Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-03-31
SENATOR BURTON
IS HELD GUILTY
after Fifty.one Hours Federal
Jury Agrees in Case OF
kansan.
COURTS INSTRUCTIONS
Careful Discussion of the Law ana
Facts in the Case of Judge Adams
in Sending the Case to the
Twelve Men.
COURTS INSTRUCTIONS

st. Louis, Mo-, March 2s.--Joseph
Ralph Burton, senior United States
senator from Kansas was convicted by
jury in federal court here to day on
the charge of having accepted COM
pensation to protect the interests of
the Rialto Grain and Securities COM
pany of st. Louis, before the post
office department. The jury deliberated
forty-one hours.
A motion for new trial was imme-
diately filed by counsel for the senator.
Judge Albums thereepoa ordered SEN
ator Burton to appear in court either
in person or by proxy at 10 O'Clock from
day to day, until the court has heard
the arguments for a new trial, and II
decided against him to fix his punish
ment.
Burton Entirely Composed.
There was no perceptihle change IL
Senator Burton's coltntenance When the
verdict was read. The court having adj
journed, Burton calmly lighted cigar,
and turning to his attorneys and pri-
waite secretary began conversation IN
a To- one He appeared completely
composed.
II today's verdict is sustained Bur
ton will lose his seat in the senate and
forever be prohibited from holding any
office of public trust. Each count con-
stitutes a separate offense and Burton
could receive penitentiary sentence OF
two years or $4,000 fine on each count.
Burtons conviction is the first un-
der the section of the statute which was
enacted by congress in 1854.
Burton was indicted in January last,
and although as a member OF congress
he could not be arrested until after tlat
Il al
rendered himself to the prosecuting au-
thorities He stll has two years to
serve in the senate.
The case against Senator Burton
went to the jury Saturday evening.
| Burton was accused of receiving $500
per month for q long time, for protect
| ing the Rialto company, fraudulent
concern, against the possibility OF be-
| Ing denied the use of the mail
Dramatic Scenes in Trial.
There were some dramatic scenes il
the trial The case said to be the first
of it's kira to be tried, was given to
the jury at 80 o'clock Saturday even
| ing, after an almost continuous session
of the court which began at 10 o'clock
in the morning. The court room had
been crowded the entire day.
During the argument OF opposing
counsel the defendant had sat with
/
picture of despair. Only once did his
face light up, and that waS when Judge
| Adams began to read some of the decla-
rations asked by the defendants coun-
sci. None of the alleged attempts at
humor adulged in by opposing counsel
provoked a smile from the defendant.
He left the court room with more hope
| than for two days.
Those who had disinteresteoly
watched the proceedings OF the court
predicted hung jury. The attorneys
for the defendant expressed the hope
of a verdict of acquittal. The govern
ment inspectors who had worked up
the case were of divided opinions. None
looked for acquittal. The more sam
guine believed there would be u verdict
of guilty. The majority believed there
would be a divided jury.
An Extenuatine Fact.
| One OF those declarations CT law
which was especially satisfactory to
Senator Burtons attorneys was that
the jury must be convinced that he att
tempted to influence the officials and
| that the statements he made i'm his let
| tiers could not convict him unless he
actually did what he was accused of
doinh. The fact that he said he had
performed a service was of no conse-
quence. Another declaration of the
court was that Senator Burton's volun-
tarily coming into court without pro-
1