The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota*

Plainview banker Kennedy convicted, penalty of one to ten years in prison

November 25, 1925 - November 26, 1925

PAGE 164

Oratory swept over the crowded court room in waves as County Attorney John R. Foley and Thomas McMeekin, prosecutor and defense attorneys, exhorted the jury to deal fairly.
County Attorney Foley began his oration with a resume of the facts in the case and the evidence presented by the bank examiners.
Then he plunged into a scathing denunciation of men in public places – of men in whom rests public trust and who violate that trust.
"There are Judases in our midst!" he shouted, waving his arms at the jury.
"There are men sitting behind cages of our banks, taking our money and our wives’ and children’s money. Kennedy here, had a good reputation in this community. Of course, he did. So did Sylvester. But the bank is closed. THE BANK IS CLOSED! We are not charging Kennedy with stealing. We are charging him with falsifying the records of the bank."

A Friend of Kennedy’s
"I care not who Kennedy is. I care not for his religion or his nationality. Religion, nationality and politics have nothing to do with the case. Nor did I care what he was before the bank was closed. I was a good friend of Kennedy and we did many things together. But that has nothing to do with this case. We are here to decide his guilt or innocence and with the facts you have been given, I trust you will bring in a fair and just verdict."
Throughout the bitter harangue, Kennedy sat with his head in his hands, moving not a muscle.
Then Tom McKeekin, Mr. Kennedy’s lawyer arose.
"Counsel has suggested," he began in a low, quiet voice, "that someone has lost his money through the perfidy and criminality of Arthur Kennedy. Gentlemen," and his vice rang through the court room with these words: "Can you find anybody in this county who will come in and say, ‘you stole my money?’ If you can find someone to come in and say that Kennedy stole his money, then Mr. Kennedy should be found guilty and you should put him away."
Are Trying Kennedy
"But we are not trying the failure of the Plainview bank in this case. We are trying Mr. Kennedy. And gentlemen, you have heard that Mr. Kennedy, after the bank closed, worked hand in hand with the bank examiners. We are trying here a man who did not run away – who went to the bank day in and day out, helping to explain the records and clear up the facts. Does that show his guilt? Ask yourselves, gentlemen, would I trust this man with my confidence…" (NOTE: End of clipping.)
November 26, 1925- Winona Republican Herald.
A. S. Kennedy, Plainview Banker, Found Guilty
Crime Carries Penalty of One to Ten Years
Eloquent Closing Pleas Made by Foley and McMeekin – Kennedy Not Called
to Stand – Cries during Plea of Counsel
Widows, Orphans Robbed – Foley
The case of Adolph Stoltz, former assistant
cashier of the closed Plainview State Bank, will
come to trial Monday at 9 o’clock, it was
announced by County Attorney John R. Foley at
the closing of the Kennedy case at noon today.
Wabasha, Minn., Nov. 25 – Arthur S. Kennedy, former assistant cashier of the closed Plainview State Bank, was found guilty by a jury in district court here today of a charge of making false entry on the books of the corporation.
The jury got the case at noon, and after dinner began deliberation, bringing in the verdict at 2:15 PM. They pondered over the decision about half an hour, only two

Previous: Page 163.
Next: Page 165.
Initial: Table of Contents

* SOURCE: Manzow, Ron (compiler), "The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota - a collection of information taken from the Plainview News, other newspapers, letters, and diaries beginning in 1884": Plainview Area History Center, 40 4th St. S.W., Plainview, MN 55964. Compiled in 2001.

NOTE: from Ron Manzow, December 2001: "Feel free to reproduce the pages for anyone who wants a copy. It was compiled to be shared... All I ask is that they consider sending a check to the [Plainview Area] History Center to help us out. That should be enough."