The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-12
KLINCK Case
IS PLACED IN
{. HANDS OF Jury
Remy Names George Coffin
in Bringing Trial to
Dramatic Close.
NO DEFENSE WITNESSES
Accused Mans Attorney
Charges Prosecution Tries
to Get Client.


henchman of political powers who
have raped the State of Indiana"
and. who sought to discredit Boyd
Guf1ey, editor of The Indianapolis
Times, and Thomas H. Adams, edi-
tor of the Vincennes Commercial,
Tor their exposures of political cor
upton, when Prosecutor William
H. Remy brought to a dramatic
climax Klinck'S trial in Criminal
Court today.
The fate of Klinck, former aid
OF D. G. Stephenson, charged with
false use of notary seal on an
affidavit intended to frame" Gurley
and Adams, was placed in the hands
OF jury at l p. m.
Conviction carries a sentence of
from one to three years.
George V. Coffin, then Marion
County Republican chairman, took
the forged affidavit before the Fed
eral grand jury, Remy charged.
Directed AcquittaI Denied
Arguments began when Special
Judge Thomas Garvin over-ruled
defense motion for a directed verdict
of acquittal. The defense withdrew
motion to have a mistrial declared
because a juror took notes during
Mondays testimony.
The defense presented no wit
nesses.
Here's Earl Klinck," said Prose-
IN hi al
ment, "henchman for the political
powers who have raped the State
of Indiana. The political SuperiorS
said to Klinck: This Boyd Gurley
and Tom Adams are telling too
many things. We must find out a
way to discredit them; otherwise we
will be shorn of our powers.
We will frame them. Klinck,
you get this affidavit. We've ap-
pointed you to county Office in
the past. (Klinck had been a dep
uty sheriff. You do this thing for
us. We would keep our hands
clean
"Whereupon Klinck goes to Rog-
ers, fails to get him to repudiate
the truth of his testimony before
the Reed senatorial committee,
manufactures an affidavit.
Names George V. Coffin
do you want me to name the man
who took this affidavit to the Fed
eral Court" Remy asked Attorney
Brown and Klinck, waving his fist in
their face.
Brown turned a livid red and
shouted: II don't know who it was"
do you want me to tell your
Remy asked.
mo-" said Brown.
Then Klinck whispered to him and
he said, Eyes. Do tell"
George V. Coffin" said Reny
dramatically, "then chairman of the
Republican party in Marion County,
took that affidavit to the Federal
grand jury.
IF you were interested in prov
ing the soundness of it. you could
have subpoenaed Albert Ward, Fed
eral district attorney. He could
have told you what they had found
out about it.
why did you not tell this jury
who defendant Klinck was work.
ing forP You were afraid you might
have shown up somebody"
"Tampering With Justice"
In his closing arguments, Special
Prosecutor Emsley w. Johnson
characterized the alleged plan to
frame Gurley and Adams as zone
of the most devilish plans and
schemes ever hatched, tampering
with witnesses in an effort to have
Justice thwarted."
Howard D. Phillips, opening argu-
anents for the defense, said no de-.
fense witnesses had been placed on
the stand because such move,
after motion for directed verdict
was made and denied, would invali-
date the motion as grounds for an
appeal for reversal by the Supreme
Court. He made much of the fact
that the grand jury did not indict
Miss Frieda Miller, 1857 Spruce St
notary, whose seal, it is charged, was
falsely used on the affidavit con-
demning the editors.
Charges Plot Against Klinck
"It's just an effort to get
Klinck," he said. They've been try
ing him for murder and arson for
two years just for that"
Leo w. Brown, the other defense
attorney, said "Klinck should be
acquitted as long as Frieda Miller
is free" He attacked the testimony
of William Rogers, chief State wit
ness, whose testimony before the
Reed senatorial committee at st.
Louis as to Senator James E. Wat
sons Klan passport was to have
been repudiated in the affidavit.
"Rogers testimony at st. Louis. .
Brown declared, "has been repudi-
ated by Senator Watson"