The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-27
GUILTY IS
 THE VERDICT |Machen and defendants
 Convicted. JURY OUT MANY HOURS Some of the Members Affect
 cd by Sentiment. Motion for New Trial Made and AL torney for Defense Say That
 the Fight Has Just
 Begun. ]

Washington. Feb. 2s.--"Guilty as indict& ed'' was the verdict aniiounced by Carl Petersen. the foreman of the Jury in the now famous postoffice conspiracy trial shortly after 3 o'clock tonight, stating of the same time that this was the verdict as to all four defendants, August ". Machen, late general superintendent of the rural free delivery division: Ge0rsa E. LorenE of Toledo. O., and Samuel A. and Dilier B. Groff of thig city. The jury had been out nina hours. ni- though the verdict was reached In eight hours and twenty-five minutes. Juatic4 Pritchard had gone to bits home there tn await any summons from the jury, and when at 7:S o'clock the jury announced fo the deputy rsarshal outside the jury room that verdict ned heeu reached, the iue- tice was sent for and arrived at the court house shortly before 8 o'c clock Silence Was Death Like. Tn the dimiy lighted room sat the f0iN defendants who after the case was given to the jury had been placed In the custody of the United States marshal and com fined to the limits of the city halt Haeh wore an anxious look and deatheIike sf- lence fell upon the small crowd which had been permitted to enter the room as th8 clerk inquired of the foreman if a verdlca had been reached.
 With impressive dignity the fury to | man arose. and as the words "gllilty as indicted" fell from the foreman's $ lips. fhs 7 defendants and their couiisel seemed apz palled. During the time the jury were out the four defendants had paced up and down the hallway outside the court room and had given expression to the belief that each hour the jury spent in dlss cuaaing the case brought them nearer tn an acauittai. There was very general an. tonishment when the 1nFy had included n the conviction Samuel A. Grofl. tha 1 Washington policeman and inventor of ttia lGsoA Fastener ng to whom xz0lnfss Con- ! rad special counsel for the g0vernment. informed the jury he did not expect a conviction and that he personally did nos believe m his guilt.
 Five Ballots Taken. Five ballots in all were taken. on cha first ballot the vote stood to for c0ns lvictfon; on the second, to 4: on fhe third. to 3: on the fourth. 10 to ,. and On the fifth the vote was unanimous.
 Immediately after the verdict was rem dered, Charles A. Douglass, in behalf of all four defendants. filed motions for new trial. for an arrest of judgment and also for an appeal for the purpose of iav- ing the defendants admitted to ball. Bail was then fixed at $20.000 each the bond Of LorenE and the two Grofrs being increased from si00Oo to that sum. When Mfr. Maddox, on behalf of the Groffs, inquired as to the amount of bait to be required Of them. Justice Pritchard said: T know of no difference between theaa defendants. The jury has said they are guilty and cannot discriminate but win | treat all alllxe.''
 Next to Samuel A. Grofr the most sur- prised man was Machen. who said ha was thunderstruck at the verdict
 Intense interest was taken in the events of today about the court house. The court room was packed when Justice PHtchard immediately after convenina, charged the jury and about Il o'clock seat it's members out to deliberate on the evI- dencg
 Throughout the day Machen's father. mother, two brothers, sister and uncle remained about the court house, as also did Mrs. Lorcnz and DiiIer F. Groff son of Diller B. Groff. but with the exception of Machen's uncle and one brother none of the members was present when tho verdict was announced.
 Foreman Peterson Talks.
 Foreman Peterson, after the jury had been discharged. consented to make a brief statement regarding their delibera< tions. He said that many points were taken up and discussed. The now fa@ nous $25.000 note of Lorenz to Machen, he said. had been discounted by the jury. The fact that they were out so long, he said. was because on the part of soma members there were some matters of sentiment, but" he added, i've over- came that by hard work
 The four defendants will appear before Justice Pritchard to receive thefr sent- ence which action Is necessary upsn which to base motion for new trinl and an appeal
 The trial. lacking two days. lasted scy- cn weeks.
 When seen tonight. Charles A. Douz~ lass said:
 ''I have tried many cases. but the mott fearless and impartial judge I ever tried a case before is Judge Pritchard. We will make a motion in arrest of Judgment and a motion for new trial involving the misleading questions of law. It goes to the very root of this case and thasa matters will be heard on their merits be- fore Judge Pritchard and if not success full will be carried on appeal to the Court of Appeals and from there if necessary by certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States. The fight on behalf of Machen and his co-defendants has just begun"
 samuel A. Gron said: "I was just aa certain of acquittal as anything in the world"
 Machen after the verdict had nothing to say and seemed utterly crushed. Bail was furnished tonight for each of the four convicted men. the sureties being the same as on the bonds for the au.0ifnfa GNah urfO- tO rOnythffon and