The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-11-21
CASE IS GIVEN THE JURY
fEIsShHt .- sl.is.
ARGUMENTS IN MEINTS
SUIT ARE HEARD
EytEyEE --, sans
FINAL WORD OF COURT
Interest In Action Brought TIC
Recover Hundred Thousand
Dollar Damages
THE TWELVE JURORS WHO WILL
DECIDE MElNTS CASE.


DECIDE MEINTS CASE.
Alex Grant, Fairmont.
Henry Rollins, Pemberton.
Asei Rask, Darfur.
}. J. Malmey, Heron Lake.
A. {. King, Redwood Falls.
%. p. Berg, Granite Fails.
August label, Minnesota Lake.
Simon koblinser, lie Sueur.
Charlco Steward, Sherburn.
Charles e. Larson, Winthrop.
{. C. Eaton, Winthrop.
3. 4. Trumbeli, Pipestone.
Late this afternoon the fate of the
100000 personal damage suit brought
by John Meints against thirty two
citizens OF LuveIne, rested with the
jury. The case was finihed after one
CT the longest and most interesting
sessions in any court, in Mankato, in
a number of years past and one OF
the most lengthy cases ever tried in
the federal court here.
At the opening OF court this morn
ing Judge Wilbur Booth ruled against
the motion OF Attorney Pierce Butler
TO direct verdict for the defendants
in the action Mr. Butler immediate
ly prepared to make his final argu-
ment to the jurors. The understand
ing was that each attorney was to
have two hours for argument if they
desired it.. lg az IL rrra -.
Attorney Butler began making his
plea shortly after $500 o'clock thk
morning He attacked the arguments
of the plaintiff on much the same
ground as lie flayed their evidence be-
fore Judge Wilbur Booth, arguing for
a directed verdict last evening.
Following the address by Mr.. But
Ter, Attorney Arthur LIE Sueur for the
complainant made the final argument
OF that side of the case to the jury.
He took up the allegations Of the
complaint, that a conspiracy existed
among the defendants and charged
that John Meilts suffered wrong as
re5ult of this conspiracy. His plea
also was along the same line of ar
gument as that presented to the court
last evening. ,y-.-er
At 2:30 o'clock this afternoon Judge
Wilbur Booth began his charge to the
jurors. ~
Bitter Arguments Heard.
Bitter and heated arguments were
exchanged before Judge Wilbur Booth
by attorneys on both sides OF the
John Meints case last evening" at
the session of court held then to
speed pp the case Following a short
rebuttal and the calling OF witnesses
to substantiate minor points In, the
testimony already before the jury both
the defense and the plaintiff rested.
Judge Booth then excused the jury
until this morning. rqs
Attorney Pierce Butler arose and,
addressing the court, moved that 0
verdict be directed for the defen-
dants, each and all of them, before
the case proceeded further. He did
this on the grounds that the evidence
in the case was not sufficient to jus
tify a finding by the jury;< because
none of the defendants had been
shown to have entered into a con-
spiracy against the plaintiff and be-
cause the evidence was not sufficient
to sustain a finding that any of the
defendants tarred or feathered John
Meints.
Il would be very glad to hear you
on both questions" said Judge Booth.
Both seem worthy of consideration
at this time" Mr.. Butler then pro-
ceeded with his argument for a dir
,ected verdict -'E.
Not A ScintiIla of Evidence. ~ -
There is not q scintilla OF evidence
to show these men harmed or
threatened, or forced or used viol-
ance against aJohn- Meints," he de-
clared. s"Those men went out from
the motive Of good citizenship to
warn and counsel with him. Times
then imposed upon all men the duty
of supporting the war. Evidence
shows that John Meints so bore
himself that there was a difference of
opinion between him. and other men
on THIS subject. .ey... ua
"They went out there to save his
life. They went out to warn and
protect hin. from the harm that
seemed lurking in the very air. No
one can conceive of higher citi-
zenship than this"
Turning then to the events of the
evening of August 10 Attorney But,
Ter reviewed each incident, at the
farmhouse, at the Commercial club
and at the South Dakota line, point
ing out that the defendants in each
case labored for the good of Meints,
for his safety and welfare.
''Not only should it be found that
Bedford and Connell and lillian and
Leas did not put the coat of tar and
feathers ON John Meints but it should
he found he was not tarred and
feathered at ALL" he declared.
From the transcript of the case the
attorney then read the testimony OF
Meints on the stand, picking it to
~pieces, showing its weakness and
inconsistencies.
Everything shows the improbable,
the unnatural and even the unbeliev-
able" he asserted.
Questioned Tar Incident.
Questioning IL tar was ever put on
Meints at the South Dakota line At
torney Butler pointed out there was
no evidence to show the tar was
melted or prepared at the scene and
he declared it would have had to be
hot TO be applied with a paint brush,
as Meints testified.
ut never happened" he declared
warmly. 'If it had his body would
have !. been covered with blisters.
Where is his wife on this matter.