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1 MABIGANJ S GUILTY. The Kedwood County Attorney Convicted of Perjury. Twelve of his Peers Put upon him the Stamp of Crime. A Grave Silence Palls upon the Court Eoom when the Verdict is Eendered. The Prisoner Noticeably Affected with Nervous Emotion. Judge Webber Sentenced him to 3 in the State Penitentiarv. Years Some of the Details of the Long and In teresting Contest. •'Wc, the jury in the above entitled -action, find the defendant, Michael M. Madigan, guilty of the crime of perjury as charged in the indictment. Such uas the verdict of the twelve men chos en to try the first of the celebrated cases brought by the State against County At torney Madigan of Redwood County When the jurymen entered the court room, after being out fully eighteen hours, their faces wore a look of gravity that was clearly indicative of the awful verdict. E^ch individual member seemed to realize that the task that had been assigned to him was by no means a trivial one, and the weight of their duty reflected itself from every countenance. The effect upon all who were present was similar. A hushed and painful silence pervaded the old room and made the word "guilty" seem ter rible in its meaning. Madigan himself showed signs of nervousness, but he struggled hard to keep down all out ward manifestations. Wheu the verdict was read and the Judge was about to pass the consequent sentence, he arose and requested that this part of the affai1' be deferred until Monday to await the return of Attorney H. J. Peck from Shakopee. While the Judge could not see that it would make any difference he was willing to make the desired conces sion, the prisoner to *ive a bond of $5, 000 for his appearance in court Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock. Among the Redwood people, many of whom were present, there was no evi dence of a jubilant feeling over the ver dict, but nearly all expressed a sentiment as to its justness. All agreed that Mad iran was to blame for allowing matters to come so far. The commissioners had repeatedly warned him to resign, and his refusal to do so led to an appeal to the govern or on the grounds of drunkenness and malfeasance in office. Not desiring to have the governor interfere, Madigan requested the grand jury to in dict him on the above named charges trusting all the while in his ability to clear himself through a jury trial. But the grand jury, once interested in his ac tions, tumbled onto many mysterious tracks and went far beyond Madigan's expectations. The four iudictments charging perjury, forgery and bribery, were the results of the grand jury's in vestigations. The forgery and bribery cases have been continued until the next term of court, the defense making the request and the state acceding thereto. The forgery case relates to the introducing to the court a forged instrument as evideuce The bribery indictment alleges that accepted a considerable sum of money from one Peterson as payment for pre venting an indictment from being re turned against said Peterson, who was known to be committing incest with his daughter. The details of the perjury case as evinced in the trial are as follows: In April of last year Madigan went down to Belview and there had a talk with Halgeson & Mogen, mercantile deal ers, who were on the verge of insolvency. Madigan told them that there was dan ger of their being closed up and advised one of them to come to Redwood Falls to receive his advice. Halgeson went down on the 4th and Madigan asked him if he had a friend whom he could trust. The name of Peter Romnes was suggested and then Madigan advised the making-out of a note of $500 in favor of the said Peter Romnes in order that he might commence suit thereon. Halge son went home and consulted his part ner. The note was signed and Romnes was told of what was going on. He sta ted that he feared trouble would result but supposed that the attorney knew what he was doing and added that *if Madigan said it was alright, he would be willing to aid his friends. Halgeson and his wife went to Redwood Falls on the 5 th and visited Madigan's office. On the road Halgeson showed the note to his wife, but at that time itwas not filled out and bore only the signature of Mo gen. This testimony was similar to what both Halgeson and Mogen gave to the grand jury in November. Arriving at Madigan's office a bond was drawn up and the name of Peter N. Romnes was attached by Halgeson. Madigan then drew up an affidavit and swore to it T?e fore a Justice of the Peace in which he alleges that he was the attorney of Rom nes, that said Ramnes had a ciaim of $500 against Halgeson and Mogen for money loaned and that Halgeson & Mo gen were about to secrete their property with the view of defrauding their credi tors. It was in signing this affidavit and swearing thereto, that Madigan commit ted perjury. The defense