Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-11-12
THE HecHMER TRIAL.
Points Brought Out on the Third Day at
~ Grafton.
Specsai 70 lhe Reqister.E

p
Points Brought Out on the Third Day al
Grafton.
Special TO he Regisier.r
GRAFTON, November n.-This is the
third dave the Hechmsr trial, an unusu
ally bright morning, crowded the spacious
court room with spectators. The small
number ofladiss who attended during the
past two days seem to have encouraged the
ladies generally to sttend, and the space
behind the bars at the conclusion OF the
morning session was fairly well filed with
them. Judge Ice took his seat promptly
at 9 o'clock, and after disposing OF fe"
chsncery matters called the jury, and the
case wsS briskly handled from that time
till the court adjourned at 8 p. m. Inc
evidence was all concluded yesterdsyi IN
substance it is as follows: -
DR.. Observation-Disclosures sent me the
bond by mail. and subsequently came to
Coyiupton, KY, and went with me "a
Louisyille where the bond was presented
and approved By myself and I'D. Duffy
IL. Msnph irrsiees; sthe other trhs:ee
JenniBes, Of Philadtphia, did not approve
the bond.
A. Armstropg-My name was never
written to the bond by myself, or any one
by my authority.
R. Davisson said his name was forged
to the bond.
John Doonan said his name also WAS
forged to it. Each of these gentlemen SAID
that they had never been approached by
Hecbmer, to sign the bond.
Louis Hechmer and George Brinkman,
the other securities on the bond, were ao'
sent and proof was sui mitted by experts,
showing their signatures to have been
forged.
Joha W. Mason, put on the stand BY the
prosecution, testified that the seal attached
70 the bond looked like his notsrial seal
that his seal never 10 his knowledge was
out of the county; that Hechmer had the
privilepe of going into his Office when he
liked, and did so; that he never put the
seal TO this bond or signed his name to 1t
as notary.
Brooks Crawford, 8 master mechanic,
made an examination of the seal OF Mr.
Mason, compared it with the impression
upop the bond and said the two corre-
sponded exactly; that it would be dlthcult
to counterfeit a seal OF that sort.
Stephen Styles said he was Het elmer
clerk; that the body of the bond Was
in his hand writing; that Hechmer asked
him for the bond one morning; that ne
gave 1t TO him; that he took it and went
out; that during the afternoon he came
bsc tx with the bend and said it was liked,
but witness never saw it after he gave 1t to
Hecbmer in blank in the morning.
Mr.. Barr testified 10 Hechmer's election
az Treasurer, and to the fact that mere
was no manuscript records kept at the
time of his election in 1881 by the order.
Judge Russell, President OF the order,
testified to the fact that Hechusr suddenl7
disappeared in July, 1888, when he was in
Grafton trying to get settlement out Of
him, ior the order; he also said that there
was no meeting of the corporators OF the
order in Kentucky after the charter had
been granted.
The prosecution then next introduced
the acts Of the Kentucky Legislature OF
1880, showing the Incorporation of the
Knights, and that Hechmer wss a charter
member.
The defense introduced but one witness,
hon. D. q. Leonard, one of the corpora
tors, by whom they showed that there had
been no general meeting Of the incorPora'
tors in Kentucky after granted, but the
prosecution showed by Mr.. l.. that the
Knights had acted upon this charter ever
since it's adoption.
A Mr.. Reeves, OF Kentucky, opened the
case for the State in rather weak speech,
aud was followed By j. W. Mason and B
F. Martin, for the defence, in very strong
soeeches. After this, Mr.. Basel closed for
the State in speech OF about three hours.
The defence raised three points. They are
as follows: -.
Flrst-To the introduction Of the svI
dence OF ]. ". Mason, objected to because
the forging OF certificate was not charged
in the indictment, but admitted as CIR
cuustsuce, showing where the ofense wal
committed.
Second-To the admission of the bond
because it was described as the bond Of thu
sureties alone, and no: also Of Hechmer
who signed it.
Third-To the odEissiap Of the printed
Acts of the Kentucky laws in proof ct thu
charter, because the charter was a privat
act.
The prisoner sat bcside his counsel anc
aided them in finding the references in th
books for their argument, and # he va
excited bis oountenance to-day did not be
tray him. Each side submitted numbe
of Instructions pending the consideration
of which the court adjourned till to morroN
morning. The prisoner was locked up 70
the frst time on Monday night and sine
that has been constantly in charge Of III
sheriff. The speech Of Hon. B. F. Marti
for the defense was much compliments
and was really the speesh of the csse, TR
defense really relies alone upon the groun
that the Knights were not legally incorpt
rated, for scquittal, which question
euuarely raised in the instructions, now i