Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-30
Ani-Saloon League
CONTINUED from Paue Onel

derson.
go you find the defendant guilty
as charged in the indictments? the
clerk drawled.
Again the answer was inaudibie,
but the whole room knew now. from
the nature of the question, that the
Dry crusader had been declared
guilty on both counts of the indict-
ment.
There was no demonstration, for
the court, before the jury had filed
into the box with its verdict, solemn
ly warned that any demonstration
would meet with instant punishment
for contempt.
The jury discharged. there was a
departure from the uSual procedure.
Anderson was not required to an
swer the questions usually. put to
convicted men as to their age, oc-
concerning themselves. The brief
scene ended with the excited crowd
surging through the doors.
Anderson was the last to leave. He
walked rather dejectedly, between
with them emerging from the shadow
cast by the grim Bridge of Signs that
spans the street separating the court
building from the Tombs.
1t could not be learned tonight
whether or not Anderson would be
tried on the four indictments still
peiding against him, charging grand
larceny and extortion. These indict-
ments were based on the split" COM
mission episode and on Anderson's
collection from the league payments
on the $24,700 which he claims to
have advanced the organization for
publicity purposes In 1914.
The case of William H. Anderson,
stSte superintendent Of the Anti
Saloon League, on trial on a charge
OF third degree sforgery, was given
to the jury today at ASS p. NJ.
The jury was given the case after
being given lengthy instructions by
Supreme Court Justice Tompkins, in
which he emphasized that the Anti
Saloon League was not on trial nor
the prohibition law. When the jury
retired 1t took the Anti Saloon books
along. Anderson was seen to wipe
away tears while the final instruc-
tons were being made.
Justice Tompkins pointed out that
the charge of forgery contained two
separate counts, although it was a
part of the same transactions. He
acquainted the jurors with the de-
tails of the law concerned but de-
clined to go into any of the evil
dence submitted and asked them to
dismiss from their minds any ques-
tons he had asked or any remarks
he had made during the trial.
When the jury filed out of the
court room Justice Tompkins declar-
ed a dinner recess until eight
o'clock.
Contrary to usual procedure, Ander-
son was not placed in the custody of
the sheriff when the case was given to
the jury and he was permitted to leave
the criminal courts building for dinner
There were two counts against An
derson in the forgery indictment. Jus.
tice Tompkins told the jury in his
charge. To convict on the first count
he said. 1t was essential that an intent
TO defraud be shown, although 1t was
not necessary to show the intent was
against any particular person or insti-
tuition. He also declared that under
the first count it was unimportant
whether or not the fraud had been con.
summated.
The second count. the court said
could provide a conviction only If the
classification of an account was found
to be intentional. provided that the
false entry may be used to the preju.
dice of the rights of the corporation
or the owner of the account books"
Assistant District Attorney Pecora
took three hours to sum up the testi-
mony, devoting the last half hour to a
bitter denunciation of Anderson and
several of the defence witnesses. Just
before he concluded. Anderson. seated
behind his lawyers. was seen to wipe
his eyes, from which tears were brim-
ming.
Telling the jury of the recent '$20(
Prize awarded for the suggestion OF
the word "scofiiaw" as designating a
person guilty of breaking the 18th
amendment. Pecora added:
1--WE need give no prize to find a word
to fit this defendant-the English vo.
cabulary is sufficiently rich to charac.
terize him and his actions when he de.
ceived the board of directors of the
Anti-Saloon League.
1--WE call his actions falsifications
lying. perjury. stealing. and the man
who perpetrated these acts thief, q
liar and n forger.'
1t was at this point that Anderson
was seen to brush the moisture from
his eyes.
He grew sarcastic in his reference
to John T. King" vanished stran-
ger who. Anderson testified, made
him a gift of $4,000. and "Henr,
Mann the equally mysterious New
York publicity man that the league
head had declared had done public.
ity work for the organization anC
to whom he paid $24.700 of the sun
given him by "Kirg."
In his summation. given with the
start of the days hearing former
Governor Whitman death with The
case of the mysterious King" de-
claring that Anderson's story of the
unusual financial gift appeared. a
first. astounding and fantastic. Bu
he reminded the jury that Anderson
at that time was about to come t.
New YORK from Baltimore to figh'
zone of the most powerful. resource.
full and vicious" organizations tr
the country, and that 1t was not a
all improbable that some sincere
adherent of the 'dry" cause. witt
very good reasons to remain anony.
nous. might donate such a sum.
The former governor also deal
with Henry Mann" declaring thai
the prosecution had failed to dis
pose of the publicity man.
Andersons directi' to change thu
book entries. he maintained. hat
been done as an accommodation u
Phillips. who had complained tha
he would not pay income tax on tn
$4,000 which had gone to Anderson
from his commissions. He con-
tended that the testimony of expert!
proved conclusively that the entire:
had no bookkeeping significance ant
that the books today stood exactly
as they did before the disputed en-
tries were made.
-, r-~..,. ,,5;c{ y,,a ant on which An