put up the claim that Romnes was in the office on the 5th and authorized Madigan to commence suit on the $500 note. To strengthen this story they introduced the testimony of Anna Schorregge Schneider, who at the time was stenographer in Madigan's of fice. She stated that she saw Romnes on the day in question and heard him tell Madigan to commence suit. When asked to pick the man out in the audi ence she did so readily, but the fact that Halgeson admits that he signed the bond, that Romnes' name appears in Halgeson's handwriting and that Mrs. Schneider's name appears on the same document as a witness to the signature of Romnes, proves her mistake and no doubt weak ened her evidence before the jury. And aside from her testimony there was no evidence to prove that Romnes visited the office on the day referred to. On the contrary, Romnes, Halgeson, Mrs. Romnes, Mrs. Halgeson and Romnes' partner all swore to the fact that Rom nes remained at home. Another interesting feature of the evi dence was the receipt introduced by the defense to prove that Madigan had paid Romnes the amount allowed by the as signee on the $500 claim. This receipt was written by Madigan in one kind of ink the signature, "P. Romnes," is in another and the acknowledgment in still another. The signature of one witness appears in the same ink as the body of the receipt, while the signature of the other is in the same ink as the acknowledgement which is written by Madigan, and signed by the witness who is also a justice of the peace. The state's attorney concluded from all these peculiarities that the ac knowledgment was made at a different time than the receipt itself. The alleged signature of Romnes was examined and compared to that of his original signature in the record of marriage licences for Renville county by Bankers Dickinson. Seiter, E. G. Koch, Wm. E. Koch and C. W. H. Heidemann, and all declared that the two were not written by the same person. Many leading citizens of Redwood Falls were also put on the stand to impeach the reputation for truth and veracity of the justice who took the acknowledgment. The testimony of all was to the effect that his reputation was bad. The receipt was purported to have been signed on tne 12th, but Romnes swore that he was not in Redwood that day, as did also his wife and Halgeson and his wife. Halgeson also swore that Madigan afterwards admitted to him that he had never paid over the money and when Mogen requested that a settle ment be effected, Madigan is reported tv, have told him that he shouldn't shoot off his mouth too much or he would fix him plenty. Clerk of Court Byran,when put on the stand, testified that all the proofs of claims in the assignment of Halgeson & Mogen, together with the releases had been filed in his office by Madigan as attorney for the assignee. These were all loaned to him under an order of the court,but when he returned them the release of the $500 claim was missing. This testimony in particular seemed to carry with it great weight. The arguments to the jury commenced Friday morning at II o'clock. Attorney S. L. Pierce talked for nearly four hours, spending most of his time in reviewing the evidence, but occasionally rebuking the manufactured testimony of the defense and lashing Madigan in the severest manner. Senator Peck summed up in about two hours and did all that argument and pleading could do for a fellowman. The case went to the jury after a fair and impartial charge by the Judge and all of that night and the following morn ing they remained in session. MYSTERIOUS THIEVES. One of them Lodged in the New TJlm Jail Under a special order from Judge Webber, one U. S. Grant was brought down from Redwood Falls by Sheriff Blethen and lodged in the local jail to await a hearing before Judge French, of the Redwood municipal court. Two others, evidently his partners in theft, were taken to St. Peter, while a fouth is out on bail. U. S. Grant was at first released on bail, but his leaving for New Ulm to attend the Madigan trial aroused the suspicions of his bondsmen and the Sheriff was ordered to once more take him into custody. The crime for which these men stand accused is that of stealing. Their thefts date back to the early part of the fall and include the taking of wheat from farmers in Renville county, potatoes from farms in Redwood county, farm machinery, harness and saddles, turkeys, chickens and other articles of more or less importance. In their escapades they al ways eluded apprehension, and it was not until one of the gang let fall a clew in conversation with an acquaintance while on the way to the cities, that offic ers were putfonto their tracks and enabled to place the four in the keeping of the Sheriff. It has recently developed that the gang have also been guilty of sowing several acres of wild mustard on the farm of J. H. Bowers. VOLUME XVI. STO. ti. XEW ULM, E O W