The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-04
CONSPIRACY
Cry Raised by Defense as Outlined
by Attorney Welch.

Victor J. Welch, one of the attorneys
for the defense, delivered his opening ad-
dress to the jury. He said,
1 know you will give careful attention to
the evidence we shall introduce. The de-
fendant is the superintendent of police Of
Minneapolis. He was born here, and he has
lived here the greater part of his life. Around
him there is that presumption of innocence
the law throws around every man until he
has been proved guilty. He has held many
positions of trust, both public and private
Opportunities Off wrongdoing must have pre-
sented themselvesto him frequently, but until
now no one has ever had the temerity to re-
fleet upon dishonesty.
I ask you to remember the allegations of
this indictment which accuses the chief Of
having received bribe Of $25 from Lincoln
G. Crossman, for which he agreed not to
prosecute Crossman and his friends for the
MEX scandal.
We will show you that Crossman's evidence
the stand tissue of lies from start
10 finish. We have got the testimony of
Crossman, Howard and Norheck to meet;
and shall meet it so that you must believe
it false.
We will show you that Ames never could
have had that talk with Crossman as the
big-mitter states and that he never received
any money We will show you that Lincoln
G.. Crossman conspired with two others to
get with the superintendent for inter-
fering with his business. We will show that
Crossman threatened the chief; that he told
reputable citizen that the chief had inter-
fered with his business and that he would get
even by telling the grand jury he had paid
the chief money
Now undoubtedly Norbeck was a partner
Of Edwards and Crossman; that seems as
sured but the chief did not know it. Under
the system Of police government in force
here such thing would be quite possible.
IT limo Stafo'S wifnacsaS
have told you about, will show you what
The chief did. We will explain to you why he
did it and we will persuade you that what
! he did was done for the best. We will ex-
plain to you the details OF the MEX trans
action; and we will show that the chief told
Mick to keep quiet and ordered him to come
around the next morning, promising to assign
man to his case at that time, and ex-
planning that the swindlers would naturally
lay quiet for time. The chief did not de-
tail a man to the case and we shall not
claim he did. MEX did not come around in
the morning but instead the chief found q
two or three-column article In q morning
paper telling the story Of the swindle When
Mick came around the superintendent ex-
pIained that the publication had hampered
the police in their efforts. The chief was
Justly indignant. He knew secret service
work could not be done in the open and he
knew that to make such business known was
Z 10 defeat its end But he sent for MEX, and
the man came down to headquarters with his
attorney, Harry Lund Superintendent Ames
told Lund he wanted to vindicate himself. He
explained what had occurred and MEX veri-
fed his story Vixen he had finished Mr.
Iund agreed that he had done right, and told
mis- client he had made q fool of himself.
We will show you that when Mick first
called on the chief he couldn't give him any
information at all. He couldn't even tell
where he had been swtndled. ."--- >..-.-.-. ~
~ Now, about this talk with Connor. The de-
fendant did have conversation with him in
tine presence of Otto Wirtensohn; : and Connor
fifd tell him he was working on story about
swindling In the city. Now, that suggested
nothing to tho chief. He knew that swind-
ling was carried on in every large city in the
i country and that it could not be stamped out.
The papers, as you probably know, were hos
+ tile. toward the administration, and the chief
had become tired Of being misquoted so he
said he would not be interviewed: but he
said. too, that if swindling was going on 1t
was without his sanction