The Washington times., 1904-02-27
Guilty as indicted "

Guilty as indicted"
Such was the verdict at 7:15 p. m
yesterday in the PostofTice conspiracy
trials
Never was a more surprising verdict
rendered as TO one defendant. It in
Guided not only A. W. Machen. George
Z. Lorenz. and Diller p. Gron. but Sam
uel A Groff. whom Mr. Conrad had
asked the jury 70 acquit in the closing
argument for the defense. when he said
there was not evidence enough against
him I'm the mind Of a lawyer to warrant
conviction.
Released on Bonds.
Counsel for the defense promptly
moved for the release OF the defendants
on bond. pending a motion for a new
trial The request was granted, and bail
was fixed at $4,000 in each case Sc
curity was furnished by Arthur i.
Baker. a son-in-law OF Lorenz; Thomas
II. Pickford, Of Washington; Diller p.
Croft. and Col. o. G. Staples
The jury went out at HOS a. m. yes
terday. and when il had not returned
by D. m. the hopes Of the defense
ran high. Again and again the de-
PENDANTS and their attorneys dis
cussed the prospects and summed the
ing them against the testimony offered
by the prosecution. As time went on.
and still nothing was heard from the
jury room. the feeling became settled
that the jury would at least be hung,
and that nothing would be done until
this morning. The defense argued that
IT Is the man who Is in favor Of acquittal
who holds out the longest. and Machen
and his associates became more and
more convinced that at least one jury
man was obstinately maintaining their
innocence
Defendants Confident.
Not only did the defendants believe
that they would not be convicted, but
even. at times, that they would be ac-
quilted. They were more concerned
about the necessity for killing time
while awaiting the hanging" Of the
Jury than they were about the chance
Of the prosecution winning. The strain
OF the trial had told plainly on all the
defendants. Their faces had a worn,
anxious look which seemed 70 be due
TO physical rather than mental reasons,
for their supreme confidence in the
strength Of their defense had caused
them to worry but little about the out
come.
Sam Croft was at the court house, and
waited in the corridor with the others
for the verdict but his presence was
considered merely formal. and he was
constantly receiving congratulations
upon his supposed safety from adverse
action on the part Of the twelve men
in judgment. He took the congratula,
tions quietly. merely remarking that the
request Of Mr.. Conrad for his acQuittal
was no more than was justified by his
absolute innocence of any wrongdoins.
Thought Foreman Erred.
When the jury returned with the word
Of condemnation. without specifying
which OF the defendants were guilty.
those in the courtroom were speeohless
for a few seconds. and thought that
Foreman Carl Petersen had made a mis-
take.
F. w. Smith, clerk Of Criminal Court
No. /. waited expectantly TO hear the
Croft were included with the guilty
ones. Foreman Petersen answered yes.
and the spectators then knew that not
only had the jury had little trouble in
arriving at "a conviction. but that Il
had utterly disregarded the recommen-
dalton OF the special counsel for the
Government and consigned Sam Croft
10 punishment, not even qualifying its
verdict by making a recommendation
for mercy In his particular case.
Counsel Hard Hi.
Counsel for the defense were abro-
lutely astounded by the turn Of events.
For more than eight months g. A
Douglass. +. S. Douglass. Samuel Mad
dox and Conrad Syme, Of the Washing
ton bar. and John +. Kumler. OF Toledo.
had worked increasingly in the building
a RI %
the labors Of the best inspectors in the
Postoffice Department and some OF the
best legal talent 10 be obtained by the
Government. As the plan OF tho defense
was unfOldcd by them, and AS they
familiarized themselves with It's min
utest details by months Of constant eff
FORT their confidence was more and
more strengthened, until at the time tho