The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-21
D|GGS IS GUILTY.
VERDICT OF JURY
Former State Architect Con-
victed Under Mann White
Slave Law.
MAXIMUM PENALTY 5 YEARS
Defendant Is Mcrcilcssly De
nounccd in Closing Argu-
mcnt OF Prosecution.

San francisco, Cni, August oO.-In
eloping with Marsha Warrington from
Sacramento, CAL, to Reno, New, Mnury
i. Dig9s, former State Architect OF Cal
ifornin. guilty of violating the
Mann act, which makes IT n felony TO
transport women for immoral purposcs
from one Suite to another. This WINS
the verdict Tonight of the jury TINT
e17cd him. Five years In the Federal
penitentinry is the ~inximum penalty.
The case was given to tho jury at
6 o'clock this afternoon
AT $40 o'clock the members OF the
jury were taken to II nearby hotel for
dinner. Less than an hour was taken
Tor the meal and at its conclusion the
jurors returned TO their deliberations.
Judge Van Fleet in delivering his
charge 10 the jury. expressed the opin-
Ion that the government had presented
clear case, but told the jurors that
they Themselves would have to decide
whether the evidence presented was
sufficiently strong to warrant convc-
ton.
Approached by Woman.
One of the most sensational Incl
dents Of the trial occurred just before
the case was placed In the hands OF the
jurors. admitted that he had been np-
preached By a woman, who tried to in
nucnce him in behalf OF the defendant.
Immediately after Bliss had acknowl-
edged that he had been approached,
Judge Van Fleet compelled him to di-
vulge the wom2n's name to the United
States attorney. lie gave IL Mrs.
Charles ID. Lane. and her address an
1922 West Clay Street. Mrs. +. Drew
Caminctti. wife Of DigKs's codefendant.
is said TO be lodging with Mrs. Lane.
"A woman called me up on the teie-
phone" said Bliss when questioned by
;hc court" and asked me how stood
with the newspapers. knew the wo-
man. / told her | stood all right with
the papers Then she said to me. 1
would like 10 buy mine. and under
stand that you have one for sale
AT that told her that did not pro-
pose TO talk with her further, and that
ended our conversation
The court asked the Juror whether
the woman's message had changed his
frame Of mind. lie replied ia the mega
tive.
with Blisa's recital concluded. Judge
Van Fleet proceeded TO question every
one OF the jurors, asking each whether
he had been approached in any way.
Tie prosecution ended its opening
argument before the noon recess. At
torney Devlin then opened argument
tor the defense. He concluded soon
after the afternoon session began The
prosecutors made Diggs the tnrget for
one OF the most scathing denunoiations
ever heard in a courtroom.
During the uiercilcss denUnciation by
Roche and Sullivan, the defendant Was
2; sullen listener. AT the side OF the
defendant sat his wife and baby Just
behind were his mother. father and two
aunts.
The women OF the Digs party were
H.. > 49,. ...I
ings, and several times their eyes glis-
tened as the attorneys emphasized the
story of the dcsertion OF Mrs Digs
and the ruin OF Miss Warrington Mrs.
Digs sat bravcly by the side OF her
husband until the ordeal ended and
gave way 10 the rushing tears as she
waited in an anteroom for the verdict
OF the jury.
With a mastery marshalling OF facts,
Roche and Sullivan stripped the de-
PENDANT OF every vestige of excuse and
explanation OF his elopement to Reno
with Miss Warrington, and barred in
mercilcss words Digs descrtion OF his
young wife and baby girl at the time
OF the Reno cscapade. Roche told OF
the many orgies in the Sacramento Of
flee of Diggs, admitted by the defend
ant on the witness stand. and accused
him OF betraying many other girls be-
sides Marsha Warrington.
Say Case Illus Collapsed.
In summing up for the defense, At
torneys Coghlan and Delvin declared
that the governments case charging
violation Of the Mann white slave law
had completely collapsed. They con-
tended II had been proven that Diggs
and Caminetti did not take Martha
Warrington and Lola Norris TO Reno
for Immoral purposes; that the young
men, fearing exposure and disgrace,
had decided to leave Sacramento, and
that Marsha Warrington compelled
them to take her and Miss Norris with
them Attorney Delvin was repri-
manded several times for trying to
work upon the sympathies of the
jurors.
Prosecutor sullivan. who made the
closin,> address for the prosecution.
concluded his Stunning Of the case
shortly before o'clock. Judge Van
Fleet then delivered his charge to the
Jury, and the twelve men at once re-
tired to deliberate the evidence.
the Judges charge TO the jury was
hard blow 20 the defense. He told the
jury thaJ the prosecution had proved
the case of white slavery, but that it
was up to the jury to decide whether
the evidence was strong enough to