
cx-Cashier ID. II. Lewis had returned home
on the early morning train. A noticeable
absence was that of the ex-cashier whC
up to to-day had been In the court room
throughout the trial in which no was ar
important witness for the prosecution.
At the request OF District Attorney j. l.
Martin the oath was administered to b
] t. Stickney of this city empowering him
to practice in the United States Circuit snC
District Courts.
ARGUMENT OF EX-GOV. ORMSBEE.
The opening argument OF the prosecution
was started at 9:l5 o'clock by ex-Gov. T.
D. Ormsbee OF Brandon who is a specia
assistant prosecuting officer In the Ketch
UNI case. After summarizing the case ant
speaking OF the banks books which lay
before him as the silent Witnesses h
took up the involved nature of the evi
dence, concluding this line of thought by
the statement that If it all was stricken
from the record the case would remain thu
same against the respondent because o
the silent evidence in regard to which
there was very little question or difference
between Ketchum's counsel and the gov
eminent.
CHARGES AGAINST KETCHUM.
Taking up the charges on which tho re