Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1904-03-02
. GUILTY As IS INDICTED !"
WAS VERDICT IN POST OFFICE
CONSPIRACY TRIALS.
Same Verdict for All Four Defendants
1T IL Said They Charged Uncle
Sam Several Times az Much az They
Charged Private Parties Stole Many
,
Thousands of DolIars-They Appeal.

"Guilty as indicted" was the yer.
dict announced by the jury in the post
flee conspiracy trials, The jury had
been out nine hours. It stated that the
verdict was the same as to all four de.
PENDANTS, August w. Machen, late sup
erintendent of the rural free delivery
division; George E. Lorenz of Toledo,
Samuel A. Croft and Diller B. Croft Of
Washington.
The crime charged was that Of con-
spiracy to defraud the postoffice de-
partment by selling Croft fasteners at
prices several times in excess of that
charged private parties Fourth As
sistant Postmaster General Bristow, in
his sensational report, charged that the
defendants have stolen thousands of
dollars. 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 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 YER
dict had been reached. The jury to a
man rose, and as the words guilty as
indicted" fell from the foreman's lips
the Defendants and their counsel
seemed appalled,. During the time the
jury was out the four defendants had
paced up and down the hallway outside
the courtroom and had given 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 Samuel A.
Croft, Washington policeman and in
ventor of the Croft fastener, as to
Holmes Conrad, special counsel for the
government, the day before informed
the jury he did not expect 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 8 for
conviction on the second to 4, on
the third 8 to 3, on the fourth 10 to
2 and on the fifth the vote was
unanimous.
Immediately after the verdict was
rendered Charles Douglas, in behalf of
all four defendants, filed motions for q
new trial, for an arrest of judgement
and for an appeal for the purpose of
having the defendants admitted to
bail. Bail was then fixed at $40, 0rO
each. the bond of Lorenzo and the
Groffs being increased from $4,000.
When Mr.. Maddox, on behalf of the
Groffs. inquired as to the amount OF
bail to be required Of them, Justice
Prichard said:
II know no difference between these
defendants. The jury has said they
are guilty, and can not discriminate,
but will treat all alike"
Next to Samuel A. Croft, the most
surprised man was Machen, who sale
he was thunder stuck at the verdict.
Justice Prichard later sentenced
Machen, Diler B. Croft and Loren,
each to two years. imprisonment il
the penitentiary and to pay a fine oil
$4,000 each, the beginning of the SEN
tence to be made from the time of theil
arrival at the penitentiary.
The court decided to make the sew.
eral counts in the indictment consti.
tute one offense.