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Last week when the State rested, the defense promptly did likewise, not bothering to put a single witness on the stand. Out marched the jury to puzzle over reams of financial statements. Once they called the judge to ask him the meaning of "current charge-offs," but he told them to figure it out for themselves. After 24 weary hours, including a night in the local jail, the jury marched in, pronouncing President Thomson not guilty. Said he: "I am deeply grateful to the people of Clay County. . . . The verdict is a vindication of the Bancorporation."
Overnight Banco stock rose from $4.75 per share to $5.50. Governor Olson would presumably drop prosecution of the other bigwig directors. "In view of the Mitchell and Insull cases," he remarked, "the verdict was not surprising" Left to the Clay County authorities was the problem of persuading the State to shoulder part of the $30,000 costs of this historic trial.