Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-14
ALLEGED FRAUDULENT COUPONS.
The Testimony Taken Saturday to sup
port the Charge Against Adriaans and
GnnmQll.

Uu0nekls
The case of John n. Adriaans, the patent
attorney, and Ludwick Gunnell, the colored
man formerly employed in the Patent Office as
| laborer, charged with conspiracy to defraud
| the government, was continued after The
STARS report closed Saturday.
The warrant was sworn out by SCHUYLER Dur.
yea chief clerk fthe Patent Office, and charged
| that on the LIST of November, 1884, Gunnell
| took from the office twenty one books contain
| ing coupons valued at S1O5; that he impressed
On them a tao simile of his Duryea's signature,
| and afterwards turned them over to Adriaans
| with intent to defraud the government in pur-
suance of the conspiracy previously formed be-
twee them.
sion quantity of the coupons mentioned, and
they were kept in his room. When impressed
with witness name they were worth ten cents
each. A number of them had been missed. On
December 10Th, 1884, witness was informed
! that an attorney (Adriaansl had sold some of
these coupons to another attorney, and witness
had the books counted and found that there
were twenty-five missing Witness reported
| the fact to the commissioner, Mr. Butterworth.
| After that time witness recounted the books
and found fifty-eight more missing. About
January 2Sth, 1884, witness heard a converse
| ton between defendant, Adriaans, and Com
| former said that he had sold some coupons to a
brother attorney as a matter of accOmmo-
as told he the would SfsEs 1bsi
If there were any charges against
him to prefer them and he would meet them.
In February of last year defendant Gunnell also
had conversation with the commissioner in
regard to five books that General Speare said he
got from Gunnell, the latter giving them to him
In payment of a debt. Gunnell said that he
got the books from Adriaans in pay ment OF a
bill which the latter owed him for services rem
hand and those turned over to DIR. Bacon, the
financial clerk, who disposes of them and re-
ceiveS the money.
Cross-examined: Witness said single coupon
| might be sold for 70 cents, while 20 or more
would cost but 10 cents each. Charles Garrett
had charge of the cleaning of the room after
| the clerks left in the afternoon.
Witness showed the five books he got from
Gen. Speare, which he said were worth So each.
During the day the closet in which the books
were kept was supposed to be locked, and at
times there would probably be two hundred
persons in the room. Witness named the clerks
who were also in the same room, and said the
| DOCKS were generally in charge OF Charles
Chapman, messenger.
EX-CoMMIsSIONERB UTTERWORTH'S TESTIMONY.
Gen. Butterworth, formerly commissioner of
patents, testified that after hearing about de.
! fendant Adriaans selling coupons he sent for
him and told him that he had prob
thief VINO had stolen the y coupons,
| as it appeared that he had disposed of more
coupons than he had purchased. He said he
had sold some in his own office building, and he
| (Adriaans) became indignant and wanted to
know why he was questioned and suggested
that charg g be preferred and he would meet
| them. Witness also had a conversation with
| MIR. Gunnell. The latter, he said, told him that
| he had given Gen.Speare five books in payment
| of a debt and that he (Gunnell) had obtained
the books from defendant, Adriaans, for some
| service he had rendered AdriattnS.
| General Ellis Speare, eX-commissiOner OF
patents, testified that he purchased live coupon
| books rom Gunneli, who owed him $50. Gun
! nell said that he had obtained the books from
| an attorney who, he said, had given them to
| him in payment OF II debt. Witness took the
chief clerk of the fact OF his getting the books i'm
the way he did, and turned the books over to
| the office.
Nix. ADRTAANs BUSINESS.
| Parker III. Sweet was called to show that Mr..
Adriaans' business was small, and MI. Caring.
! ton objected to the testimony. The court said
the testimony would be admitted for what 4,
was worth. Witness said that Mr.. Adriaans
| had desk in his office, and had clerks i'm his
| employ: he sometimes had draughtsman
| employed. During the fall of 1854 witness
| bought from Adriaans about SIS worth OF cou-
pons, paying him the full price for them.
| Adriaans told witness that he had obtained the
coupons for a client, but his clients note was
protested. and he wanted to get the coupons OF
form other attorneys that he had the coupons
and they might purchase them from him in
stead of from the department. Witness had
seen colored messenger from the Patent Office.
whom he believed was Gunnell, come to see Mr..
Adriaans. and hett messenger would freq Uetly
have package in his hand. but witness could
not say that he ever delivered any OF the pack
ages to Mr. Adriaans. Witness said Mr.. Adri-
aans' reputation was very good for honesty.
-. itciifcf. l3UB NJ slFScf, teStiIeu tlat
he was draughtsman and had worked for
both Mr.. Adriaans and MIR. Sweet. Witness
mad seen Mr.. Adriaans dispose Of coupons, but
did not know how many. Witness had seen
Gunnell visit Mr. Adriaans On three separate Oc-
casions. but could not see whether he brought
any package or not.
l.. Bingham. Il patent attorney, testified that
Mr.. Adraans told him that he had some cou-
pOns on his hands, but witness did not buy any,
Mr.. Adriaans' reputation was good.
C. E. Foster, 93I + street. testified that he
was patent attorney, and purchased $50
worth of coupons from Mr.. Adriaans at one
time. Witness inquired of him how he got
| them. and he said they were left ON his hands
| by q client.
Several patent attorneys testified to buying
coupons from Mr.. Adraans, paying full price
| for them, and the case went over until Tues
| day.