Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-02-22
HAS THE STATE
MADE ITS CASE?
Suspicion That Charge Of Bribery
Against Sheets is Not
Legally Established.
HAS NOT BEEN CoRRoBoRATED
Testiomny of Bell Is Not Enough To
send Former Chief of Police
10 state Pcnitcniiary.

When court IN the sheets bribery
trial resumes Monday morning the de-
fense VIII open It's arguments for as
1nissal The state rested at S'l5 CLOCK
vesteiday afternoon. Today beihR
Washlngton's birthday. legal holiday
Two dny adjournment followed the
rather unexpected move on the part OF
the state That these two days VIII
hear the case discussed FRO and con
is foregone conclusion, There VIII
be eight mon. however, who will pay
no attention 80 any talk; read no news
papers ana permit no discussion III
sheir presence, they are the jurors and
keeping their mind entirely clear OF
Sheets trial is their duty
But these eight men are alone.
one OF the $1,000 persons greatly in
terested In tile case In this city alone
IS man who has sat through each
days session in the Sheets trial, not be-
cause he wants the state to win, nor
because he wants the defendant clear
ed; he Is simply interested In the bat
lie.
STATE FELL DOWN.
mo matter what ones belief may
be as to the guilt or innocence of the
defendant" he says. ut Is not to he
expected that a verdict OF guilty VIII
be brought in. It Is even argued by
those acquainted with the intricacles
OF law and modern methods of dis
pensing Justice, which | am not, that
the fate of the defendant may never
be left to the jury al all, On the show
ing made by the state, or rather, the
statn
many little points have been brought
out more fully than before and these
have been Well corrOborated but evil
dence bearing upon the crime charged,
bribery has been brought out from
one man, only and then left entirely
uucorroboratod. In other words every
thing has been proved except the crime
charged. Events starting with the
ting Of looters and to-be-looted, as
typified by the Parent Bell-O Brien
gang and the McWhirters, and proceed
ing right UP to the meeting in the
chiefs office aud even covering the
next few days have all been described
and redescribed.
But the paying over of money was
described by one man and one man
alone
BELLS TESTIMONY.
''trhis Is the obstacle which. if COM
George Sheets from conviction Under
the indulgent and most fair statutes
OF Utah n man cannot be convicted up
on the uncprroborated testimony of an
aocomplice and just the minute the
Jury would say guilty" because OF st
Caire's story. 81. Claire, or Bell, as
he is better known, would become an
accomplice and the verdict would be
rendered absolutely illegal and mean
ingless. The situation is unique.
EVERYTHING BUT BRIBERY.
'srhe state built up splendid case.
the very best case possible, many
say. 1t brought out evidence showing
every little point of the poker swindle,
the Take arrest the meeting with the
chief OF police, then George =. Sheets.
In his office, the cut of the haul a
matter of $4,000, and over Isl 900 was
given back to the McWhirters); all
these things were made as plain as
anything could be- Donaldson Bell and
the two McWhirter boys, each told a
story which made the entire narrative
clearly defined and convincing. Disin-
\ tcrested parties some friends of Sheets
added the ring of truth to the story
by their testimony, some of II given
reluctantly.
INTERESTING EVIDENCE.
1T would require lot of time to
one and gone into In great detail
Such little Incidents as stepping mo
the salt Lake House on south Second
West In the afternoon TO use the tels-
phone as described by Donaldson aud
Bell and corroboruted by Mrs. Venlress
Is an Illustration Another Is the visit
IN the Sun Drug company where Bcli
used the phone, speaking In the Ill
strnment 40. 75, please: CHIEF
Sheets Chief Raleigh, then" Alexan-
der McWhirter told about this; bau
repeated 1t and Mr. Anstree. proprietor
OF the store, told II n third time.
Alexander McWhirter told about
Parent and Bell and himself standing
In the Federal building arguing when
mani cnrrer came along. McWhIrter
asked the fellow II the two men with
him CMcWhirter) We're policemen. par
rent wound his hand al the side of his
head to Indicate McWhirter was crazy
The clever play made It's point AMI
laughing the mail carrier passed On:
laughing AT the sight OF a crazy mar
habbling about losing 10000 Parent
told about this; Bell told II; McWhir-
ter told about this and the state
produced the mail man himself
"lsell told about writing 10 Sheets