The Indianapolis journal., 1902-12-05
JENNINGS NOT MALTREATED
SALEM PEOPLE SWEAR THAT NO
VIOLENCE WAS OFFERED HIM.
Nothing but Justice Was Demanded,
They DecIare-Judge Baker
Forbids Delay in Trial.

Pace. one of the defendants in the Jennings
trial, while on the witness stand in Federal
Court yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Pace Is a
man past middle age and his statement was
made in answer to a question by Attorney
Hadley on cross-examination regarding his
motive in becoming a member of the crowd
of Salem citizens to suppress the pamphlets
that had been printed by Jennings, the COM
plainant in the suit.
Mr.. Pace attended the meeting in Men
augh's Office in Salem on the afternoon OF
Jan. 30, 1900, and rehearsed the story of
what was said as told by other witnesses
the stand earlier in the week. He also
attended the meeting at Smiths undertake
ing parlors in the evening of the same day.
He told of the conference there. Mr.. Pace
said he went to his home after the meeting
adjourned and passed through his house to
the back gate. He lives near jennings s
He heard Mr.. Reed say to Jennings: 1--WE
won't hurt hair of your head; we don't
want your blood on our hands, but we want
those pamphlets and are bound to have
them"
Jennings was led away a short distance
and fell to the ground. Jennings then
told Reed that he would give him the pam
phlets. Mr.. Pace said he never saw re-
volver during any of the conversations con-
corning the plans TO secure the pamphlets;
heard of no rope or of threats to place Jen-
nings in a vat in the tanyards. He said
there were no threats at all, and the only
purpose to obtain the pamphlets was to sup
press their publication.
PLANS DISCUSSED.
Thomas Smith, the Salem undertaken, at
whose Office one of the conferences was
held, was also on the stand during the
afternoon. He said he attended the first
conference held at the Salem Democrat
office and was present during the evening
at the conference in his own office. He told
of the efforts that had been made. to get
a copy of the pamphlet, and in the evening
at his office ii was said that legal aid
could not be secured to prevent Jennings
circulating the pamphlets, as the judge was
out of the county. He said 1t was men
toned that Jennings could be arrested on
an insanity charge, but part of those pres
ent were of opinion that 1t could not be
proved that he was insane and this plan
was given up. While the men were talking
in the office some one saw Jennings pass,
and IL was agreed that an effort should be
made to compel him to give the pamphlets
to the men, and this was DONE but the
witness denied that any force was used
Smith also said that DIR. Hobbs, then post
master at Salem, stated at the conference
that ne could not prevent the pamphlets
being circulated through the postoffice
without first sending copy to the post
master general and securing advice from
headquarters
and testified that he had treated Mrs. Jen-
nings, wife of the complainant, for hys-
terra. He said he rememb red of her once
crying murder, but did lot know whether
there hQen har
husband to cause her to cry for help He
said suffering from hysteria was liable to
cause the patient to exaggerate matters.
Jerry Jamison. one of the defendants
testified that he worked in tannery across
the street from Smiths Undertaking office.
Smith told the witness that Jennings had
published pamphlet in which scurrilous
charges were made against the witness and
MS family as well as against other men
and their families living in Salem Jami-
son attended the meeting at the Salem
Democrat office and also the meeting held
in the evening at Smiths office The wit
ness told the same story of what took
place at the two meetings as told by other
witnesses An effort was made by Attor-
ney Rocker to have Jamison describe one
| OF the watts at the tannery but Attorney
Hadley for the defense objected and Judge
Baker made the statement that twenty
witnesses who had testified proved that
the allegations as set forth by the com
I plainant were untrue, and the descriptiou
OF one OF the watts at the tannery was not
essential.
COURT TOOK A HAND.
| John Prov and Charles Duncan were or
/ the stand TO testify to statement alleged
to have been made by Thomas Smith afte,
the filing of the complaint in the case The
court instructed the jury that the evidence
should not affect the other defendants in
the case as the evidence was of no earthly
consequence only to show the bad feeline
| of Smith against Jennings. Prov testified
/ that he joked with Smith and told him thai
! he (Smith) would not have any property
when Jennings got through with him. ,Th,
witness said that Smith then made tn,
statement; Where we missed 1T was thai
! we ought 10 nave hung the - when w,
had him." Duncan testified that he hearc
| Smith make the statement.
DR.. A. G. Hobbs testified that he wa:
| called to the conference at Smiths offic,
and told those present that he could no
! suppress the pamphlets, but he could hold
them at the postoffice until he received ad
| vice from the postmaster general.
Charles Schlage, one of the defendants
testified to attending the meetings at Me
naugh's and Smiths. He saw one of tn,
| pamphlets published by Jennings the da,
| Jennings with basketful of the pamphlet.
j.. on his arm distributing them. In tellin.
how he was notified to attend the meetingi
| he said: Denny Gore told me that whei
| Reed reads the pamphlets he was afrai,
there would be killing" The witness sal,
that was the reason he spoke to Mr.. Rec,
| about the pamphlets.
Asa Elliott proved to be one of the i'm
portant witnesses of the day Elliott is :
defendant and also attorney i'm the case
He testified that two doctors informed hin
that Jennings was little off, mentally
and an attorney who had been employe,
by Jennings at Salem told him that len
nings's ACTORS were due 10 his natura
depravity. Elliott was with the party tha
stopped Jennings. but he insisted that m
/ attempt was made to injure the com
plainant; the party merely made an EN-
phatic demand for the pamphlets He testi
fed that he Informed the defendants as al
attorney. they might sufficient fore
to get the papers IL they did not injur
the complainant. Elliott said that the da
following Jennings carried the pamphlet
about town, distributing them. and he ha
a pistol sticking out of his coat pocket
An attempt was made yesterday after
noon TO have court adjourned al 4:30. bu
Judge Baker said the case was draggin
along too slowly and would not consent I
an early adjournment He urged the at
torneys TO hurry the case. Ii is expecte
that Jennings and his wife will testify 10
day, and the defense may begin examinin
witnesses tomorrow. Ii is believed tn
case will not be concluded until the middl
|