Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-11

s:45 AT 800 4 VERDICT OF NOT
GUILTY WAS RETURNED.
The evidence in the trial of Sher-
IL 3D. T. Bruuer charged with per
-nfttiuS George W Cain, OF Rockford
10 escape from county Jail for the sum
o. 500. vas concluded yesterday aft
ernoou in circuit court. The state
rested ~ o'clock and the defense
mt but one witness on the stand. the
defendant himself who declared that
no escape had been committed: that
cain paid him SI-O>5. the amount of
his fine and costs and that ne turned
the same over TO former States At
to-rey l. II Mac.ll. who ordered the
release Of Cain
sheriff Bruuer was positive II his
statements relative 20 paying the
money 10 MagilL Mr.. NagiI. who is
himself under indictment for conspir-
acy for Illegal irregularities i'm Office,
was q witness for the state. lie testi-
fed that the money III question was
never given 20 him. but the defendant
went further and declared that he
telephoued the former states attor-
uey relative Co what disposition he
should make Of Cain, II he was able
70 produce the fine and costs amount
inE 70 S12G.S5. and that NIasiIl in
formed him to- release Cain when this
vas done.
The witness declared that after Cain
had paid him s120 and a Few odd cents
al the Rock Island National bank. that
he went straight 10 the Office OF Mr. .
NsEiIl and turned the money over TO (
him.
Fine Not Paid.
The sherins statement with rela- .
ton % the amount OF money which .
Cain paid him Is disputed by Cain 4
himself Cain declared that he paid
but 500. although he knew this was
less than his fine and that he wes not
legally entitled 20 his release until the .
fine Of 500 and costs. amounting To
something over $50. had been paid.
According 10 Clarence IsaacsOn.
deputy county clerk. the fines and (
costs in the Cain case have never
been turned over 10 the county. The
question u.s. who got the 800? u f.
up TO tine jury 10 determine II Sherim
Bruncr got IL and kept il for his own
use or turned il over 10 Magill
Opening Argument
1t tie conclusion Of the Bruner
testimony. the usual motion for an
Instructed verdict was made by the
defense and denied by the court. vii
liam McEuiry. assistant states az
tOruey. then made the opening arEu-
ment 70 the jury
This j. one Of the most important
eases ever tried in Rock Island coun-
~" he began. There are several
reasons why q public official who has
committed a crime. should be punish
ed but tie most important j.. that il
may be a lesson TO others. We all
trust Our public officials Our lives.
liberty and property depend upon
their honesty. faithfuluess and integ- ,
rity. The most important officer in
the county. next 10 the Judge. is the ;
sheriff and il is all imperative that he ,
should be conscientious and capable
There j. but single question in ,
this. case for the jury 10 determine. a.,
Did Oscar l. Bruner open the doors Of ,
the jail and turn loose. for a consid- ,
Grafton. a man who had been sen .
fenced by The cOurt2 n
In this case the state had TO prove :
that Cain was lawfully convicted in a
court Of competent jurisdiction: that +
he was sentenced 70 pay fine OF 500 +,
and costs and stand committed TO the =
county Jail until the fine and costs :
were paid. that o. l.. Bruner was the q
sheriff Of Rock Island county at the =
time 1ud that he was in charge OF 4
the 1as; that Cain paid Bruner Tor his Il
release.
All Of these facts have been ad- I,
United by Bruner himself. except that 4
he says Cain gave him the amount OF
HIS fine and costs That is the one
question ~ issue. Did Cain pay Bru-
ner the fun amount Of his fine and y
costs? II you say he did not, then !
there is no escape from finding the
defendant guilty.
Cain says he paid BruHer 500. al i
though he knew this wasn't his fine i
and costs. but a lesser sum; Magill y
says that as states attorney Brunei y
never turned any Of the money over u
{" him. Clarence Isaacson swore that y
he Gne and costs in the case had y
never been paid into the county but -
hat months after the escape. Bruner .
anne into county court and claimed 10 "
Z ". Olmsted. then county Judge. that
ie had misunderstood the order OF ~
curt and thought that Cain was To .
~ VNAA 4lAr rFl AF-iifF a. AAa" 800 -
LOO day intimat.ng that he had %
IeDt the prisoner in jail for period
Il - days and then released him. ~
'hen ss a matter OF fact, Cain was
lyen his freedom two days after his ~
rrest and had been gone for months q.
then the sheriff had his conversation ~
nth the court. a
Where is Receipt =
II Sheriff Bruner turned over the "A
honey 20 Aagill where = his receipt
10 you suppose he would turn over
uch a sum OF money without taking
ne2 Why did not Bruner tell Judge ia
'imsted that the hne and costs had 81
cen paid. instead OF attempting 10 re
lake the court think Cain had served Ia