Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-05-15
JURY N REVELL'SCASE
RESULTS IN DEADLOCK
Unable to Agree in 6 Hours, Dis
charged by Judge.
ELEVEN FOR ACQUITTAL.
And All Possible Arguments Could Not
Shake Lone Member Who Held
Out for Guilty"

40 minutes the jury in Baltimore Grim
inal Court, Part 2, which sat in the
trial of Frank S. Revell, former sheriff
of this county and a member of the
Shellhsh Commission, charged with
conspiracy in a recent registration. in
formed Judge Bond that they would not
be able to reach an agreement and
were discharged.
Anticipating this action Judge Bond
called the jury into the courtroom at 8
O'Clock and informed them of the i'm
portance Of the case, of the long time
taken in the trial of the case and re-
quested them to make every.etfort to
reach an agreement The jury re-
tired, and after 40-minutes delibera-
tion infromed the court that they could
never agree.
On the first and second ballots
taken by the jury they stood 10 TO for
acquittal, and on all subsequent bal
lots IL to for acquittal. No amount
of argument would shake the one mem
Der and the case had to go to a dis
agreement, 1t is not probable, how
ever, that the state will ever take the
caase to trial again in view of the
showing in this trial.
Deputy States Attorney Marchant
declined to make any statement on the
result, or on what future action would
be taken by the states officers. Mr..
RevelI also declined to express him
self, except to say that he had expect
ed an acquittal as he was innocent
- ~, 80 - -
Attorney A. S. j. Owens, who with
Albert C. Richie defended Revell.
said that he had been sure Of an
acquittal and was disappointed that
the jury did not gree.
The state closed its case yesterday
morning with the testimony of Justice
Levinson, of the Southern Police Court,
and Jack Solomon, stenographer to the
Grand Jury, who isaid the two Alb
bolts, the two Corners, Jacob Knight
and John Carl were perfectly sober
when they made their sworn state
ments in States Attorney Broening' s
office. These men had been plaeed on
the stand by the defense, and in spite
of their sworn statements to the
states officers, said that they did not
see Revell at the polls, and that they
were drunk when they made their first
statement.
Deputy States Attorney Marchant
made the opening statement for the
prosecution, and charged that Revell
was the man directly responsible for
the illegal registration and that the
state had proved it.
when a crime has been committed
and YOU go out to look for the crimi-
| nal, he said, you must first inquire
who would have motive for the
crimes commission. Now, who would
have been benefited by placing these
mems names on the books? Would it
have been these poor derelicts them
selves, who registered for the paltTy
sum of $500? Most decidedly mot.
Put your hand on the man who would
benefit by it and you have the head of
the conspiracy. Connect up the testi-
mony of the telephone call to Simonds,
Treakle's conversation with Revell and
the fact that Revell paid for the team
to haul them to the polls and you can
not be convinced that he was the
man"
| Attorneys Richie and Owens, for the
defendant, argued that if Mr.. Revell
| did shake hands with some of these
men at the polls it was no more thar
any other politician would do when he
was there to greet the voters, and
that the fact that boatload of what
looked like fishermen scattered around
the polling place could not arouse the
suspicious Of any one.
THE only testimony they have il
the case, said Attorney Richie, eli
the testimony of four confessed
crooks, who say that another convicted
| crook told them that he had a message
from Revell and all they would hav.
to do would be to shake hands witt
him and it would be all right.
OF the other men indicted for thu
offense five have pleaded guilty, wh'
were tried and convicted and IL AM
awaiting trial, seven in Jail and fou
out on bail. Indictments have beer
returned against all Of them, excep
Simond, charging them with illega
registration and perjury. Sheriff JOIN
E. Potee, of was in the courtroom las
night and said as soon as their case
were disposed Of in Baltimore, an,
they we're released they would be re
arrested and taken 10 the county L
stand trial.
| In discharging the jury Judge Bonl
said that it was regrettable that tn
jury could not reach an agreement, a
the trial had occupied week of tn
courts time and had been very expen
sive to the state.