Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-06-18
s!i!I s:liiIa


"Isn't that truef"
He was a pitiful picture of despair
as he told of trying to be faithful to
Chief Sehmitt and in his confused way
easily disclosed what a tool he had been
IN Schmitt's hand.
'The chief told me that If pleaded
guilty would disgrace my own family"
said Freddie with feeling.
why last night the chief asked me
how my family was fixed and he wanted
to give me $50.
81 would not take it.
Il told him that my credit was good"
ANDERSON
SHOWS SYMPATHY.
Judge Anderson said: II feel very
sorry for you, very sorry But the fact
is that you were police officer and
sworn not only to enforce the state laws
but uphold the federal constitution.
Il wonder what the citizens Of Evans
vile think they are paying their taxes
fort"
The court referred to a newspaper ac-
count at Evansville announcing that the
mayor of Evansville was going to in
vestigate Chief Schmitt.
81 read the glowing headlines of that
announcement and knew that it was
sham" said the court TO Freddie. I'VE
all knew up here for some time that the
chief was in bad"
Addressing the members of the police
department. who are defendants, Judge
Anderson said: 81 feel very sorry for
the members of the Evansville police
force, and particularly for those men
who would soon obtain pensions, men
who have spent the best years of their
lives on the force
ENTIRE BLAME
LAID TO SCHMITT.
Those officers fell because they knew
that II they didn't obey the chief they
would loose their jobs and their pensions
and all because this police chief was the
chief violator of the law" declared
Judge Anderson firmly.
Pointing his trembling finger toward
the now white face of Chief Schmitt, the
veteran police captain said:
That's the man who is responsible
for my trouble"
officer James Trautwein, Officer Fuchs
John James. John Arnold, Emil E. Cess
and others frankly told the court their
sides of the story.
The court devoted so much time to
hearing the voluntary statements of the
men that he did not have time at the
morning session TO pass any sentences.
The court took the bench at ? o'clock
TO pass judgment on the conspirators.
JURY OUT ONLY
2 HOURS. Is MINUTES.
After being out only two hours and
fifteen minutes. the jury reached a YER
diet of guilty against Edgar Schmitt.
chief of police Of Evansville; Andy
Freddie. captain OF police with rank of
assistant chief; Fred Ossenberg, repub-
Hcan politician: Abe KIyman and his
brother, Moses Klyman. former whole
al - oFI
Evansville.
The jury retired at 500 p. m. yester-
day afternoon and indicated that it
was ready to report shortly before
o'clock
At 9:15 o'clock last night Judge An
derson took the bench while the jury
took its place
W. @. Davis. foreman Of the jury,
handed the verdict TO the clerk Of the
court, which held Chief Schmitt and
the four others guilty as charged"
FINDS NINE
NOT GUILTY.
Under the instructions Of the court,
the jury found the following nine de
PENDANTS not guilty: Arthur R. Booth.
a member Of the city council: Carl
Dreisch. city inspector Of weights and
measures; William Norris. alias Butch"
Smith, a policeman; Enoch Weir a city
detective; Charles J. Hull a deputy
sheriff; Herbert Males sheriff Of Van
derburg county; Carl Schulz q former
saloonkeeper, and Adam Hausman, a
former bartender.
On receiving the verdict OF the jury,
Judge Anderson instructed the sixty
seven defendants 10 appear in court this
morning.
While the verdict was being read Chief
sehmitt sat nervously chewing gum and
did not show any emotion
Ihe Dig shoulders Of Fred Ossenberg
moved slightly as he settled back in his
chair on hearing the word guilty"
Captain Of Police Andy Freddie ap-
peared deeply affected at the verdict and
stated that he was going 10 take a car
ride and go Immediately to his hotel.
And I will so back and sleep in the
same room with Chief Schmitt." said the
elderly police captain.
Chief Schmitt, when testlfying in his
own behalf in a frantic effort to brand
the evidence of the government as
false, attempted to shift the blame OF
the operations of the police boat on Capt.
Freddie, whom he claimed he placed in
charge Of the so-caIled police boat.
CONVICTION CARRIES
HEAVY PENALTY.
Under the federal statute defining con-
spiracy, the court has the power to i'm
pose q fine not to exceed $4,000 and
sentence not to exceed tive years, or both.
on each defendant.
In making the closing argument I'm
nehaI OF the government and askip.
Ior the conviction of Chief Sehmitt ana
tne four Others standing trial Fred
NanNuys branded the affair as a "heIn-
Gus conspiracy" against the United
states government.
There was only one conspiracy. ami
one line Of it started in Henderson.
n.y. another line ran into the very
cnlee OF the police chief of Evansville
ana still another found its way into
the magnificent library of Freddie Os-
senoers. the political boss" declared NJ,
yanNuys
Continuing hurting his denunciation
against the whisky gang" vanNuys
said: Judge Thomas Duncan. Sehmitr's
lawyer, IS long on the Bible when ad.
dressing the jury.
1t IS bad enough to be a corruptioa-
ist. but add TO this perjury as was
done by Chief Schmitt when on rhe
stand, IL is hard to answer to mans
government and to his God
Here is a chief of police. who Is
pledged to guard the manhood and won.
anhood of his city, and he sold out for
so many pieces of silver" said Van
Nuys. with emphasis
VanNuys took pains in answering the
statement Of Judge Duncan. for Schmitt
that Van PickeriH the confessed con