New-York tribune., 1916-02-07
Acquittal of Kaplan Is a
Blow to Prosecution OF
Other Prisoners.
PEOPLES VICTORY,
OSBORNE DECLARES
"Truth Has Hard Time Occa-
sionally, but in the End 1t
Wins" Warden Comments.

District Attorney Frederick L. Weeks
last night refused TO discuss the re-
port current in White Plains that in
consequence Of the acquittal OF Kid
Dropper Ksplan yesterday the cases
against the other score of Sing Sing
prisoners indicted on immortality
charges would be dropped.
81 have nothing to say" was his an
swcr TO all queries.
Kaplan was put on trial, according TO
the statements Of William X. J. Fallon,
the case, because the case against him
was the strongest of the lot. In ms
argument 70 the jury he urged that the
acquittal OF Kaplan would be condem-
nation OF the District Attorney and his
Office. as well as OF the Sheriff OF the
county. who vas called as witness
against Ksplan.
Thomas Mott Osborne, against whom
Kaplan sworc he was asked TO swear
falsely before he vas indicted, had
little to say about the case yesterday
"The verdict" he declared, SPEAKS
for itself. Truth has a hard time oc-
casionally. but in the end it wins. The
one man you should see is the District
Attorney.
"The point TO be remembered. how
ever. is that the victory ia this case is
not Kaplan's: the victory when ! am
acquitted will not be that of Thomas
Mott Osborne. It will be a victory for
the decent, honest public officials OF the
state Never again. n our generation
AZ least, will an honest public official be
made the victim Of such conspiracy as
that designed against me-
The jury IN the Kaplan case did not
reach its verdict until early yesterday
morning, having spent more THAI hve
hours in discussion OF the case.
! Kaplan was his own best witness. On
: the stand he swore that William Will
lott. the Brooklyn convict, who directed
the preparation OF the cases against
Warden Osborne and the twenty-five o
prisoners indicted, had told him 1t was
necessary that Osborne be framed up.
+ ana ufEtu Illl ~ iiAh' "a
against him. lie tried 10 knock Wiliett
down and later was indicted.
Following this, he swore, he was
taken into the District Attorneys ONCE
where pressure was brought TO bear on
him to change his mind.
Sheriff Weisendanger and Assistant
District Attorney Ferris we're placed on
the stand TO deny part of kaplan's tes-
timony. On cross-examination Welsen-
danger admitted Willett had ridden IN
his automobile, and that such OF the
prisoners as were testifying against Mr:
I Osborne were given so cents worth OF
j groceries day in addition TO the
prison fare. No such provision was
made for those who refused to tesufy
es Willett had asked them to.
Harvey. the star witness for the DIS
trict Attorney and on whose testimony
ali OF the indictments coming from the
/ inquiry into Sing Sing affairs are large
/ lv based. materially aided kaplan wnen
on cross-examination he positively
swore that Yesky Niger, a prisoner
who has figured in the cases, was IN
/ Comstock prison three weeks ago. A
photograph Of this prisoner was identi-
fed bv him as that OF the man he had
seen as his living image,
Frederick +. Dorner, principal keeper
and a Sing Sing guard, called by tnes
defence. swore that Yesky Niger had
not been out OF Sing Sing in many