The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-11-10

THE CARR FORGERY CASE.
SECOND DAY.

THE CARR FORGERY CASE.
SECOND DAY.
Louis X. Laun Turns states Evidence
and Testfhes.
The crowd in the court room on the second
day of the Carr forgery case was increased. At
q few minutes after 10 o'clock Judge Whitaker
took the bench, and the jury were called down
from their room, where they had been locked up
all night.
Owing to the absence Of G. 8. Rice, Of counsel,
at the civil courts, q recess was taken until
noon.
AFTER THE RECESS
the Jury came again into court. Louis r.. Laun
was the first witness called for the State.
When on the stand he showed considerable ex-
element and was very pale, seldom raising his
eyes from the floor. The witnesses were seps-
rated before the testimony was commenced: He
said the members Of the firm Of Carr Lsun
were Mortimer Carr and Louis B. Laun, and did
business in this city. The financial condition in
the beginning Of 1877 was bad, and they we're
embarrassed, largely so. I had 3 conversation
with Mr.. Carr relative to relieving the en-
barrassment Of the house. 1t was
TO FORGE BILLS OF LADING
| talked about it, and I told him the house could
not be saved as the money did not come in, but
knew 9 way to do 1t. and that was to raise 1t on
these forged bills.
Being shown bills of lading for $50 and 500 bales
Of cotton, said these are forged bills. They we're
forged in the Office on Union street, in pursuance
of the agreement between Carr & Laun to save
| the house. Carr said that it would be better to
| make my brothers name appear on the bills
IN CASE OF BURST.
| dispatch was sent from Mobile by the firm
there that 500 bales would arrive on the evening
train, and on this and the bills Mr.. Helman paid
| the advances.
remember other forged bills, one by the ship
Kate Miller, for 500 There were many forged;
too many, and they we're destroyed in the pres
ence of MIR. Carr. We didn't need them. This
was with the consent of Carr. He knew as well
as did the amounts required daily. They were
all made by me and passed by him. One was
was done on Monday. After the bills were
forged they went into the hands of Carr. We
| kept an order book, invoice books and check
| books left the city Sunday morning, about the
9th or 10th Of February. left all the books in
the Office and did not touch anything. The order
| book was in either my desk or that OF Mr.. Carr.
gave him the key when I left. Carr was to put
in at first $50 000 but he only put in the original
5000 when the house was st'rted.
| BEFORE LEFT MET CARR
| and we went to Krosts beer saloon; l told him
that the house was gone and could make . liv-
| ing anywhere; that the house was goae; l had
$500 in money and offered Carr $500 in bill; I
| told Osrr that I could make my living anywhere,
| having been in Mexico; Carr thought somebody
ought to leave; Understood afterwards that Carr
had said had run away with the money; it was
| the agreement that the bills should be so made
that It should appear that my brother George
| was the maker.
There were branch houses in Mobile and
Havre; my brother George, in Mobile, held our
power OF attorney.
Being shown letter said it was
IN THE HANDWRITING OF CARR.
The letter was dated New Orleans January Q,
1876, and referred to visit to Mr.. Gaines about
draft Of $12, COO.
He saw Hellman and told him he would need
900 and he thought it would be all right.
This letter was to Laun.
Being shown telegram witness said that he
knew kilograms were sent to bankers. Those
dispatches referred to the shipment of the $50 and
500 bales in the forged bills. This one was from
George Laun, saying that
THE BILLS MR.. HELLMAN WANTED
were coming on the night train. Don't know
whether they were answered.
CROSS EXAMINATION
by Mr.. Nuremberg.
1 forged all The bills of lading; am under in.
dictment for forgery with intent to defraud, and
pleaded not guilty. because did not intend to de-
fraud. am also under indictment in the First
District Court. My testimony is given
WITHOUT ANY PROMISE
OF protection on the part Of the officers of the
State. was asked by my lawyer to go to Messrs.
Labatt, Clinton Il Aronis Office, and I there
made full statement. The Assistant Attorney
General did speak about something that needed
explanation, that was all. 1t was only few days
before left for good that l went to Mobile.
When left went all over the United States
nd In I wro Tn mr. ha
Citizens Bank that I WAS not guilty of robbing
any one. went to San Francisco, and as was
going to
DELIVER LECTURE,
did not want to be arrested before delivering
it, and 30 did not give myself up.
The witness then got very much excited, and
showed much feeling.
would not to save that man plead not guilty,
when know [pointing to Carr he ia so guilty.
I told the officer that Carr WAS innocent because
then did not want to expose the secrets Of our
house.
Laun was taken out Of the court room to read
the testimony given before the Recorder. On
his return he said, II have read my testimony
and it was what testified to-"
The testimony there given was read by MIR.
Gutenberg, and it stated that Laun there said
hat Carr was innocent.
Resuming Laun said Il do not consider my tes-
timony there given is incorrect. I did not then
know all do now about Carr. l was then
TRYING TO SAVE HIM,
but not 80 now. did not say any lies there
but phrased everything to save Carr. Since my
return prisoner have written letters" Being
shown one said, This is mine in answer to one
from Mr.. Carr"
The letter was read, and it stated that he
(Laun) would tell the truth, and that there was
no conspiracy to defraud between Carr and Laun.
81 wrote Carr since in prison, asking him
whether he would help me, as I know he has
money. He did not answer, for he did not want
to give himself away. The Citizens Bank pays
my board in the Parish Prison."
Other letters were shown witness in which he
asked for money while he was in prison. He
wanted $40, and wrote to Carr to know OF the
WEAK POINTS IN HIS DEFENSE.
81 never received any answer or money to
these letters"