Omaha daily bee., 1922-04-06

of Swindle
Rachael Strickland and Sam
B. Musscr Found Guilty
of Fraud in Selling
Oil Lands.
Receive Verdict Calmly

Rachael Strickland. the "oil bar
oness," and sam u, MusScr. charged
with using the United States mails
to dclrlud. were each found guilty
ui all SlN counts N the federal
charges bv a jury alter iour hours
and Is minutes dclihera,iou,
/ 1t WAS S:45 last night when Judge
! Woodrough read the vcrdicts. first
Tor Musscr and afterwards for the
woman. As soon as il was known
that Miss Strickland was found
guilty. the mother burst into vio.
lent ft OF tears. Miss Strickland
was calm and had defiant smile
on her lips when the verdict was
read.
The defense was granted request
Tor so DAYS in which 10 file mo-
ton for a new trial The bonds are
20 be continued without change.
Dcliberation Is Short.
The jury sarted celebrating at 4:50
Yesterday afternoon. At 3 word was
sent for Judge Woodrough for more
instructions.
In these instructions the judge
emphasized the fact that misrcpre-
sentation OF any kind is construed
as using the mails to deiraud.
After these instructions the jury
took but IS minutes to reach de-
cision. Immediately after the dis
charge, Juryman Westerdahl thanked
the court for manner in which the
! jurors had been treated.
We'll we have SO days. anyway
said Miss Strickland to Musser in
jocular manner after the jury had
been dismissed. 1--WE can do whole
lot in that length of time"
Musser Is Calm.
Musser showed little agitation.
The counsel for the defense was
visibly aroused over the outcome.
II believe that we have a right
to new trial on the last instruc-
tions given by the judge he de-
clared. There are other grounds
open to us too and we mean to
make use of them"
The defendants have been on trial
for eight days charged, on six counts
each. with using the mails to defraud
in promotion of an "oil land" COM
pany. Judge Woodrough in his in
structions told the jurors they could
return verdict finding one defend
ant guilty and the other innocent if
they SO decide
Attacks Jurors Conduct.
Just after the jury had retired,
John Baldwin, attorney for the de-
fense, presented an affidavit charg-
ing that c. J. Westerdahl, one of the
jurors. had approached person
and said, The defendants are moth
ing but bunch OF robbers" The
affidavit also alleged that Westerdahl
put his arm around Mrs. Gustafson,
a government witness, in an affec-
tionate and loving-like manner"
The signer of the affidavit is a
Young man, Charles E. Wilcox, 2433
South Sixteenth street.
When asked his occupation, he
said:
Police work, sort OF private de-
tective."
Seen in Corridor.
He said he heard and saw Wester-
dahl. as stated, in the corridor Just
outside the courtroom, during a re-
cess Tuesday afternoon. Many other
persons were in the corridor at the
same time.
Judge Woodrough turned the affi-
davit over to United States Attorney
kinsler for investigation.
Mr.. kinsler said he had been in
formed by Baldwin yesterday morn
ing that the affidavit to this effect
would be made.
"If the defense knew of this al
legged conduct of juror why did it
rot present it before the jury took
the case" demanded Mr.. Kinsler.
Wcsterdahl was not questioned. It
was said that whatever verdict is
brought IN by the jury will stand, so
lar as this court is concerned.