COUNTY, MINN., WEDNESDAY, JANUAR 31, 1894. WHOLE NUMBER 838 The St. Paul Daily News of January 26th contained the following of interest to Brown county readers and particular ly to holders of New York Life Insur ance policies: Several days ago The Daily News received a communication, which was published at the time, from John Tori of Spriagfield, Minn., asking for the probable value of his policy in the New York Life at date of maturity in 1898. In reply to Mr. Tori we inform him that his policy being for $1,500 on the fitteen year endowment plan he is likely to realize about $1,800 or less than a 2 per cent investment, whereas the company probably estimated to him at the time he took the policy, that it would amount to over $2,100 or a 4 per cent investment. Considering that Mr. Tori must pay to the company at least $1,558.50 besides taking the risk of the company beiug wrecked before 1898, $1,800 is a,small equivalent for fifteen years faithfullness in paying $1,558.50. However The Daily News will congratu late Mr. Tori if he is fortunate enough to receive, $1,800 of which $1,500 is the lawful guarantee, the policy being an endowment. Ignatius Donnelly has once more at tracted the attention of the sarcastic editor of the New York Sun and in an editorial printed on the 26th we find the following: "It would be unjust to American elo quence and Ignatius Donnelly, sage of Nininger, not to record this, his most affecting utterance: 'This alliance may desert me the People's party may de sert me but there is no power on this earth, less than God himself, that can shake me from my pedestal.If everything else should fail me, I am still Ignatius Donnelly.' Donnelly shows noble con fidence in the- firmness of his attachment to his pedestal but how can he be so certain that he is Ignatius Donnelly? We are prepared to prove by Donnelly's own unrivaled key and-scroll-crypotogram that,just as sure ly as Bacon was Shakespeare, just so surely Ig Donnelly is Doc. Fish. The sage may know who, and yet not know who he is." Sitringfield. Miss Ida Hauenstein of New Ulm is the guest of Mrs. Wm. Mueller. Miss Jennie Roth has been spending several days at New Ulm visiting with friends. Herman Mueller of New Ulm called on his friends here last week. Misses Emma Hummel, Lou Baasen and Ida Hauenstein of New Ulm attend ed the masquerade at the Opera House last Thursday. A. C. Ochs is enjoying a visit in St. Paul. Several of our citizens have been at tending court at New Ulm. "Rose von Tannenburg" will be rend ered Friday night and will undoubtedly prove of a success. The masquerade ball on Thursday evening was the best ever given in Spring- Dr. Rothenburg was called to Lam berton on business last Wednesday. £,•/ There will be a lecture in the Congre gational Church to night. SENTENCED SEVERELY. Judge Webber Punishes Attorney Madigan with Vifijor. Three Years and Three Months is the Lan guage of the Sentence. A Motion by Attorney Peck for Arrest of Judgment Denied. Arguments for a New Trial to be Made on the 20th. Those were moments of awful suspense which dragged wearily along towards three o'clock in the court room Monday afternoon. Madigan sat there, restless as ever./ His lawyer's face wore a sol emn air, while the eyes of two hundred spectators closely studied the prisoner's movements. Promptly at three o'clock Judge Webber asked Mr. Peck if he had anything to say regarding the verdict of the jury. Peck arose in response and slowly read a motion for an arrest of judgment, arguing therefore that the indictment did not contain any material allegations. His argument lasted some minutes, but at its close the Judge de nied the motion and called upon Mr. Madigan, the defendant, to come forward• and take the customary oath. The us ual questions as to how old he was, what his profession had been previous to con viction and whether he had ever prac ticed a mechanical trade, were then ask ed and promptly answered. He was forty-four years of age, he said, a lawyer by profession and had never learned any trade. Questioned as to whether he had anything to say why sentence should not be passed according to law, he replied that he had not, but his attorney inter ceded for him and begged that the court temper its sense of justice with mercy, inasmuch as the prisoner had a family and had already been disbarred from following his profession under the -laws of the state. The Judge then read in a slow and emphatic manner the awful judgment When the words "three years and three months at hard labor in the state prison at Stillwater" were delivered, a shudder went through the whole court room.Therp seemed to be something awful in the words. The prisoner was a man who had placed many others in the position which he himself now occupied. He knew what it all meant. There was no misunderstanding or underestimating the degree of the reward for his evil doings, and the whole audience