Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1915 — ANOTHER TRIAL NECESSARY. [ARTICLE]

ANOTHER TRIAL NECESSARY.

Jury in SO-called McFarland Case Against Democrat Man Fail to Agree. The jury in the so-called McFarland vs. Babcock libel case, after being out nearly seventeen hours without reaching an agreement, were discharged by Judge McMahan in the Lake circuit court yesterday forenoon. It is said to have; been about equally divided. There were matters of politics, religion and sobriety necessarily brought out in the trial that would easily cause a division of opinion, and it is not probable that a jury could be found anywhere that could get together on a case of this kind. « The jury for most part seemed to be above the average in intelligence and the court’s instructions were very fair to both sides, although the court is reported to have remarked to the attorneys Tuesday that he would like personally to dismiss the case or throw it out of court. The plaintiff was represented by attorneys Abe Halleck of Rensselaer, and G. E. Hershman of Crown Point, while the defendant was represented by attorneys Honan and Parkison of Rensselaer, and Fred Crumpacker of Hammond. The trial lasted four days, and more than a score of witnesses were taken up to Crown Point by the parties to the suit. This case grew out of an article published in The Democrat in reply to attacks on the editor through the columns of the Rensselaer Republican in September 1913. The case was originally begun in the Jasper circuit court nearly two years ago, from which the defendant took a change of venue and it was sent to Newton county. The plaintiff then took a change from that county and it was sent to Lake, with the above results. It was given to the jury about 5:15 Thursday afternoon and they were discharged about 10 a m., next day after failing to change a vote from the first ballot.

With the editor being away four

full days this week, the work of getting out The Democrat has fallen almost wholly upon the rest of the “force,” and they did so well that we may perhaps let them try it again some time during the summer and take an automobile trip through the eastern states.