Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1908 — JURY II TO I FOR ACQUITTAL. [ARTICLE]

JURY II TO I FOR ACQUITTAL.

And It Later Developed That the Lone Juror Was Abe Halleck’s Unde. One of the Bcore or more of libel suits that have been instituted or instigated by Abe Halleck, the head of the republican political machine of Jasper county, during the past ten years, was tried in the Newton circuit court Tuesday. This particular case was one of those in which a former publisher of the Monon News, E. T. Jones, was the prosecuting witness, at least so far as the record in the case showed, but he was not present at the trial, and in fact left Indiana more than a year ago. He has stated that he was led into filing these suits by others, and that he has notified the prosecuting attorney and Halleck, who is the main persecutor in the cases, that he did not want to prosecute them, but did want them dismissed. These cases have lain dormant for about a year. Last May the defendant was over to Kentland in person ready for trial, and insisted on trial, but the state filed an affidavit for a continuance and alleged that certain witnesses were necessary, etc., who could not then be had. On this showing the special judge, William Isham of Fowler, granted the continuance, but the October and January terms of court passed with no effort being made by the ‘‘state*' to bring them to trial. At the present term the defendant moved the dismissal of the cases under the section of the statute which says that no person shall be held under bond over three terms of court unless the continuances be on his own motion. This law has been in force since 1852, and was re-enacted in the Acts of 1905. The court ruled, however, that they be not dismissed, and also held the three affidavits good on separate motions to quash. The first case taken up was one in which The Democrat man was alleged to have written a letter to a Monon gentleman in which the “prosecuting witness’’ was libeled. The defense was ready to go to trial in this, but the “state” was scared, and moved to dismiss at once when it found it must go to trial. The letter itself was in the hands of the defendant and the man to whom it was written was also in court, and no such words or phrases as those complained of were iq it, and the case would have lasted about two seconds after it got started.

Then one of the other cases was called for trial, notwithstanding the fact that the alleged prosecuting witness was not in court and had notified the prosecuting attorney and Halleck of the republican machine—who has boasted that he would keep after us until he drove us out of business—that he would not appear and asked that the cases be dismissed. The defendant’s witnesses were in court and the case went to trial, Abe Halleck directing and assisting in the prosecution. As he is neither a prosecutor nor a deputy prosecutor and if ever the attorney for the alleged prosecuting witness had been notified by said witness that he, the said witness, wanted the cases dismissed, and Halleck had telegraphed said witness long ago that might appear, to the uninitiated what personals interest Abe had in the matter. \ The defenseyin this case was so full and complete that practically everyone thought the Jury would not be out more than five minutes. What was their surprise when it remained out all night long and till ten o’clock next day, when, being unable to agree, it was discharged, and the case will have to be re-tried according to Halleck et al, who propose to push it as far as possible. ___ , Now comes the interesting part of the disagreement: The jury, which we understand was wholly republican, stood 11 to 1 for complete acquittal, and could have returned such a verdict in no time had it not been for one juror from Lake township who hung out. Incidentally, the eleven Jurors were not in a very pleasant frame of mind over being kept out all night, and this condition was not cooled down any when it was later learned that the solitary juror who had. caused the disagreement was an uncle of Abe Halleck, the fellow who had directed the entire prosecution. The question of relationship had not been asked when the jury was examined, but this will not be overlooked at any future trials, the reader may rest assured. All the pending cases were continued for the term. The slaughter on prices is now on in the Hotel Rosey block. The largest lne of chinaware, glassware, Jardiniere, dishes of every description, at 50 cents on the dollar, The sale will last all next week.