The Cairo bulletin., 1908-01-19
DRAMATIC SCENE
IN COURT ROOM
WHEN VERDICT is REA1 FINDING
WALSH GUILTY ON "a
COUNTS.
JURYMAN SHEDS TEARS
At Thought Of Sending Aged Banker
to Prson--Most Expensive Trial
in the Federal District
Court of Chicago.


Chicago, Jan rs. John II. Walsh.
former president Of the Chicago Ma
tional bank which closed its doors In
Defender, 1908, was found guilty to-
day on fifty-four counts Of the indct
ment against him charging misappro-
priation OF tho banks fi'nds The
verdict was returned by the jury Ia
the federal district court here, Walsh
was permitted 10 remain al liberty un
der bond furnished by him after the
indictment nad been returned against
him one year ago to q day, pending
the hearing Of arguments Jnauary 28
on motion for d new trial.
The penalty hxol by the statutes
for the offense Of which walsh Is con
victed 7 imprisonment Ct not less
than five years or more than ten
for each count upon which guilt was
established
The readias a tho verdict was faI
lowed by a scene intensely dramati.
When the jury was polled at the re
quest OF Attorney Miller, for the de
fense, Ebert Salmer, luryman from
Harvard ILL., was overcome by emo
ton and wcpt as he sianihcd bis
acquiscence III the findings He sat
with head bowed upon his hands dur
ing the preliminary proceedings and
failed to rise to his feet as the others
he'd done in reply 20 an interrogation
by, the clerk
hailfaf- f.ltt,l..ed fgg i, ~, ,,.i,a,, bi..
turn to answer came. He apparently
lad rot heard the question and it was
repeated Palmer rose aud stood un-
steadily with eyes downeast, and NUT
tered something unintelligibIe to the
court mad attorneys. Under prompt
ing by Judge Anderson the juror then
replied with apparent effort at self
control. and while tears coursed down
his cheeks: Yes, under the instruc
tions as | understand them
When the poll was completed Pal
mer was questioned further BY the
court, at the request of Miller and IN
answer TO the question previously put
to him, replied Il have 10 sayl
yes"
1t developed that Palmer was large
~ responsible for the long delibera- |
tion of the uify So insistent was he
that Walsh should be acquitted that
he forced bis fellow Jurors to take
separate ballots on every one Of the
$50 conts in the Indictment
He is such an old man, over sey
erty years is said TO have been the |
constant plea Of Palmer "He was
technically guilty. bvt none Of his
dcpositors lost, and what is the use
OF sending an old man to prison" he |
is quoted as having repeatedly urged |
upon the other Jurors He is said
to have wept at times in the jury |
room as he begged others to consider |
the age of the defendant and have
compassion
Walsh. the subject of his compass
sion. who set at the ;aoie surrounded |
b. his attorneys. appeared less moved /
By the result of the trial than al |
most anybody eIse concerned. To
these he made brief reply, smiling
family as he shook proffered hnads |
Appealed to for an expression Of his
opinion as to The Ending he said:
THE fight has ias; begun. have
pothing further to say" Almost im /
mediately he left the court room.
The district attorney estimated that /
the trial has cost the government
100000. This includes $4.9SI paid |
the jurors for services and $S500 /
which it cost to maintain them at the
hotel during the trial The district /
attorneys office was engaged nearly /
a year in preparation of the case, dur
ing which time three assistants de-
voted their entire time to the work,
us did also ten secret service men, |
six investigators and several stenog- /
raphcrs.
In addition there were fees Of more |
than a hundred witnesses and the |
time devoted TO the case by Judge /
Anderson and numerous court at |
taches II was said to have been by |
far the most expensive trial ever held |
in the federal court ia Chicago.