Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-27
NOT GUILTY IS
RIGGS VERDICT


they signed the affidavit on advice of
their counsel, and that its intent was
to swear that the bank never had en-
gagged in stock dealings for ltsei1. put
not to deny that the banks ofhcers
had executed transactions for deposit
ors and customers in their personal
capacities.
The government contended that en-
tries in the name of the RIGGS Bank on
the books of a local defunct brokerage
house proved its case. The defense
was that accounts executed at the ORDER
of the banks officers for customers
might have been kept that way, but
that the bank had no part in IT.
Court Warns Against Interruption.
Justice Siddons began his charge to the
jury a minute or two after 10 o'clock.
prefacing his remarks with a caution to
counsel on both sides that he was not
to be interrupted. and that if the defense
had any exceptions to make he preferred
that they be made after he had finished.
Something has been said during the
progress of the trial" Justice Siddons
said. with reference to the incarceratio
of the jury-your being locked up over
night.
The court saw fit to temporarily with
draw YOU. he pointed out. from your
normal lives, in order that you might give
your undistYrbed attention to what is
your duty. Eou. of course, are nor igno-
| rant of the fact that this case has at
| tracted more than ordinary attention
Wherever men have gathered ii has been
the subject of discussion. The news
pa pers have discussed it. and have print
| ed the proceedings of this trial, and in
| order that you might act impartially i,
| was necessary during this trial that YOU
| should be free from disturbance.
| This is not said by way of apol-
20 h. - ,I,-
| ing you from your normal lives. The
| law, after an experience of centuries
has clothed the court with power in
this respect. and discretion. SO. dis
| fence you have suffered the discom
| forts YOU have suffered if any.
| Riggs Bank Not on Trial.
! There are some persons and institu-
tions which have been discussed here
| which are not under investigation. The
| Riggs National Bank is not on trial
| in this case. Whether it's history be
romantic. or dull or prosaic, or long
or short is of no consequence in the
determination of this issue. The Sec
rotary of the Treasury. the controller
of the currency. are not on trial IN this
case. No witness who appeared before
this court, before you. is on trial The
case we are engaged in trying. and
the only one. is that of the United
States against Charles {, Glover on
one indictment. the Crited States
against William J. Flather on another
| Indictment. and the case of the Unit ed
States against Henry Fl. Flather on
another indictment, each of these ndict
| ments charging in substantially the
| same language the crime of perjury
when the grand jury returned indict
| ments in this case they returned foul
| indictments. One charged Messrs. Glover
| Father and Father with the joint crime
of perjury. The remaining three indict
| ments charged each one of these mer
| separately. Under an election the gov
| eminent has decided that the indictmen
| charging the three men together with the
| crime has been abandoned. and the cour
| now charges you that whatever may be
your verdict in the individual indictments
you will return verdict of not guilty
on the joint indictment. That Is tn,
direction of the court to you and tina
will be your verdict on that joint in
| dictment.
| The three indictments that renal,
| charge the defendants with perjury :
detestable crime, most justly reprobatet
| by all, and when it is committed in tn.
course of judicial proceeding it thel
presents an uglier aspect because wheI
| so committed 1t is with the purpose o
corrupting a judicial proceeding