Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-03-25
EATON NOT GUILTY.
Jury Returns a Verdict in Favor
of State Senator in Brib-
cry Case.

On the last of January, 1904, the
Grand Jury summoned in Milwaukee
County, indicted Senator Barney A.
Eaton upon three indictments; one for
taking $500 as a bride for his vote,
action and decision on the barber bill
on February 14th, 1901. AT this time
the bill was pending in the Assembly.
Another indictment was for soliciting
and receiving a promise for $4,000
on the 9th day of April, 1901, alleged
to have been paid to him in three in
stallments; one of these being a check
of $4,000. The third indictment was
for soliciting and receiving a promise
for bride in the legislature of 1903,
on which the indictment comedies no
money was ever paid. The amount
alleged to have been solicited and
promised being $500.
The district attorney insisted on
taking up the charge of receiving the
$4,000 for the first trial. The de-
tense interposed by Senator Eaton was
an admission that he had received the
money with the explanation that the
money was received to be used and
was actually used in incidental ex-
penses, to afford an opportunity to dis
bers of the legislature in both houses
covering a period of over three months.
These incidental expenses consisted
OF theater parties, cigars, dinners and
occasional liquid refreshments
The contention of the defense was
that unless Senator Eaton had re-
ceived a reward or benefit to himself
for the money, he should not be con
Victed. The jury after four hours de-
liberation took this view of the case
under the judges charge, and the Sen
ator was acquitted.
The scene at the close of the trial
when the verdict was rendered was
most impressive. The Senator, being
relieved from his long tension, burst
into sobs and received the congratu-
lationS of his friends with the tears
streaming down his face. Some of his
friends were SO exuberent in the court
room that hats flew to the ceiling and
the court had to loudly rap for order.
Senator Eaton will return to Mad
ison eXonerated. The nature of the
defense and the rulings of the court
permitted all the evidence which the
state had on all three of the indict-
ments to go into this case, and not
withstanding this trebling OF the testi-
mony, the jury have found him mot
guilty"
Senator Eaton is 81 years of age.
He is a native of Milwaukee county.
His educational opportunities were
very small; not even having completed
a course in the district school, but
Notwithstanding this handicap in this
respect, he has acquired a very liberal
education by dint of perseverance and
industry.
He has filled many positions of trust
and honor. He was on the school
board Of his district fer fourteen
years; most of the time as director.
He has been president of the school
board of the Village of Cudahy, where
he now lives. He was president CT the
Village for two terms and declined a
third term. He has been a director
of the Town Fire Insurance Company
for many years. He served as as
semblyman in the legislature of 1895
and second term in the assembly
in 1877 In the fall of 1898 he was
elected a State Senator from the 7th
senatorial district, including Wauwa-
tosa, Greenfield, Franklin, Oak Creek
and Lake townships, and the 14th
ward and 18th ward of the City of
Milwaukee; also the cities of South
Milwaukee and Wauwatosa and the
Villages of Cudahy and West Allis
representing a population of about
$4,000 people; being one of the most
populous, if not the largest senatorial
districts in Wisconsin In the fall of
1902 he was elected to a second term
of four years as State Senator which
he is still serving
Senator Eaton is a man of sunny
genial disposition; a man who will
so long ways cut of has way to ac-
comodate and help a friend in need
and he has heart in him bigger than
an OK. He is man who has no trait
which would ever lead him to harm
any living person.
His acquittal has pleased a multi
tude Of friends and has sent conster-
nation into the camp of a coterie of
political enemies.
Senator Eaton was defended by the
firm of Wheeler & Perry. Lyman G.
Wheeler having personal charge of
| the case, Everyone who attended the
trial says that the defense contested
every inch of ground and put up one
Of the hottest fights ever conducted in
Milwaukee county if not in the state,
4 The closing argument by Mr. Wheeler
is said to have been most mastery,
I =