The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-16
Nye Pleads for Mercy.

IDENTIFY hopes Tor a reversal IN the supreme
court.
Nye Pleads for Mercy.
Frank M. Nye, counsel for the defend
ant, made one Of the most eloquent pleas
for mercy ever heard at the Hennepin
county bar, but the courts mind had evil
IDENTIFY been made up long ago.
Motions for a new trial, for an arrest
of Judgment and for asyacations of judg-
ment were made and will be argued be-
fore Judge Elliott at a date not yet set.
Long before 10 o'clock courtroom No. L
was filled with the curious and with sym.
pathizers of the, former mayor. Attic the
time for sentence had not been definitely
announced, 1t was understood that 10
q. clock was the hour and the; word was
spread rapidly enough to enable a large
audience to be present.
The defendant and his faithful wife
were both in court early. They appeared
as they have, with one or two exceptions
DURING all the proceedings of the famous
trial., calm and apparently still hopeful.
The doctor is looking about the same as
when he appeared for trial, and spent the
time preceding the appearance of Judge
Elliott in conversing With Mrs. Ames and
Captain e. d. Dudley.
1.-The case against A. a. sAmes,' said
the court after order had been secured
There was a tense silence, as the former
mayor rose and walked slowly up to the
bar. Have you any reason to give why
sentence should not be pronounced at the
present time
..Mr Nye will speak for me" replied
the defendant, who was then allowed to
resume his seat while his attorney adj
dressed the court as follows:
@"NotWithsta landing the defendant s
faults, his vices, his sins or his follies, he
| is nevertheless a child Of our community.
From early childhood and for ffty-one
1 {,,f cfvrv
adversities and the prosperity and growth
Of this marvellous young city of the west.
From the days Of the rude village of the
frontier, from the time Of the savage and
1.-THE wigwann, to it's present greatness and
/ unexampled wealth he has been one OF us
| Until three years ago he commanded the
confidence, esteem and honor Of this city
land its people. For many years before
| that time he held the confidence and love
of his fellow men. Up to the fall Of 1900
4 when he was for the fourth time electec
/ mayor, no whisper of corruption had beer
1 heard, no faint of bribery had soiled his
garments, no breath Of public SANDER hac
i sullied his commercial or political life
lThey had criticized his policies and admin
Iistration IS being too wide open, the,
had accused him of being pauper, TO
he never owned his home since living II
the city, but bribery they had never &C
cused him of until his last election to thu
4 office Of mayor in 1900.
An UNWILLING Victim
TT was well enough, in view OF the pas
as well as otherwise material to his de
4 Tense, that the same consideration tina
was urged at bis trial. that would ten,
10 account for this most unlocked 70
change that marked his last administra
!, ton and which brought with it the troubl
Z charged be considered at this time. III
: claimed then and we insist now that h
was the unwilling and unconscious victir
: rather than the author Of this reign G
) blackmail and dishonor. While 1t is i'm
= proper to discuss, your honor, at least a
any length, the merits Of this case,
want to. say, your honor, at this time
! that firmly believed during the trial an
| do now that the mayor himself was neye
conscious and guilty Of any Of the charge
5 that were made against him. And ] be
lieve that il corruption was rampant dun
ing that time, or that IL the mayor dun
Z ing that time committed any NOR.
wrong, still believe and believe as firm
!, ly as live that this case as to the Inc
:. :. dent of the payment of money in tt
= mayors office, as to the incident Of til
|, payment OF the woman's fine, is as falls
:, a. charge as was ever made In a court
!, Justice. believe that the incidents an
:. circumstances which these young me
= knew Of and together that the maj
= dence tending to show this was una1
:. swered because it was the common Ia
~ Of the city of those who knew him bes
. that he was not himself, that he was N
= corrupt, and. wronged him as well as tt
fair name Of our city. This fact in i
self established and uncontradicted !
any evidence could account for more ths
anything else, for the recommendation T
leniency by the jury. II it is true tn
the doctor deliberately and understan
- fngly inaugurated and carried out SUI
l. "a criminal scheme and received 5000 t
latter part Of December, 1901, from t
women Of the town, with the understan
" ing and agreement that he would prote
he them, 1t is difficult to understand he
ut the Jury could have recommended him
er the mercy Of the court
- write His Faults Upon Sand
p His punishment is our punishment, ]
rs disgrace is our disgrace. =
Al is bound to the city by many ties =
a. the community in which he has be
20 reared and for many years an integ
ct factor and part. He has been memt
1r Of our municipal family C
"a we not now ii his old Nge and misfortu
share his burden md calamity