The Tupelo journal., 1904-03-04
MACHEN, L0RENz
AND GROFFS GUILTY
Jury In the Postal Trial Find De-
PENDANTS Guilty As Indicted.
TRIAL LASTED SEVEN WEEKS
Jury Was Out Nine HOurs-Defend-
ants Were Confident Of AcquittaI
-Machen Thunderstruck at
Verdfct-Dail

Washington, Feb. 27.-"Guilty as in
dicted" was the verdict announced by
Carl Peterson, foreman of the jury in
the post office conspiracy trial shortly
after eight O'Clock Friday night, stat
ing at the same time that this was the
verdict as to all four defendants: Au-
gust w. Machen, late general super
intendent of the rural free delivery
division; George e. Lorenz, of Toledo,
O.; Samuel A. Croft, Diller B. Croft,
of Washington.
Nine Hours Reaching Verdict.
The jury had been out nine hours.
Justice Pritchard had gone to his home
there to await any nj from the
jury, and when at 1925 O'Clock the jury
announced to the deputy marshal out
side the jury room that a verdict had
been reached the justice vas sent for.
He arrived at the courthouse shortly
before eight O'Clock. In the dimly-
lighted room sat the four defendants,
who, after the case was given to the
jury, had been placed in the custody of
a United States marshal and confined
to the limits of the city hall. Each
wore an anxious look, and a deathlike
silence fell on the small crowd which
had been permitted to enter the room
as the clerk inquired of the foreman if
a verdict had been reached.
"d.niIty as Indicted."
The jury as to a man arose, and a5
the words guilty as indicted" fell
from the foreman's lips, the defend
ants and their counsel seemed APP
palled. During the time the jury was
out the four defendants had paced up
and down the hallway outside the
court oom behind, giving expression
to the belief that each hour the jury
spent in discussing the case brought
them nearer to acquittal. There was
general establishment that the jury had
included in the conviction Samual A.
Croft, a Washington policeman and
inventor of the Croft fastener, as to
whom Holmes Conrad, special counsel
for the government, Thursday in
formed the jury he did not expect a
conviction and that he personally did
not believe in his guilt.
Five ballots in all were taken. On
the first ballot the vote stood Z to 5
for conviction, or the second s to f.,
on the third 8 to 3, on the fourth 10 to
2, and on the fifth the vote was unan-
imous.
Bail Increased to $50. oct.
J,omn1iatA1 offo. +Io ,oxl;z. $780,
rendered Charles A. Douglass, in be-
half of all four defendants. filed mo-
lions for a new trial, for an arrest of
Judgment and for an appeal for the
purpose of having the defendants ad-
mitted to bail. Bail was then fixed
at $4,000 each, the bond of Lorenz
and the two Groffs being increased
from $4,000. When Nh. Maddox, on
behalf of the Groffs, inquired as to
the amount of bail to be required of
them, Justice Pritchard said: Il know
no difference between these defend
ants. The jury has said they are
guilty and l can not discriminate, but
will treat all alike"
Thunderstruck at Verdict.
Samuel A. Croft said: 81 was just as
certain of acquittal as anything in the
world"
Next to Samuel A. Croft, the most
surprised man was Machen, who said
he was thunderstruck at the verdict.
The four defendants will appear be-
fore Justice Pritchard this morning
to receive sentence.
The district attorney and the Off
Gals of his office as well as Post
Office Inspector Mayer, all of whom
were in court when the verdict was
brought in. oppressed qualification at
the result of the trial, which, lacking
two days, lasted seven weeks.