The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-10


minutes, the jury in the Gov
ernment's case against William
Rockefeller and ten other former di-
rectors of the New York, New Ha-
ven and Hartford road returned a
split verdict at ABA p. m. yesterday.
Six of the eleven men on trial since
Oct. IS, charged with conspiring to
monopolize the common carrier busi-
ness in New England in violation of
the Sherman act, were acquitted; up
on the guilt or innocence of the re
manning five the jury reported to Fed
eraI Judge Hunt, who tried the case, it
was unable to agree.
The Men Found Innocent
The acquitted are;
ID. Newton Barney of Pennington,
Conn.
Robert w. Taft, Providence, r. 1.
James S. Hemingway, of New Ha-
ven, Conn.
A. Heaton Robertson of New Ha-
Frederick f. Brewster of New Ha-
Henry X. McHafg, of Stamford,
Conn.
y The five upon whose guilt or in
nocence the jury could not agree are:
William II >clefeiler of New York.
Lewis Cas- Ledyard of New York.
Charles F.. BROKER of Ansonia,
Conn.
Edward d. Robbins of New Haven,
Conn.
Charles NJ. Pratt of Brooklyn.
Robert S. Bats, in charge of the
that the government would try again
the five men about whom the jury
failed to agree.
Counsel for the acquitted six join
ed in the frank jubilation of their
clients, but the verdict disappointed
H. Il .f<aTz nd mt "a
charge, felt confident that all would
be acquitted. Several defendants said
a DISAGREEMENT would enc ourage civil
suits against them because of their
official connection with : the New
Haven.
Statements made by jurors to re-
sporters show that, until additional in
structions were received from Judge
HUNT yesterday, the jury voted to con-
Wet or acquit the defendants as a
body; that 1S ballots were taken, a.
deadlock being established after the
for conviction. On the first ballot
four. voted for conviction. After being
instructed it might return a split YER
dict, the jury unimously voted to ac-
quit six
Jurors said the evidence was con-
sidered as a. whole, although specific
acts, such as the Joy Line deal, the
and the Sound Line agreement inf1u-
enced several strongly.
Nine Defendants Heard Verdict.
Nine of the>d1 defendants and most
of their counsel were present when
Foreman Hirschman read the verdict.
The absentees were William Rocke-
Teller, ill with grip at his home at $50
Fifth avenue, and Henry K McHarg.
It was 10 a. m. yesterday when a
4I1x1
building and out of it piled IL be-
draggled Jurors. Their linen was soil
ed Some had turned their collars
inside tout to make them appear fresh
and unsoiled. Defendants and their
counsel struggled in for the next half
hour. The defendants were unable to
disguise the fact that their nerves
were suffering under the wait. All of
them, men Of financial and social
prominence, settled down to another
day of waiting to learn whether or
not they were to be adjudged Grim
inals subject to fine of $4,000 or a
years imprisonment, or both.
They showed much nervousness;
found it impossible to remain for any
length of time in one place; lighted
cigars and cigarettes only to throw
them away; they started conversa-
lions aIlimatedly only to break them
off suddenly. Of them all the two
to show the strain most were Lewis
Cass Ledyard. the late J. P. Morgan
counsel, and Robert W. Taft.
AS. time passed and the jury re-
manned out few made any pretense of
disgusting anxiety. Rumors flew over
the buildingi the most persistent be-
ing that Juror No z. and two others
were holding out. sbut whether for ac-
quittal or conviction no one knew.
Jury Files In.
Just before IL a break came Mt
was whispered the jury had sent a
agree. At 1855, to be exact, the jury
filed into the court room. The de-
PENDANTS had preceded them. Judge
Hunt was on the bench. The de-
PENDANTS leaned eagerly forward in
their seats. The room, No. 1928, reek-
ed with the odor of dead, cigar and
tobacco smoke. The carpeting was
covered with cigar butts in spots; in
others, sprinkled with the stubs of
half smoked cigarettes and ashes.
But the jury had no verdict to hand
up. Judge Hunt besought it in view
of the Importance of the case. the ex-
lpense already involved Cover $780,
their task. He Instructed the jury
that while it might not agree as to all
the defendants, it might as to some
while disagreeing as to others-a point
of which it developed later the jury
had been unaware.
The jury returned for luncheon on
Greenwich street, and the petition
of individual jurors that they be al
lowed to get a shave, was granted.
S The defendants returned from their
luncheons before the Jurors. From
court room to their loahng room acrss
the hall and up and down the corri-
doris they passed restlessly in twos and
threes.
At $3.50 Clerk ]. Elmer Westerve1t
whispered to Mr.. Bats and John G.
1iIburn of the defense that they were
wanted in the judges chambers. In
stantly a rumor ran that a verdict had
been reached.
This rumor took definite substance