Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-23
VERDICT OF JURY
IS FOR ROOSEVELT
Plaintiff. Barnes, Not Having
Been Libeled, Is Entitled to
No Damages.
1OL0MEL'S CHARGES TRUE
attorney for Former President
Declares 1t Is Victory for
Good Government.

SYRACUSE, y. Y. MAY 22.-Twelve
"eh' chosen as jury TO determine
Fhether Theodore Roosevelt libeled
"i!liam Barnes when he charged that
j" worked through a corrupt alli-
'nce between crooked business and
rocked politics." ana ,ha. he was
corruptly allied with Charles f. Muir
my. Of Tammany Hall" to-day re-
'Tnch verdict in favor of the former
resident. In the belief of the jury
everything Colonel Roosevelt said about
ne former chairman of the Republican
state Committee was true, and. there
ore. Nh Barnes was not libeled.
The verdict was returned after forty
ballots had been taken, and the Jury
Lad considered for forty-two hours the
evidence which was presented during
we weeks OF the trial. Nineteen hours
we're consumed before eleven OF the
lurym EN-. who since the second ballot
aad stood together. persuaded Juror
No. II. Edward Burns. Syracuse
notor:nhn and Republican, to join
"ith them In returning verdict, which
-o!one! Roosevelt later declared TO be
''yp!cally American"
For eleven OF those nineteen hours
The jurors in favor OF an unconditional
'crd.ct for tho defendant talked to the
'ne. who. while himself favoring a
similar verdict. insisted that the court
'osts and disbursements should be di-
'ided between the TWO principals.
VERDICT REACHED IN
DORMIrORY OF JAZZ.
The verdict was reached in the dormi-
tory OF the Jail attached to the Onon-
!aga County Courthouse. and not in
he turyroom. Juror Burns agreed TO
rote with his companions soon after
he twelve arose this morning follow
ng their second night in custody
Mr.. Barnes was not in court and
neither was his chief counsel. William
VI. WINS, when the verdict was re-
urned The Colonel was there. how
eve-. with his staT OF counsel some
tims before Justice Andrews ascended
the bench and opened court.
Immediately thereafter Henry Wolf.
one OF Mr.. Barncss attorneys. entered
an objection to the verdict being re-
eved. AS the jury had once been
1o!led in onen court. That objection
As we'll a similar ono entered after
he verdict had been reported was
1verruled.
When the jury had been called in
from it's room and its members had
seated themselves. the foreman, War
rem w Somers, announced almost in
- & whisper that the verdict was for the
= Defendant. In response TO n request
from Mr.. Wolf, the jury was then
polled.
Ton answered for the defendant:
then tho clerk hesitated. called the
name OF Edward Burns and waited.
Burns. big, rosy-chcckcd Republi-
can stood up in his seat and in "A deep
voice said:
For tho defendant"
Juror No. - gave the same answer.
SPECTATORS WARNED
AGAINST DEMONSTRATION
Before the jury nme in the specta-
tors in the crowded courtroom were
warned that any demonstration would
be met with severe punishment. Ex-
Hcept for the voice OF the clerk and
Jurors. the room was absolutely quiet
untl the name of Burns was called.
When he announced that he. too, fav-
ored a verdict for the former Presi-
dent, the courtroom buzzed like a
j. dynamo with voices.
Several persons in the courtroom
stood UP and waved .eir hands. but
there was no outburst of applause
i After announcement of the verdict
attorneys for Barnes objected to its
receipt The objection was overruled
Colonel Roosevelt thanked the jury
Il shaking hands with each member.
~ am more moved by this verdict
than II is possible for me to express"
she said 10 them. None of you ! as
sure you. will ever have cause to regret
your action. ! am especially Eratified
that such n verdict came from n Jury
com posed of men of every political
faith"
JUROR BURNS cHEERED
ny CROWD AT DOOR
A crowd at the courthouse door
checred Juror Burns as he left the
building. Colonel Roosevelt's attor-
y! ney. John NJ. Bowers. issued n state
Il mont, saying:
Tho victory that Mr.. Roosevelt has
won Is a victory for good government
sThe issue put to the jury was whether
Smachine government or government by
1.-The people should prevail.
"1hc verdict certainly assures us that
tthe Anglo Saxon system of determin-
ling questions between litigants is
brightly lodged in the hands of n jury
dof twelve men. Moreover, IT deter
mines that Jurors holding political
Iyiews opposed to those held by party
[Jwll not be swayed thereby in deter
Ju,ining the questions submitted to
*1them."
The foreman of the jury, in state
Iment, said:
After the first ballot, we stood II
3lto in favor of the defendant. These
&l6gures were never changed, Mr.. Burns
Elrefusing to change his vote until this
8Imorning.
Except for Mr.. Burns, the Jurors
who voted for the plaintiff on the first
Jballot did so. they said because they
Maid not want 1t to appear that they
rave insufficient consideration to the
continued on Tenth Passe.)