St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-13
THE MOEN MYSTERY.
Testimony of the Defendant ia the
Sensational wilson Suit.

Sensational wilson suit.
Boston, Nov. 12.-The third days
trial of the case of Levi Wilson against p.
L. Moen to recover S113, 900, for alleged
breach of contract was resumed to-day
with Mr. Moen. the defendant, Oh the wit
ness stand. Moen SAID he loaned money to
Wilson ON account of his begging and pur-
suing him. 1t was the same game Wilson
had been playing for ten years. He was
under great pressure ami under great deal
of excitement. If he testified last Deem
Der that he let Wilson have the money from
friendship il was not true. He could not
say whether he held anything back a. that
trial, nor could he remember what he SWOre
TO a wear ago in regard to the MoOrehead
lake transaction. When Wilson came to
witness stable in 1875 and told him If he
did not give him 500 he would make d
criminal complaint against hun he was APP
prehenslve Wilson would do so. he had
many times since wished he had handed
Wilson over TO the police. He had given
given him letters of introduction to parties
in England in order that the money would
last aud he might stay away.
When Wilson went to England witness
took no note of the $50, 600 which he then
gave him. When Wilson returned he gave
witness $40, 0O0 to keep for HIM. and took
his note. Witness afterwards returned the
money to Wilson. Less than year after
witness gave Wilson $50, 900 to get his
brothers out West. Though Wilson had
received 5000 to remain in Europe, he
broke lis promise, and witness told him he
was a liar. Wilson made his story seem
probable. but witness was aStOniShed he
ever believed it. He paid the money so as
-, fha 70 nf iii
able stories. although he knew them to be
false. He borrowed some or the money he
paid Wilson. He advanced to Wilson
$50, 900 Oh a patent. taking his word that
such a patent had been issued in Europe.
M0en further testified that he paid money
TO Wilson and received the latter'S note. but
he never compelled Wilson to pay any of
these notes. He did not think he ever told
any person his relations with Wilson were
of a strictly business character. MOen left
the wltnesS-Stand at the conclusion of his
evidence without in any way divulging the
mysterious secret for the keeping Of which
Wilson has already received $3.50, 600.
Charles A. Howard, president of the
Quincy Fire Insurance company, George
q. Parker, secretary of the Milford FIRE
Insurance company, and William E. Starr,
of Worcester, testified TO witnessing the
signature of Wilson to certain documents.
In each instance Wilson wrote without
assistance. Hattie Engley, of Providence,
testified that
SHE LIVED WITH WILSON
as his wife from June s. 1876 until 1880.
She had always known him to sign his
name from the time she went to live with
him. The signatures to certain documents
were identified as in Wilson's handwriting.
Witness continued:
Il first saw Moen at the last trial. l had
never seen him before nor had any relations
with him. Wilson never told me Moeu de-
sired me to go away. Never knew of any
such desire on his part. Wilson never paid
ME any money TO keep me from troubling
Moen, and never told me Moen wanted to get
rid of the Eugleys. ! never copied letters for
nor received letters from Moeu. The first
letter l ever knew Wilson TO write was in 1880,
but be could write his signature in 1876
Cora j. Engley. the sister, and Mrs.
Harriet n. Engley, the mother of the pre-
ceding witness. cOrroborated her testi-
mony in every particular. p. l.. Moen.
recalled. testified that he did not tell City
Marshal brennan that the relations be-
tween witness and Wilson were simply of
a business character. brennan was called
to the stand and fatty contradcted MOen'S
statement. He said that few days after
be present at an interview with Wilson,
Moen met him. thanked him for the
officers. assured him that the transac-
lions were purely of business
character. and there was nothing disgrace
full to either himself or any member of his
family. A. d. Warren. of Worcester,
told of
AN INTERVIEW
he had with Moen in 1882, and said:
''MOen told me his transactions with Wilson
were purely of business character and
were mostly in regard to patent for bleach
ing cotton. Wilson owned the patent and
they were negotiating in relation to that;
nothing else. He also said he had paid
him large sums of money. The
patent proved impracticable, but
that was his business. not the
public's. William G. Sibley and William
B. Hoyle. of Providence testified to going
with Wilson to Engley's house. and agreed
with Wilson in the statement that he asked
for ''those letters and had the door