Evening star., 1915-04-06
Twenty-Seven Citizens of
Terra Haute, Ind, Convicted
of Corruptino Ballot.
MAYOR OF CITY INCLUDED
IN LIST Of DEFENDANTS
Eighty-Nine Accused Men Confess
Prior to Court Hearing-Sen-
tences Monday.

Mayor DOnn NJ. HODertS, IN the Ie'i &
Haute election fraud case, were found
guilty by a jury today. The case mas
been on trial in the federal court mere
since March S.
Judge Anderson announced that sem
tence would be passed on the twenty
seven who were convicted and the
eighty-nine who have pleaded guilty
next Monday morning at 10 O'CLOCK IN
the meantime he permitted all the de-
PENDANTS, with the exception OF Alex
ander Aczel, alias Steel, to remain at
liberty under their previous bonos
Steel has been in Jail for some time.
unable to give bond of $4,000 for al
legged attempt to influence government
witnesses.
All of the defendants, many of whom
were accompanied by relatives loon
the verdict calmly. and there was ho
demonstration of any sort.
William Schwaninger, retail drug
sist of Jeffersonville. Ind. was fore
man and announced the verdict. After
the jury had been discharged. one OF
the members stated that the Verdlct
had been reached last night. The jury
was composed of ten farmers. an insur-
ance agent and a druggist. Ten OF the
jurors are democrats, one republican
and another progressive.
List of Those Convicted.
Those found guilty are: Dom NJ.
Roberts. mayor of Terre Haute and
candidate for the democratic nomina-
ton for governor.
Eli H. Redman, declared elected Niso
circuit judge by ten votes.
Elmer E. Talbot, controller of Terre
Haute until his resignation because
of the trial here.
Dennis Shea. sheriff of Vigo county.
Maurice Walsh. county sealer OF
weights and measures and treasurer Of
campaign funds
Harry s Montgomery, president OF
the board of public works.
John NJ. Masselink. city inspector of
weights and measures and a member
of the state Legislature in 1911
Thomas c. Smith. city judge.
George Ehrenhardt, member of the
board of public works
Edward r. Driscoll, secretary of the
Nigo county democratic committee.
Hilton Redman. son of Eli Redman.
Charles Houghton, assistant custo-
dian of the city hall.
Lewis Nunley. assistant city engineer.
Joseph " Mara, street
William s. Crockett, superintendent
city crematory.
Richard knuckey. cemetery clerk and
Roberts messenger.
Alexander AcZel. alias Steel, for
eigner. inspector of street paving.
election official.
John f. Greene, proprietor of second
hand store.
William Doyle. gambler.
Pearly Mckay, gambler.
George Severn, gambler
Timothy tBulD Conway. former pu-
giliSt bartender.
Andrew O'Brien. bartender.
Joseph Strauss. liquor salesman.
George Woodall. saloonkeeper.
William =. OConnell, saloonkeeper.
Indictment in Four Counts.
The indictment on which the men
were tried is in four counts. The first
count is based on section 10 OF the
United States criminal code, the sub
ject matter of which is conspiracy to
injure persons in the exercise Of their
civil rights The Indictment charges
that qualified voters We're prevented
from exercising that right. that quail
fed persons We're prevented from serv-
ing on election boards. and that per
sons who had committed no offense
We're deprived of their liberty without
due process of law.
Conspiracy TO defraud the Emitted
States. by coruptins the election. is
charged in the second count. which is
ba sed on section 8. OF the criminal
code. which was used in the dynamite
conspiracy case here two years ago
In brief. the third count alleges that
in furtherance of the scheme to de-
fraud the United States the defendants
placed letters in the mails, and it is
also based on section 81. The final
count charges scheme to defraud the
gamblers and saloonkeepers of Terre
Haute. and in furtherance of this
mails. This count is based on sec
ton 2l5 of the penal code Of the
United States.
The federal grand jury began its in
vestigation under the direction of Dis
trict Attorney Daley about two weeks
after the election of November 3, 1914,
and returned the indictment December
"a. naming 126 men. United States
Marshal Mark Storen and his deputies
began making arrests Christmas night
and took into custody 116 of the men
indicted The remaining ten have not
been apprehended.
Eighty-Nine Plead Guilty.
Eighty of the men arrested pleaded
guilty January -, 1915. which was ar
raignment day: eight more had entered
the same plea before the trial was be
gun. and another when the strial was
almost over pleaded guilty. For Mayor
and twenty-six others. A. O..
Stanley. former representative in Con-
gress from Henderson. KY. filed a de-
murrer which was overruled by Judge
Anderson February /. The trial was
DELAYED until March s, after the ad-
iournment of Congress, to accommodate
Mr.. Stanley.
The Jury was selected the first day.
and Mr.. Daley began his opening
statement The taking of evidence was
begun March 10. The arguments were
begun at pm. last Thursday.
Ali of the defense counsel ad-
nitted there was cOnspiracv
hut denied the government had
made a case against the men on trial.
before Stanley had completed his ar
pument. Fred Morrison. one of the de-
fendants. asked to change his plea To
guilty.
,utlinipg how each of the defendants
vas linked to the conspiracy. MIR. Dali
ey was assisted in the trial and in the
of the case by Robert Ram
lev. special agent of the bureau of in
of the Department of JUS
ice, and James A. Cooper and Chalmers
". Hammill. attorneys of Terre Haute,
n addition to Mr.. Mangus, the assistant
district attorney.