The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-06-26
GROVE MAKES
PLEA T0HANG
ACCUSED MAN
States Attorney Delivers
Final Argument in Trial
for Germ Murder
ASSAILS ATTORNEYS
Ridicules Plot Accusations
Made by Lawyers for
Defendant

Chicago. June 26.-The greatest
crowd of the six weeks Of the trial
fought for admission TO the court
room today to hear Robert E. Grove,
states attorney. make the closing
jury plea in the Shepherd trial.
Hundreds Of persons forced their
way into a court room which ordin.
airy holds 80 and long lines extended
awav from the entrance. Prosccu-
tor Grove faced the jury at 1925 a.
m. and began talking in easy con-
versational tones.
He led with a denunciation of
William Scott Steward and w. w.
O'Brien. the defence attorneys, for
their spirit Of levity during the trial.
He defended himself. Judge Olson,
and Alexander J. Reichmann from
cusation against Shepherd and his
trial were steps in a vicious con-
spiracy against Shepherd to prevent
him inheriting the million dollar
estate willed to him by the bow he
is charged with using typhoid germs
to Stay.
New Kind of Murder
II am here because 1t is my sacred
duty to be here" Grove shouted.
"They have introduced a new kind
OF murder here and because of that
the most important murder trial in
the history of Illinois.
"Yet Stewart and O'Brien would
have you believe I am so vile. ven
ial and corrupt that would be
forced to become a party to a con-
spiracy to strangle an innocent
man."
Prosecutor Groves face redeemed
and his eyes narrowed as he turned
and glared at Shepherd when he ar
raigned the defendant as "perpetra-
tor Of new species of murder"
Stewart and O'Brien were on
their feet with half dozen objec-
tions as Grove talked and O'Brien
made numerous sarcastic comments
from his seat.
"They wanted to laugh this case
out Of court. Grove forced between
clenched teeth.
Call 1t . Comedy
They wanted to call it comedy,
make q burlesque out Of it,"
Grove said the reason he put
Judge Olson on the witnets stand
was to give Stewart and O'Brien an
opportunity to make good their jury
choosing statement eve will show
this case is frame up; Harry Oh
son has financial interest in it,.
What do you think Of tactics of
that sort?" demanded Grove as he
accused Stewart and O'Brien.
what do you think of the method
in which this case has been defend
ed?" Shakespeare has said that zap
parel oft proclsims the man.. You
can often tell whether or not the
defendant is guilty by the kind of
defense he presents to the jury"
Waits Until Last
The prosecutor criticised Shep-
herd for living is years in a mil
lionairie home in a fashionable sub
urb and practicing law and not having
a host Of influential friends to rush
to his rescue and for waiting until
the last moment to deny the charges
against him.
The defence objected that by insin-
uating that Shepherd should have
called character witness the prose-
cution was committing a reversive
error.
History Of Case
The trial Of William Darling Shep-
herd was begun approximately six
weeks ago; three weeks and three
days were required for selection of
a jury. twelve days for presentation
Of testimony and the last three days
for jury pleas by four attornys.
Shepherd was indicted March II,
last, upon % counts of murder, chief
Of which were that he had used
typhoid germs to cause fatal dis
in 4 70
Nelson McClintock, who had made a
will naming Shepherd chief benefi-
:iary Of an estate valued in excess
If million.
Died Last December
The youth died Dec. a. last. of
typhoid during a minor epidemic of
that disease traced by city health
officers to contaminated oysters
shipped from the east.
Virtually from the day Of the
youths death whispers were heard
against. Shepherd in Wentworth, the
fashionable northshore suburb in
which the Shepherds shared McClin-
Jocks home.
Judge Harry Olson, chief justice
If the Municipal court Of Chicago,
himself Counsel for the
lead" and demanded an official in
Shepherd and his wife, who had
gone to albuquerque, N. NJ. re-
;urned to Chicago. were questioned
~ the state attorney and were not
detained.
Refused to Testify
They refused to testify before the
oroner. however, and March 3 that
,fficial heard Judge Olson accuse
Shepherd of the murder Of the youth.
rhe boys body had been disinterred
Dec. "a and an autopsy revealed that
Uphold had been the sole cause of
leath. 80
Charles c. Faiman, head Of the
mall University Of Sciences, vas
'rought into the case ana March l2
llleged that Shepherd hAd vtolen
Uphold germs from his school. The
tatement was later verified BY : fSr-
nal confession in which Faiman said
10 gave Shepherd the germs and
aught him how. 70 use them 20 STAY
he youth and keep him FROM marry
ng Miss Isabel Pope and thereby
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