seemed to see it the same light in which he must have viewed it. Madigan was nervous—ter rible uneasy. His every action showed it. As soon as the sentence had been pass ed, Senator Peck asked that a day be named on which to settle the case and argue a motion for a new trial. The Judge fixed upon February 20th and until then the prisoner will be at liberty under $5,000 bonds. Execution sen tence has also been stayed until that time. The sentence is considered one that would be severe under ordinary circum stances. The maximum limit is five vears and the minimum one. The New York Sun editor always seems to look at things with a keener in sight, either to facts or humor than most politici?ns. On Thursday he raised this question: '•That President Cleveland is crazy has not until lately 'seemed to many a true explanation of many things that were before attributed to his natural stubborness, imperiousness of temper, and ignorance. Even now suggestions are listened to by persons who have ventured their own thoughts and know ledge of particular reasons,of the history and growth of which not much has been said in print. A multitude of persons have recently put the question among themselves, 'Is Cleveland crazy?' The question has been asked in no trifling spirit, and generally not in the manner and ioini of an assertion, though fre quently in a way to imply probability, not to say belief. This latter form of questions has increased in positiveness as public questions and Cleveland's ac tions have seemed to justify greater pos itiveness and concern, A resolute firm ness by congress, patriotic torbearance and intelligent appreciation in its action will, it is believed, suffice to prevent any ill-consequences which might otherwise result from having an executive off bis balance.'' Hit and Missi- *A little knowledge is sometimes a dan gerous thing. Especially with an attor ney whose inclinations are not those of an upright man, .....-. •'.'•.' The verdict of the jury in the Madi gan case ought to prove a warning to all attorneys who are tempted to some times step outside of legal boundaries to accomplish their point. Inasmuch as ig norance of the lawexcases no one, so a knowledge of the statutes should carry with1 it greater punishment in case of of fense. If there is a man in all this broad county that delights in seeing a foreigner enter into all the benefits *of full citizen ship it is Capt. Geoige. Why I have sometimes seen him actually smile over such an occurrence, but perhaps he was aided in his glee by the $2 that accom panied it. Here's a story that is not very old, at least it was new to me. A man rolled up to the counter in a hotel about 3 o'clock one morning and the clerk was ready to receive him. "Want a room," he said thickly. "We're full," responded the clerk. "So'm I," he said. "Gimme a room." "I tell you we haven't got any room. They're all full." "Tellm better shober up. Gimme a room." "There isn't any room in the house, and you'd better get out," and the cleric began to get ready for business. "Been out nearly all night already, 'At's swats' matter wiz me. Wanter room." "Once for all, I tell you ihere isn't any room in the house that isn't oc cupied." The visitor didn't answer, but he looked at the clerk, then at the floor and the ceiling and the walls and furniture and moved unsteadily toward the door. "There'sh plenty of room here, m' friend," he called back to the cl^rk, "plenty of room (hie) fer'm prove (hie) ment. Good 'light, m' friend." A joke on the Democratic party has recently been put in circulation which is excellent. A lady had been attending a sewing circle one afternoon, and at an early hour she excused herself with the remark that she would have tn go home to sew a Democratic badge on her hus band. When asked what she meant, she exjilained by saying that she would have to sew patches on his pants which had been worn out by sitting around waiting for work under a Democratic adminis tration. The Rambler. Told by Gen. Felix Agnus It was my fortune to command in several regiments of New Yoric infantry in the last war and to witness many acts of fearless devotion to duty and unflinch ing heroism. With so many instances of bravery and daring within may recollec tion it is hard to select one that may be classed as pre-eminent. Still, I think that the palm may be awarded to a colonel of one of the regiments that formed part of my brigade and those who were witnesses of his heroic action will agree with me in bestowing upon him the due appreciations of his valor. Col. Abel Smith, of Brooklyn, N. Y., commander of the 165th New York regi ment, is the brave man to whom I refer- The deed which I am about to describe was performed at the storming of Fort Hudson, when so many thousands lost their lives in the attempt to capture the enemy's position. Asolid parapet surmounted by a blaz ing row of muskets confronted