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OWN ATTORNEYS CALLED HIM ALMOST EVERYTHING BUTA HOG THIEFerit.r-Norton Finch, a wealthy farmer of Templeton who has been on trial here for grand larceny was acquitted by a jury last Thursday evening after the jury had been out for over five hours and after it had taken about six* or seven ballots. The vote stood six for conviction and six for acquittalfor the first five ballots, it is said.Finch owns a large farm in the vicinity of Templeton. He was charged with having stolen two hogs from his neighbor, Patrick Kennedy.It was the contention of the state during the trial that two hogs of the value of $80 and belonging to Kennedy were discovered in the possession of Finch, -who later attempted tosell them to Jap McConnell.This case attracted wide attention throughout Benton and adjoining counties because of the prominence of the parties and the peculiar chain of circumstances surrounding the loss of the hogs by Mr. Kennedy. A hard and bitter fight has developed during the trial and practically every legal point was exhaustively contested.J I Attorneys Wilbur Nolin, proseeut-■ I ing attorney, and Ernest Hawkins of 1 Fowler, and E. B. Davidson, of Lafayette appeared for the state and I Messrs, Fraser and Isham and Elmore Baree, of Fowler, for the defense.The trial was sensational in charao Iter because of the extreme bitterness shown against Finch by his neighbors and because of the strong chain of circumstances that had woven themselves around him. At 3:30 p. m. Judge B. B. Berry began his instruc-* tions to the jury.ke After receiving the case from the Ih court at about 4 o’clock in the after-3d noon, the jury remained out until he 9:5© p. m., at which time the verdict ill I of “not guilty” was returned.ve I A ripple of laughter went over the ii- court room during the argument of ud one of the attorneys for the defend-irs I ant when the attorney said to the eh jury, “Norton Finch is mean, unso-tc- ciable, stingy, penurious, and is heart -ge ily disliked by his neighbors—he has en few, if any, friends, but he didn t es steal the hogs.”When the verdict was returned and us filed, Attorney Isham, of the defenseat once arose and thanked the jury *n! for its verdict, and Finch, for thendtoinheinip-Is,retsasm-first time during the trial, showed a little feeling by rushing across the room and grasping the hand of each of the jurors as they passed from the jury box.The trial was excellently argued by both sides and was exceptionally well’ prepared and served as an excellentcase for the high school civics classwhich attended it under the supervision of Supt. Steele, to gain a firsthand knowledge of court procedure.
Newspaper Details
Fowler Benton Review
Fowler, Indiana, US
Thu, Apr 24, 1919
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
IN, USA 01 Jan 2020
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