The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-27
THE DEFENSE OF HARRISON.
Further Continuance of the MugWump
0ffice-Holder's Trial for Forgery.
More Expert Testimony Against the Defend
ant HarrisOn's Attorney Trying to
Weaken Evidence Given by Wheat.

The preliminary trial of Alfred Harrison the
colored letter-carrier of Democratic standing,
was continued before acting Mayor Smock last
night The interest of the party friends of the
accused has not abated and with it the hope that
he may escape trial before higher court. They,
as on the preceding evenings of this tedious ex-
animation, crowded the courtroom and watched
with keeness any possibility of failure in expert
testimony, upon which the proof of the alleged
forgery largely depends. John W. Ray and
Charles Dark, as experts in chirography, were
examined at considerable length. They
confirmed the line of testimony heretofore
given, by saying that the man who wrote the
letter to lawyer Perrine wrote the check.
Other papers were subjected to comparison
with the check. and the witnesses, entering into
detail, marked the great similarity that existed
in all of them.
John Wheat the man who presented the
check for payment testified to the incidents
heretofore related On cross-examnation he
gave brief account of his life in Kentucky.
Texas and Indiana. He said he had lived in In
dianapolis since 1881, except eleven months Of
the tince These months he spent in the Michi-
gan City penitentiary for receiving stolen goods.
Attorney Walls-Are you sure it was not for
stealingl
Wheat-The Judge did not call it that
Attorney Walls-Not for stealing, then, are
you surel
Wheat-Yes I was sent up for receiving
stolen goods. The judge did not say it was steal
ing.
have Wheat tell the incidents attending and fol-
lowing his arrest. He wanted to know particu-
larly what occurred in the presence of Assistant
Prosecuting Attorney Hug and Mayor Denny,
when the witness made the affidavit against
Harrison The defense took the course
that offers of immunity from punish
ment were made to Wheat if he
would make the affidavit against the
accused The witness denied that any such Of
fers were made. An attempt was also made to
show that conversation Wheat had with Pros
ecutor Harding related to collision between
that officer and the witness to prosecute Harri-
son. The effort to get this before the court was
ruled out, on an objection of the prosecutor.
Attorney Walls then tried another series OF
questions to get at the same matter. 1t did not
succeed, as the witness. in reply. said that he
told the prosecutor, in his conversation with him,
that he thought there was something wrong. in
asmuch as Harrison had told him, You answer
to the name on the check" The examina-
ton brought out moral lesson. Wheat
did not distinguish himself under the cross-ques
tions particularly as to the incident of his &C
knowledging at the bank the name of John Will
son on the check He said: 'Mr. Smith asked
little and said yes"
Attorney Walls-You lied, then.
Wtness-No sir.
Attorney Walls-Your name is not Wilson.
Witness-No but / did not lie in telling Mr.
Smith so, because I was told to say that my
name was Wilson. It would be just like you
telling me something to tell Mr. Smock II it
was a lie would not be the liar
The examination developed an incident in
Wheat's career relative to a judgment against
him in a State case obtained in Squire Judkins's
court Eyes, sir" said Wheat, there was a
judgment against me and laid it out in Jail"
"And did you not" asked the attorney, Ego to
your lawyer, Orion, and ask him to get the
judgment settled for $40, and did you not at that
time show a check for $3.50, saying. i have the
money to settlep"
The effort to show q presumption that this
check was also forged failed by the acting Mayor
passing the question for consideration. Further
along another attempt was made to fix on him
the possession of a $500 check which Wheat
said he had received in the sale of his farm.
This question also went over. Court then ad-
journed until this evening, at O'Clock.