The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-12

Judge Simpson. The Judge glanced at
1t moment and then returned it to the
clerk, who read aloud the decision that
brands Mayor Ames' word as worthless,
and Coffee John" as criminal.
f. Fitchette was tried for traf1cking in
police appointments, the specific charge
being that he accepted 5000 from David
B. johnson, with the understanding that
he would at once procure the appoint
ment .of John Long to the force. In or
der to prove its case the state was com
PEELED to show that Fitchette had, in
reality, induced the mayor to give Long
his appointment.
The defense called Mayor Ames to- the
stand and he testified, point blank, that
Fitchette had never asked him to appoint
Long, but that the appointment had been
made because of a request from Mr..
Johnson. BY their verdict, however, the
snsembers of the jury have said that, In
thHir opinion, this statement was not
true. q
How Fitchette Took 1t.
Fitchette and his friends had been
confident of an acquittal. In fact, attor-
neys who heard the testimony in the case
and courthouse habitues felt certain that
disagreement was the best. the state
could hope for and many of them thought
the jury would return finding of not
guilty. It is probable that not even Mr..
Boardman himself expected so prompt a
conviction. However, these same men
who feared the jury's verdict, have no
doubt regarding the justice Of the YER
dict returned. They simply feared that
the state had not proved it's case beyond
a reasonable doubt
* When the verdict was read to him
Fttchette's expression never changed. He
did not even show surprise When it was
all over, and the court had announced a
stay of proceedings until this morning
he walked from the courtroom with. al
air of complete unconcern, and, accom-
panied by his wife. went to his restau-
rant on First avenue S.
h On the street the verdict was received
with every expression Of approval, fol
Coffee. Johns" connection with police If
regularities has long been an open secret
The offense of which he stands convicted
is a misdemeanor and is, punishable only
by a sentence of ninety days in the county
jail or workhouse; or by a fine Of not tc
exceed s100. Both cannot be imposed.
A Verdict Quickly Reached.
The Jury went out at 4:20 and reached
an agreement by 5:45. Some time was
then lost in an attempt to find member
of the county attorneys force, so that ii
was few. minutes after 6 o'clock before
the jury was polled and it's verdict re-
ccived. .s-.. E-= '.t ~ vs. .s.s
County Attorney Boardman consumed
just one. hour in his closing address.
Freeman P. Lane finished what he had to
say for the defense in fifty-ive minutes.
In his summing UP Mr.. BoardmenS pointed
out, the fact that although John Long S
application for position on the force
had been filed with Mayor Ames before
the doctor took his seat as mayor, the
appointment was not made until the fol-
lowing August, and, significantly enough,
on the very day on which Long. paid over
his 5000. This point told. ~ ~
Mr.. Lane. devoted much of his time to
a fierce attack upon the characte er of
David B. Johnson, maintaining that John
son had himself poeketeds the 5000 given
him by Long and that he had deceived
his friend when he told him. the money
had been paid over to Fitchette. The at
;torney was rebuked by the court for at
tempting to introduce into his address a
sidewalk conversation, in the course OF
which the opinion had been expressed
that 'sDavy'' johnson would never give
up .anyth hing he had once got his hands on.
Later, Mr. Lane himself fexpressed the
opinion that = Davy'' had never given UP
anything except one time, when he was
'seasick. This sally was allowed to pass
without comment. rS5. E.:. 3D.. = $*slG s. s. z
. However, the jury weighed the testi-
mony given by Johnson, against that Of
the mayor, his private secretary and his
pet, police captain; and they decided tina t
Johnson was telling the, truth, 7and that
the other men were, not. a.- Est..s.sr