us, pour ing out a deadly stream of bullets. That was not all, for in addition to this shower of small shot there was the repeated booming of cannon with the swish of the screaming grape-shot as it ploughed vast furrows in the ranks of the attackers. Regiment after resiment had gone boldly to the front, always with the same result —it was impossible to stem the torrent of lead poured out against them, and they were forced to retire* leaving great numbers of their slain. The scence was enough to make the boldest heart quail. To rush at that parapet amounted to an advance on cer tain death. Finally the turn of the One Hundred and Sixty-Fith New York came round to attempt the effort that had proved fatal to so many comrades. The men were marched to a position within range of the parapet, and then ordered to lie down for protection. With the, sight of so many dead comrades before them it was necessary to instil a spirit of bold resolve into the men for the desper ate work before them, and this was done by their commander. Going to the front of his command, Col. Abel Smith stood erect in the midst of the storm of bullets, and appealed to his men to follow him to carry the works. When his immediate comrades urged him to lie down and not expose himself to certain death, he smilingly replied in the words that were used by Napoleon at a similar occasion: "The bullet that is to end my life has not yet been cast." As he said those words he turned to his bugler to order the charge. The whole regiment had felt the contagion of his bravery, and rose as one man to follow him. But at that moment, when he turned to lead his men onward, the words he had uttered to encourage his comrades were believed, for he fell pierced through tne heart by the bullet he had disre garded- Felix Agnus. Advantage of Institutes. The selection of seed corn for early ripening and a profitable yield will be represented at the State Farmers' Insti tute. The care and handling of colts can be made a good lesson at the State Farmers' Institute. The testing of milk will be a feature of the second days worK at the State Farmers' Institute. Questions and answers can be made very profitable for the locality at the State Farmers' Institute. Hog-houses and how to build cheaply and for convenience—will be shown at the State Farmers' Institute. The feeding and handling of calves to advantage, can be made a profitable les son at the State Farmers' Institute. How to prevent scab in potatoes will be shown at the State Farmers' Institute. Corn clover and hogs will be present ed by Theo. Louis at the State Farmers' Institute. No one who has anything to do with hogs can afford to miss this old German's topics. The principles of the growth,existenee and destruction of weeds will be dis cused by the "Old weed killer" at the State Farmers' Institute. The dairy cow and how to know when you see her, and how she should be fed and cared for profitably will be shown at the State Fanners' Institute, by an ex pert dairyman. The book to be given away at the first forenoon session of the Farmer's Institute is the Annual: a new one of which is lblished every year. This buck is the work of the Institute management nnd cannot be bought in the book-stores. It is estimated by many who have ex amined it thoroughly to be worth from $5 to $20—dont miss the prize. The demonstrated lesson in butter making at the State Farmers' Institute will be an object lesson that no one who makes butter to eat or sell can afford to miss. Sheep industry can be made a good topic to all those who are interested at the State Farmers' Institute. The cultivation of the soil with the object of retaining moisture in the sur face for the growing crop can be made a profitable lesson, at the State Farmers' Institute. How to know a good horse when you see it, can also be handled to the interest of many farmers as well as others. Potatoe culture will be a topic at the State Farmers' In&titute, that will be profitable to all groweis of this crop. The ladies will be specially interested in the public churning on the afternoon of the last day of the State Fanners' Institute. Lafayette. An infant child of Jos. Simmet died last week, Thursday. Jos. Gebhard has returned home from Morgan. Miss Anna Dannheim left for LeSueur last Thursday to work. Miss Katie Dirks, who has been spend ing the winter at Springfield returned last Monday. Wm. Sandman and son, Charles, of Evan, were here on business. Rev. Williams, the Baptist minister of Fairfax, is holding revival meetings this week in school district 5 5 What a striking resemblance there ex ists between 8. J. Race of Redwood coun ty and Assistant State Supt. Hyde. There is the same high tone of voice, the same cast of head, the same details, in fact a similarity that causes as to ask if they are not not in some way related. 4 3 'a? 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