Evening star., 1926-12-16


try's outstanding business men had
been exonerated by a jury of con-
spiracy to defraud their Government.
In the scene that followed there were
no partisans.
Resigned to Long Wait.
When the jury filed out of the court
room yesterday afternoon with the
case both defendants and their coun-
sci resigned themselves to period of
waiting how long, though, they did
not know. Mr.. Fall took n seat be-
side his wife in the division occupied
by the defense, while Mr.. Doheny
joined his daughter in-law. Mrs. Ho-
gam her daughter. and few intimate
friends from Los Angeles. Mrs. Do
heny, who had been present daily up
until Tuesday, was held in her apart
ment in the Carlton Hotel with a
heavy cold reported to be bordering
on pneumonia. 1t was with difficulty
that Mr.. Doheny persuaded her to
remain at the hotel.
The minutes dragged on into hours.
AS smoking was prohibited in the
courtroom, Mr.. Fall made frequent
visits into the corridors to enjoy a
cigarette, while Mr.. Doheny continued
to converse with his friends. Then
about o'clock. the word was passed
about that Justice Hoehling was going
to his dinner and would not return un.
til 7:30 o'clock. This meant that a
verdict, even IL ready before that hour.
could not be presented until the pre-
siding judge took his place on the
bench. The defendants then repaired
to the Columbian Building, where
hoe ID a. I,,,A
daily, and ate their dinner.
The jury for the first time, was not
permitted to eat their dinner outside
1t was brought to the members short
ly after 6 o'clock and served In their
room. Then they were taken in a
body to wash up" and as they
marched along the upper corridor in
single file, they seemed to be In high
spirits. One or two members were
minus coats. collars and ties. When
they again went into seclusion, strains
of barber shop harmony found
their way to the ears of these wait.
ing.
Crowd Is Trimmed Out.
BY 7:30 o'clock, those who had been
in the courtroom when the case was
submitted to the jurors, began to re-
turn, although there were not as
many present as before the dinner
recess. AS time killer. some of the
younger members Of the Doheny party
in attendance throughout the trial.
organized a card game In one Of the
witness rooms. Doheny himself
joined them at one time and played
a round Of solitaire, but his play was
slow, owing to the lack of use Of the
left hand, which he still carries in a
sling.
Persons who had paired up soon
talked themselves out and individuals
began to wander aimlessly around the
courthouse. When the hour of $50
arrived, new hope was born that a
verdict would be returned within the
next half hour, but when a deputy
marshal rushed down stairs and an.
nounced that Justice Hoehling had
retired to his home for the night, keen
was evident from all
sides.
II guess they're having a pretty
good tussle," commented one of the
defense counsel as the courthouse
was being emptied rapidly. The de-
remnants, however, were not heard to
observe the significance, II any, to
them of the hours and 10 minutes
fate had been cast.
Wide Interest Aroused.
The trial attracted Nationwide at
tention, as evidenced by the fact that
more than a score of Representatives
OF press associations and newspapers
were present throughout the proceed.
ings. While the charge against Fall
and Doheny was characterized by
court and opposing counsel as a
grave one," interest in the case was
keen because of the prominence of
the accused men.
They brought to the trial counsel
who were heralded as the best in the
country, but 1t remained for Wash.
lngton's own attorney, Mr.. Hogan, to
bear the brunt of the case. He not
only served as chief of Doheny's
counsel, but presented Falls case like
wise, owing to the close relationship
of the two. Furthermore, all but an
hour or two of the six allotted the
defense for closing argument was
utilized by Hogan. During this fea-
ture of the case, the attorney fought
tooth and nail for his client. At the
close of the first day he summed up
the defense case for the jury he was
exhausted.
The Government, however, likewise
was represented by two of the ablest
attorneys in the country-Mr. Roberts
and former Senator Pomerene. They
were drawn from private life for the
task. an honor which they fully ap-
preciated, and they performed their
duty to the utmost limit of their
ability. The two attorneys, however.
previously had won two civil suits,