The Glenwood post., 1917-12-08
Twelve Men Make Quick Work
Of County Case Which At.
tracted Much Attention
MOTION FOR new TRIAL

o We, the jury, duly empaneled Q
Q and sworn in the above entitled @
o cause, do, upon our oaths, find o
Q the defendants, Louis Crofut and Q
o Louis Castner, guilty as charged Q
o ton, and find the value of the y
o property received to be $255.36. .
o FRED MUNRO, Foreman. o
o Q Q Q o o 90 o o o o o o O Q
The above is the verdict rendered by
the jury in the case Of the People
versus Crofut and Castner, and some
times referred to as the county graft
case, because the defendants were al
legged to have secured the goods in
question from the commissary man at
the county convict road camp, well
knowing that the convict from whom
they obtained them had no right to
dispose Of the goods. The men were
charged with unlawfully and felonious-
ly buying and receiving certain gro
ceries and canned goods of the value
mentioned in the verdict, said goods
being the personal property of the J.
8. Brown Mercantile company.
The second count was the same as
the first except that it alleged owner
ship in the board of county commission.
ers. The third count placed the own
ership in J.-C. Gudgell, to, whom the
goods were consigned, and the fourth
count designated Garfield county as the
owner.
Judge Shumate withdrew the second
count from the consideration of the
jury. No finding was made on tho
third and fourth counts and the coa.t
held that this was equivalent to all ac-
quittal as to these counts.
After six days of solid grind the case
was given to the jury shortly after
five O'Clock Thursday evening and at
SEAS the jury foreman reported to the
bailiff that verdict had beAs secured.
There was not much speculation as TO
what the verdict would be for disin-
terested people who heard the testi-
mony predicted that there could only
be verdict of guilty, while the short
time in which the jury deliberated was
generally construed as meaning a, con.
viction.
Judge Shumate, District Attorney
Delaney and the defendants and their
attorneys were hastily summoned and
the jury was brought into court and
the above verdict was read.
Judge Noonan and T. H. Purcell, IN
behalf of the defendants, asked for
fifteen days in which to file a motion
for new trial, and this was granted,
upon the defendants arranging satisfac-
tory bonds.
This was a case that was har; ri"est
Judge Noonan of this city anG Ton
Purcell of Colorado Springs protecting
every right of the defendants while
Frank Delaney as district attorney
ably represented the people. Judge
Dollison, as county attorney, assisting
Mr.. Delaney and protecting the coun-
tvs interests.
The testimony of the convicts, No
Donald and Taylor, was very strong
against the defendants ,as was also
that of the two Harris boys whom
Taylor brought here from Denver ard
who were used to steal and bring to :he
defendants all kinds of goods, accord
ing to their statement. The evidence
offered by Taylor and Mcdonald wai
amply corroborated by other testimony
30 that strong chain was woven abou
the two men which they were not abl
to break. This was largely due to th'
clever work Of an operator of tl
Leonard DeLue Detective agency VIII
secured confession from MsDonal,
and Taylor.
The jury to whom the case was sub
mitted was made up Of the followin
citizens of the county: W. A. Smith
Q. E. Tracy, o. M. WINNER, Marti
Auth, J. W. Pedigo, Fred H. Wilson
I'd Tadlock, D. u. ElewelVn, Free
Munro, W. E. Ricketts,, Frank McGuir
and Jon Patterson, a..
Yesterday morning Joe Nagin, th
Leadvillc Junk dealer who had conxil