New-York tribune., 1910-09-25
FORMER WE|GHERS GUILTY
Drew and WardelI Convicted on
One Count of Indictment.
BEDELL ACQUITTED BY Jury
Verdict in Customs Fraud Trial
Reached % Hours After Judge
Martin Ends Charge.

one acquittal and two convictions sus.s
ths trial OF the former customs empIoy.s
who have been before Judge Martin ana
jury in the United States Circuis Cour-
since September 7. charged with conspsrinz
to defraud the United States government,
by procuring the undsrweishins Of tnper.s
from Mediterranean ports. The tlry
reached a verdict few minutes after noon
twenty hours.
George E Bsdell. who was chief clark 4,
the Office Of James F. Vail. deputy surveyor
in charge Of weighing in the port OF New
York. was acquitted. Charles Dewitt Drew
and Charles H WardeI1 two former United
States weighers, were convicted. but only
on one OF the overt acts alleged in the IN
dictment, that which charged that they re-
ceived money from Thomas s. Doyle, an
empIoye OF the firm OF ArbuckIe Brothers
importers OF raw sugar The sum involved
was $50 in each ease.
A number of former assistant wsizhsrs
testified that they had at different psried,
paid various sums to the three defendants.
who were in charge Of the weighing on the
docks. when such sums were received from
importers who paid to have their goods IN
derweighed.
When the verdict was announced Be5eu.
who has been for years a member OF the
Board OF Education IN his home town OF
Plainfeld, " j.. broke down and went. TIE
other men gave no sign OF their feelings
The verdict was not reached without con-
siderable difficulty. AZ various tinnss
throughout the night from Friday to Sat
urday intimations came from the courtroom
that an agreement was impossible. Judge
Martin remained at his hotel. but was IN
telephone communication with Marshal
HenkeI, and was ready 70 come down az
any hour when an agreement was reached.
At O'Clock the jurors were taken cut 70
breakfast, and returned in half an hour.
At 10.15 a. m. they fled into court. and John
Z. Allen. the foreman. announced tha. Il
was impossible to reach an agF.e-.nt
Judge Martin thereUpon addressed the jury
and urged upon them the inportalcs os
reaching a verdict. The case had been
fully and ably tried on both sides, be sad,
and it was desirable thar It should Be Dis
posed Of While exhorting each Juror TO
bring his honest conviction 70 bear On the
facts, he advised that the jury carefully con-
slider the arguments which had brought a
minority equally honest 20 a conclusier o.
posits 20 that reached BY the majority. Rs
intimated thar. if necessary. the jury vould
be held until Monday IN order that YER
dict upon which all could agree might De
reached.
Stephen c. Baldwin, on behalf OF Drew:
George V 8 Williams on behalf OF War
dell, and Lawyer Stanton, representing
Henry ?. Cochrans. BedelFs counsel took
exception TO the judges remark that tte
jury might be held until Monday
At 1913 ?. m. just twenty-four houEs
after Judge Martin had ended his charge 20
the jury. the twelve men fled into court
once more. and John e Allen. the foreman.
read the verdict. acquitting Bedeu and md
ing the other two guilty OF one OF the overt
acts alleged. The result showed that the
jury had disregarded the testimony CO ths
assistant weighers-
Bsdeu was tsld Undsr $500 in bis sun
recogutzance. while Wardeu and Drew had
to renew their former bah of $3.50 each 70
allow their counsel time to prepare the
usual motions for a new trial and for set
ting aside the verdict as contrary to the
weight OF evidence.