Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-17
THE WILSON.MoEN CASE.
Closing Arguments in This Celebrated d
Case.
BosroS, Nov. l6.

! BosToN, Nov l6.
The usual large crowd was in attendance
Tuesday forenoon, at the United States Cir
cult court room TO listen to the closing aryu.
ments in the celebrated case of Levi Wilson
against Woreester's millionaire, Philip L.
Moen. The opening of the court was de.
| lsyed until ll.30 and after the jury had been
/ p1lled. Ii. Nj. Morse, Jr bt gan his speech
for the defence. He SAID in part: You were
struck at the outset of this case, that as far
as the plaintiff is concerned, the suit is based
entirely upon his own unsupported evidence
and that there is not scrap of written testi.
mony in confirmation of it.
! Not only is his evidence unsupporting but
| II is so full of contradictions and equlvocs,
! ton that Wilson is entirely unworthy of be.
lief. He has received nearly $500 900 from
Moen, but doesn't say why or what was the
consideration. Wilson's prevaricstion on
the witness stand in relation to these pay
ments, the counsel said, was proofs of his in
credibility and uutruthfulness
He had repeatedly, given Wilson opportu-
nitv TO say why he had received these large
sums of money, but he had steadily refused
to answer. The counsel then took up Moen's
testimony. When Moen paid the first Sl0O
1874, he thought he was done with Wilson
forever. The counsel then explained Will.
sun SA'oitiob NlSlulnk
to them. Wilson's contradictory testimony
was then reviewed to show that his state
ments were worthless especially in the matter
of his hand writing and letter alleged to
have been received from Moen.
After recess Morse resumed his argument
referring to Wilson's persistent attempts to
obtain money from Moen, bounding him even
when on his vacation. We claim, said
Morse, that Moen never agreed to pay Wit
son 100000 to settle the Eugley suits Will
sons statement that Moen offered $50, 900 in
bonds of the Boston, Albany, Norwich &
Worcester railroads was a lie on its face for
Moen never owned stock OF bonds in those
roads in his life. The counsel begged the
jury to say not only that the defendants
story is true, but that he is entitled to recov-
er at least portion of the money wrung
from him.
Geo j. West of Providence then began ar
gumepts for Wilson. West characterized
Moent story of alleged blackmail as an un-
qualified lie. He charged that the letter of
February. 1876, asking for 81 OO0O, was n
Justification from Moen's brain, since the
trial last December 1t is forgery and
! Wilson never wrote it. He denied that the
counsel feared to ask Wilson what it was he
threatened Moen, and said they were here
ready and anxious to know all, but Moen had
told so many different stories, that they didn't
know what he might concoct next. If, said
West, you can anywhere in the worlds his
tory find a single instance or care where the
victim Of the blackmaier took care of his
money and paid interest on it we
will abandon our case, and yet
Moen saws he did this verv thing.
No patent was ever owned or sold by Wilson.
Moen had that paper made 50 he could tell
! the people of Worcester he had business with
Wilson. 1t was another piece of manufac-
tured evidence. Moen didn't, he SAYS, tell
the whole truth at the previous trial The
man who, under oath, does not tell the whole
truth is guilty of perjury. Moen didn't tell
the secret when on the stand because, if he
had, he would have been obliged to give the
! name of the third party; or if he had done
that he knew we would have had that man in
court. You may call Wilson a scoundrel and
denounce him every where, but he has never
imposed upon the court; never has refused to
tell the whole truth. If Wilson is scound
rel then what's Moen? The counsel then re-
viewed the Moosehead Lake episode from his
standpoint. He claimed that Moen did agree
to give Wilson 100000 and that the con
tract is fully proven by Moen's letter and tel
egram from New York, and The fact that he
did make a payment of $4,000 on account
and Rice wanted check because he knew if
Wilson ever sued Moen he could use it in the
evidence. Adjourned until tomorrow when
West will conclude his argument and the
case will probably be given to the jury.