Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-12-11
THE FORGERY CASES.
The Preliminary Examination Of W..
G. Owens Before Judge Piper TO.
Day-IIe is Represented by
VI. NJ. Kaighn.
Barney Hughes ~ Put Upon the Stand
and Plays Innocent-He Says He
Got the Paper From Owens.
lie Tries u Bluff Game on Exhibiting
His Hand Writing But Backs Down
mt the End.

The examination OF Hughes and Owens
on the charge OF forgery, the reputed
particulars OF which were published in
the DEMOCRAT few days since, came up
in the Police Court this morning at 10
o'clock. The benches were well-flled
with spectators and great interest seemed
to be taken in the evidence as it was
brought out by the attorneys. Assistant
Prosecutor Moyle was reinforced by Sec
ond Assistant Prosecutor Ferguson. NJ.
NJ. Kaighn appeared for the defendent
Owens, whose case came up first.
During the wait which occurred before
the examination began, the defendant
Hughes was sitting in one corner oil the
room while Owens was consulting his
attorney. While the prosecution was
busily preparing for the seige, Owens
slipped over to Hughes side and before
they were noticed they had their heads
together in earnest conversation. a
word from Ferguson brought the two to
attention and Ovens slipped back to his
place.
THE CASE AGAINST OWENS
Was the first, and all the witnesses ex-
cept the one on the stand were excluded
from the courtroom. Mr.. Kaighn raised
an objection to Hughes being allowed
to testify, but the Cont ruled that he
might be put upon the stand and al
lowed to refuse to give self-criminating
answers.
C. NJ. BROWN
Was the first witness called. He said:
have known Mr.. Owens about month
he was introduced to me as the secretary
and paymaster OF the Yosemite mine No.
., at Bingham; since that time he has
been in my saloon quite often; | have
known Hughes about ten or twelve days !;
Owens brought him in and introduced
him to me; he made no representations
as to Hughes character; Hughes came
in ten or twelve times he came in on
the night of the Sth, and asked ii | would
let him have few dollars; he offered to
leave his watch, but | told him didn't
want it; he said that he had friend in
from Bingham and he had to give him
some money to go home; he gave me
the order here produced and | let him
have SIS.
Mr. Kaighn said that the defense
would admit that Owens wrote the order.
Witness continued: | saw him once
or twice after that; he came back at
about II o'clock and asked again for the
order Offering his watch in return; the
next morning he came around and asked
for the order; he took it and went to
O'Relly's; then to Tomney x EIillstead
and passed down the street. | saw him
take the order and II check with it and
tear it up and throw it in the ditch; |
told Gibson to pick it up and he did so.
The prosecution offered the order on
O'Relly i'm evidence and the defense did
not object; Mr.. Kaighn said that he adj
mitted that the defendant wrote the body
of the note but not the signature.
Witness continued: Owens came into
my store on the evening OF the Sth and
said that he expected some one to leave
some money for him; Hughes and an
other man had just gone ont and Owens
told me I'd better look out for them as
they were hard crowd he went up to
O'Reilly's and returned and said that he
was closed; he read the order but said
nothing about who Whole it; he was there
on the 9th and told me that he heard the
officers were looking for him, and just
then Mr.. Smith stepped up and said 81
want you Mr.. Owens" and Smith then
arrested him.
To defense: | don't remember
Owens saying that he didn't know
whether or not that was O'Reily's sigua-
ture he did not say anything about not
letting Hughes have any more money as
that was hard crowd | think McCarty
was the name OF the man who was in
there with him.
c. T. HARTE
A clerk at the Walker House was next
called He said | have known Mr.
Owens for about two months; we have Il
book containing blank drafts like the one
produced in court; gave him one and
he left the hotel; | am not certain that |
could identity the hand writing of the de-
PENDANT. Excused.
JAMES MILAN,
OF Bingham, was then called and said
Owens has been in my employ as book
keeper for over three months. Witness
was then asked as to the hand writing
on the different checks, and said he be-
lieved that the body OF all OF them was
written by Owens, but he could not say
as to the signatures. Excused.
DETECTIVE r. A, FRANKS
Said: | have known Owens for three or
four weeks; have had no conversation
with Owens on the subject now in ques-
ton; have talked with Hughes about
it; have seen Owens and Hughes to.
gether quite often; they seem to be quite
friendly; | believe | know Owens hand
writing, Excused.
). J. o'REILLY,
NoG tho navt ,yitnaus Ua un;J. I,n,,,
the defendant Owens; met him at the
mine and since that in the city; Hughes
worked for me in the mine once for five
or six days; that is not my signature on
the order; | am in no way indebted TO
Hughes; on the night OF the Sth | closed
my place at about o'clock. Excused.
{. NJ. BROWN
Was recalled; | would recognize Mr..
Owens writing when | see it; ] am not
an expert, but am reasonably familiar
with it, he said he thought the body Of
the order and the checks were written by
Owens, Excused.
DETECTIVE $. II. gibson
Was then called, and said: | have
known the defendants Owens and
Hughes only since their arrest when |
was informed that was wanted, | went
to the Sideboard saloon, and Hughes was
pointed out to me; | teephoned for the
police, and as Hughes came out OF the
saloon he was tearing up couple OF
papers and made the arrest; he threw
the scraps OF paper in the ditch and /
picked them out. Excused.
The prosecution then offered all the
checks in evidence, but this was objected
to by the defense.
The Court ruled that the papers would
he allowed IN 90 i'm Testimony