South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-08-21
DIGGS GUILTY MAY
GET SENTENCE Of
70 YEARS IN PEN
White SLAYER Found Guilty on
Four Out of Six Counts
Camminetti to be Tried Next.

the white slave law when he went with
Miss Marsha Warrington. Drew Cami-
netti and Miss Lola Norris to Reno.
Having been convicted on four of
the six counts in the Indictment
| against him. Diggs may be sentenced
TO pay a fine of $4,000 to 20 years
Imprisonment or both.
That there Will be an appeal, how
ever seems certain. Diggs lawyers
stated Immediately after the verdict.
that they would take the case to the
supreme court if necessary.
Diggs admitted as the jury went
| out, that he expected a conviction.
Is Out on Bail.
There was no delay on the part OF
| the Diggs relatives in furnishing the
| 100000 bail required by Judge Van
| Fleet as a condition of Diggs' release
pending sentence and appeal.
The trial of Drew Caminetti will
begin Aug. 26.
There were six counts in the indict-
ment and the jury found a verdict Of
guilty on the first four. Each count
carries a maximum penalty of five
/ years and minimum of one year in
a federal penitentiary.
Diggs, his wife, father, mother and
|
ii and Mrs. Anthony Caminetti, were
/ in court. waiting for the verdict.
Diggs was pale and his wife showed
the tension she was under by the
twitching of her lips, the tension
about her eyes, and the lessened bloom
| of her rich color. The questions Of
the foreman clearly foreshadowed the
coming verdict, gave them time TO
| steel themselves for the final shock,
Il o., Il - ~.F
| any sort when the expected blow fell.
The case of the government against
| Maury l. Diggs, former state archi-
/ tect of California, went to the jury
! late Wednesday with no attempt by
| the defense TO prove that Diggs did
not transport Marsha Warrington
across the state line to Reno, New,
or that they did not live there for
| three days as husband and wife.
| These acts, it was admitted, had
been cofmitted but they did not
constitute a violation Of the white
slave act because they had not been
done with criminal intent.
The trip to Reno was half an ac-
cident. If Diggs and Marsha War
rington with +. Drew Caminetti and
Lola Norris, their companions, had
not missed an earlier train they would
have remained within the state and
though their offenSe against morality
would have been the same they would
not have transgr essed a federal
statute.
This defendant" asserted the gov
ernment prosecutor, did not deny the
essential facts we have shown here.
He had TO admit them all. The de-
fendant in a criminal case usually re-
lies on the presumption of his innO-
cence but this defendant relies on his
own depravity and licentioUsness."
Blackened Own Character.
In seeking to establish that the
trip was not premeditated and that
the two girls had not been induced
TO take it by threats Of scandal on
one hand and promises of marriage
on the other, Diggs willingly testified
to his own misconduct and the en-
barrassme domestic and business,
into which it had led him
His counsel, in summing up the
evidence. did not palliate these acts.
Paint this defendant as you will
a monster if you please, argued
Robert Devlin, his senior attorney,
"but tell me what motive he would
have had in going out Of the state
for the purpose of accomplishing
those things already accomplished"
Counsel may characterize him as
they please and I may not differ with
them. They say his act was shame
less and / may feel the same way
about it, but it isn't white slavery"
Rhetorical and emotional appeals
were not neglected in the attorneys
arguments. The girls were blamed
for tempting the men and the wisdom
Of trusting a woman loved and
scorned when she bears witness
against the lover who has discarded
her was called into question.
The Courts Charge.
In view Of the contention Of the
Il
purpose had been proved, the judge
charge was awaited with much in
terest. on this point he said:
THE act, so far as here involved,
provides in substance that any per-
son who shall knowingly transport
in interstate commerce, any
woman or girl for the purpose or
prostitution or debauchery. or for any
other immoral purpose shall be
guilty OF a felony.
ITO debauch is to lead away from
purity. TO corrupt IN character or
morals. 10 seduce from the paths OF
virtue.
"As I have intimated il is immater-
ial what the character Of the two
girls involved in these charges was.
The act denounces the carving IN
interstate commerce for the immoral
purposes specified. Of any woman or
Girl regardless OF whether I
she be lewd or chaste.
IF il appears that the defendant /
has attempted 10 induce any wit /
ness in this case 10 give evidence not |
in accordance with the truth
YOU may and should take such at /
tempts into consideration In determ- |
ining the guilt Of the defendant
Influenced Witness?
This positive instruction went di- 1
rectlv to the testimony OF Nellie Bar
ton. a friend Of Marsha Warrington. /
who testified that Diggs and his at /
tornev. Charles s. Harris. induced 4
her 10 coach Miss Warrington in the 4
testimony she should give, promising 1
her marriage If she did as they wished /
and Imprisonment otherwise.
The defense did not contradict this