The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-19
MRS, MINNIE {. BOND
LOSES DAMAGE SUIT
Jury Returns Verdict in Fa-
vor of Senator Gore, After
Being Out 10 Minutes.
ONE BALLOT IS ENOUGH
Blind Statesman Need Not
Have Gone Upon the
Witness Stand.
ONE BALLOT is ENOUGH

WgENG88 0l6AAus
OKLAHOMA CITY, Feb. 1s.-United
States Senator Thomas Pryor Gore late
TODAY was exonerated of charges or
improper conduct by verdict in his
favor returned in district court In the
suit for $4,000 damages instituted by
Mrs. Minnie E. Bond of Oklahoma
City.
The verdict was returned ten min
utes after the case was given to the
Jury. Only one ballot was taken.
t'We hnd,' the jury stated IN the
verdict, Hthe evidence submitted BY the
plaintiff entirely insufficient upon which
to base a suit; that said evidence Who'll
" exonerates the defendant and had
the defendant, at the conclusion OF the
plaintiffs evidence, announced that he
desired to introduce no evidence and
rested his case, our verdict would have
beep the same in that event as now
returned by us, in favor OF the defend
ant.
Cheers in Courtroom.
Despite the efforts OF baillffs TO main
tain order when the verdict was read,
the crowd that filled the courtroom
turned into cheering throns;
Senator Gore heard the jury's deciSion
without change OF countenance. MIS-
Gore was the first To- grasp his hsnd.
When she turned and shook hands with
Henry Carpenter, the foreman. tears
we're on the cheeks Of both herself ana
~the aged farmer ,
truth Will triumph Senator Gore said.
Il never for a moment doubted the out
come" -
to prepare their verdict until the DEM
onetratlon was under way Mrs. Bond
sat in silence, leaning on table and
scriboling on a piece ol a, paper, ,ba ,oons Sne
neys, when she arose and walked away
with them and her husband.
Will Appeal Case.
4. ]. Giddings chief Of counsel for
Mrs. Bond, tonight said an appeal 10 the
supreme court would be taken on the
ground that applause and demonstra,
tions in the courtroom during The trial
had Influenced the jury
The termination OF the trial came al
the end OF a day devoted TO argument
by opposing counsel In which words were
not spared in denouncinG witnesses and
opposing parties TO the suit.
Robert l.. Rogers Of Little Rock. Ark,
Of counsel for Senator Gore made the
direct charge that j. +. McMurray,
prominent Oklahoma lawyer, now living
In Washington. planned the alleged con-
spiracy which the defense declared re-
suited in charges that the senator at
tempted 10 assault Mrs Bond in a Wash
ington hotel last March, the basis for
the suit.
Basis of Suit.
The trial began last Wednesday. In
her declaration Mrs. Bond alleged that
the senator attacked her while they
were conferring at hotel in Wash
ingtOn last March in connection with
the possible appointment of her hus-
band, Julian Bond, as internal revenue
collector at Oklahoma City. Gore
seized her, she alleged, throwing her
violently across a bed She claimed
she freed herself only after several men
appeared in the doorway of the room.
In the scufle, Mrs. Bond asserted, her
face was scratched and hand Iacerated
by fragments of her broken eyeglasses.
Senator Gore denied the charges and
as counter charge alleged that the
suit was instigated by political oppo-
peuts who had failed in their efforts
TO obtain federal patronage.
The jury comprised nine farmers, a
grocer, banker and a broker. Mrs,
Bond, called as the first witness, de-
MED any knowledge of the plot alleged
by the senator, who is candidate for
denomination at the Oklahoma prima.
ries next August.
Old Stories Shut Out.
Efforts to have dispositions bearing
OF alleged incidents in connection with
the past of both plaintiff and defend
ant were prevented by a ruling of
Judge Clark, who held such evidence
not vital TO the suit.
T. E. Robertson, Kirby Fitzpatrick
and Dr. J. P: carp, oklahomans who
were in Washington at the time of the
hotel episode, appeared at witnesses for
Mrs. Bond. All were unsuccessful can
didates for federal positions Robert
son and Fitzpatrick claimed to have
been eye witnesses to the alleged as
sault, while Earp asserted he had been
importuned by Gore to have Mrs. Bond
leave Washington and "hush the mat
ter up
Testifying in his own defense, Sena-
tor Gore characterized the allegations
as Infamous lies,' and asserted that
Mrs. Bond seized him and at an op-
perfume moment Robertson and Fitz-
patrick appeared in the room Other
witnesses for the defense quoted wit.
nesses for the plaintiff as admitting
that "frameup' against Senator
pOtS ndQ DccH IduEtl dHQ qlOtcQ BcV~
eral as having made threats to "get"
the senator.
Argument in the suit began yester-
day and was finished at $50 o'clock
this afternoon.
Verdict Soon Reached.
The case went to the jury at .5;42
o'clock after Morton Rutherford, attor-
ney for Mrs, Bond made the closing
argument, Four minutes later q deputy
was summoned to the juryroom.
I'VE have reached a verdict" the
foreman told him
A hush fell over the courtroom. THE
jury is coming in.'' whispered Mrs Gore.
wife of the defendant, as she leaned
over and touched the senator's arm.
She was weeping.
Good" Senator Gore responded. his
face sober. as 1t had been all through
the trial
we, the jury, find for the defend
ant" read the foreman.
Then the courtroom burst into cheers.
No one tried To stem the demonstra :
ton. Judge Clark smiled. After the
demonstration had lasted ten minutes
the Judge left the bench, Court never