Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1889 — WASN’T A “BROTHER.” [ARTICLE]

WASN’T A “BROTHER.”

JUDGE LONGENKCKER and juror Cl LVKIt MEET. Spicy Interview Between the Prosecutor and the Cronin Juror Who Haiti Out So L< ng tor Acquittal—An Investigation to Be Matte in the Matter. A Chicago dispatch reports that a few days after the close of the Cronin trial Juror John Culver, in company with S. A. Kean, the banker, went to the office of State’s Attorney Longenecker smiling like a man who had conscientiously done his duty. When he came out he had lost his smile. State’s Attorney Lcngenecker declined to be interviewed on the subject of what passed between him and his visitors. He admitted, however, that it wasn’t a very cordial interview. To Mr. Culver’s “Good-morning, Brother Longenecker. ” the State’s attorney replied. “Don’t ‘brother’ me. lam no brother of yours. ” Mr. Culaer tried to say something that would break the force of this repulse, but Mr. Longenecker, it is said, followed it up by saying: “You are either crazy or corrupt, and I don’t believe you are crazy.” Then turning to Mr. Kean in a half explanatory way he told that gentleman that Mr. Culver’s actions in the jury-room had been exactly in a line with the directions laid down in the letter found in Juror Pix’s pocket. That letter, it seems, had directed Juror Dix as the return he should make for the SI,OOO promised him to insist on an acquittal for all Ihe defendants; to insist on an acquittal of Beggs; then to urge a term not exceeding fourteen years for Burke, Coughlin, and O’Rullivan, and as a last resort to savo their necks. About Kunze nothing was said, and as to the evidence against Kunze or what should be done with him Culvor had never a word to say during tho whole of the deliberations the jury. Mr- Longenecker, who was thoroughly well informed on what had passed in the jury room, detailed for Mr. Culver’s benefit his actions during the seventy hours the jury was out with a minuteness and circumstantiality that seemed to surprise the twelfth juror. And when he compared it with the policy outlined in the letter to Juror Dix, Mr. Kean could only say he wasn’t fully informed on the subject and could say nothing. Mr. Culver made no explanation or attempted none except to reiterate that he had acted conscientiously; that he expected [to live here and was ready to stand any investigation the State’s attorney desired to make. The interview was not a long one, the State’s attorney cutting it short by opening the outer door of his office in so inviting a way that Mr. Culver and Mr. Kean saw the point and left. The question of what influences worked in the breast of the juror who stood out so long for acquittal will not be allowed to rest with its present uncertain answer. State’s Attorney Longenecker has put a force of detectives at work on the matter. He has placed in their hands a number of papers, among others an affidavit he bad secured from a source he would not disclose, besides all the information relative to the occurrences in the jury room. The letter found by Juror Dix in his overcoat pocket shows how determined somebody was to bribe a juror. It has been a puzzle to find out how that letter could have been placed there and no one detected in doing it. It is quite possible it may have been placed there by some agent of the jury-hriber» who was summoned as a juror and thus got into the jury box, perhaps eyen was held over one night before being chal-' lenged. That Juror Culver is under suspicion there can be no doubt. The State’s Attorney shows it in his every action. That anything will come of the investigation is another question. All the other jurors tell in such circumstantiality the queer doings of their fellow-member that most serious charges are laid at his door as a result.