went by. The next day, the deadlock continued. The Tulsa Tribune
said that though the government’s case was strong, bets around
Guthrie were “five to one for a hung jury.” After five days of
deliberations, the judge called the parties into the courtroom. He
asked the jurors, “Is there any possibility of an agreement on a
verdict?”
The foreman rose and said, “There is none.”
The judge asked if the government had any remarks, and St.
Lewis stood. His face was red, his voice trembling. “There are
some good men on the jury and some that are not good,” he said.
He added that he had been informed that at least one, if not more,
members of the panel had been bribed.
The judge considered this, then ordered that the jury be
dismissed and the defendants held for further trial.
White was stunned. More than a year of his work, more than
three years of the bureau’s work, had reached an impasse. The jury
was also hung when Bryan Burkhart was tried for the murder of
Anna Brown. It seemed impossible to find twelve white men who
would convict one of their own for murdering American Indians.
The Osage were outraged, and there were murmurings about
taking justice into their own hands. White suddenly had to deploy
agents to protect Hale, this man whom he so desperately wanted
to bring to justice.