Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1917 — MAY REACH THE JURY TODAY [ARTICLE]

MAY REACH THE JURY TODAY

Defense in Stockton Perjury Case “Rested” Thursday Evening. Scores ■of witnesses have been called to Kentland this week to testify in the state vs. Stockton perjury trial, which has been grinding for the past two weeks. The state rested its case at 11 a. m. Wednesday and the balance of Wednesday and all of Thursday was taken up by the defense, which rested Thursday evening. Evidence in rebuttal was begun yesterday morning, and unless a great deal of time is taken up by the attorneys in arguing the case before the "'jury, it will probably reach the latter this morning or today some time. The evidence of the state is that no corn whatever was bought or hauled from the county farm during 1915 nor from anyone else that was hauled along the road known as the county farm road that year, but that corn was purchased from the county farm in 1914 and was settled for as shown in the reports and records in the auditor’s office. The men jwho are alleged to have hauled the corn—who were driving the teams —in 1915 have testified that they did not haul any corn from the county farm during said year. This is the last week of the Newton circuit court, the term ending tonight, but it can run over into next week to finish up any uncompleted business should it be necessary. Opinion is divided, of course, over the outcome of the case, many unprejudiced people predicting that the jury will disagree. But no one can fortell with any degree of accuracy what & jury will do.

Mr. and Mrs. Elizur Sage of Redwood Falls, Minnesota, were in Rensselaer this week to testify for the defense in the Stockton trial at Kentland. The Democrat is informed that Mrs. Sage testified to having seen four loads of corn hauled hy Makeever’s teams from the direction of the county farm during the year 1915, two loads when she was at home near the turn in the county farm road, and that she met two loads on the road; that Mr. Sage testified that he saw one load being hauled when he was sitting on his porch at home and that in conversation with Mr. Makeever later the latter had told him he was getting corn from the county farm. Some ten other witnesses, The Democrat is informed, have testified that they '’saw Makeever’s* teams hauling corn oh this road, toward his farm, in 1915.