St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-15
MIGHTY POOR MEMORY.
Witness Breitinger's Recollection Of
Ohio Tally Sheet Forgeries Is Dim.
BEGINNING OF MYERS TRIAL.
II Looks as If the Notorious Journal
list Will Escape Just Punish
ment.
srecial to the Globe.

LONDON, o., Dec. 14.-Ihe taking or
testimony in the Myers trial commenced
this morning. Clerk Joyce. of Frank
lin county. testified almost exclusively
to the proceedings of the canvassing
board before and after the discovery of
the forgery. The defense on cross-ex-
animation tried to show that r. B.
Montgomery and Brice Custer had
greater motive for the forgery than
Myers. Peter Potter, hackman, testi-
fed to driving Myers and Cogan about
Columbus on the night of the forgery,
Oct. Is, 1885. The only new thing elic-
tied in cross-eXamination was that the
witness had voted twice for Myers. I'M
mediately after the opening of court
this afternoon Joseph BreiiDger was
examined. judge Nash conducted the
examination for the state and soon made
the jury understand the location of
Mr.. Breitinger'S evidence at the time of
the October election, 1885. Witness
told of his acquaintance with the de-
PENDANT; of Myers visit with COSan to
his house early Monday morning, Oct.
49, when in search of Montgomery's
house and while seeking 10 elude pur-
suers. The witness had forgotten some
affected, although he told a portion of
his story as he did ten months ago. The
fault lay in his poor memory, which
utterly failed him on several essential
points. Judge Nash
REFRESHED HIS RECOLLECTION
and the defense objected. but was over
ruled. Witness could not remember
| the time of events, and furthermore,
| all of his rather startling conversations
with the defendant in Calendars
saloon he had entirely lost. No details
could be given, and the StereOtyped re-
| ply, Il don't remember" always
| ensued. He could not remember what
| he alleged heretofore the defendant had
| said about wanting TO burn the tally
| sheet instead of forging it, Other por-
tons he had forgotten, especially what
he told the grand jury in January, 1856.
| His peculiar conduct provoked the
states attorneys, and in mo-
| ment breeZes sprang up over
the question whether Breiting-
er's testimony regarding the con-
VersatiOn with Myers was admitted
! Oh the former trial. Matters finally
| quoted down, and the crOss-eXamina
| ton began. Breitinger was short and
uneventful, except that his memory
! seemed to brighten up on the redirect
examination. He again forgot every
! thing important, and did the state not
| particle of good. Such complete
| change in witness would be hard TO
! describe. On the former trial, Brett
! niger was on the stand nearly three
| days, and his direct and crosS-eXamina
! ton occupied one day and half
| While he has injured the case none,
| his testimony is greatly and sadly lack
! ing for the state. Douglas Doyle, of
! Columbus. was the next witness, he
| appearing for the first time in any tally
| sheet forgery trial. In October, 1885,
! he lived next to the Democratic state
! headquarters on East Broad street.
Saw Allen o. Myers at the Democratic
| headquarters Wednesday evening, Oct.
| 4, the night after the election; saw Car
! los Trevitt there also; defendant then
claimed the legislature and said Ed
| Young Will be elected; Trevitt over
heard the conversation and afterwards
talked with him in the front room, but
could not say whether Myers heard it;
had heard Myers say: u, hn X. Nc
Lean Will be the next United States
SENATOR" had seen the defendant Sun
day evening, Oct. Is. get out of hack
at the corner of Chapel alley and State
street; saw Cogan in Crouch's saloon
| drunk; saw Allen O.Myres, Can los Trey
! lit and Robert Montgomery on the corner
| of Rich and High about | O'Clock that
night; saw the three part, Montgomery
going east on Rich street, and the other
| two south. The witness said that he
went to the court house Sunday evening
after the election to see ). \. kinnear
in the probate court. 1t was dusk. In
the probate court he saw Allen o.
| Myers and Carlos Travitt at the table
! with papers between them, and as soon
as he came in they went out, taking the
papers with them. The paper they had
was about two and half feet long, aud
had been folded. He could not see
whether it had writing on it. MesSrS.
Myers and Trevitt
APPEARED STARTLED
when he came in. They went into the
front Office and closed the door. Wit
ness said he had seen Trevitt with the
| defendant frequently. At a late hour
| the attorneys argued over the admission
of evidence relating 20 conversations
the witness had had with TreYitt con
corning the changing of the result of
! the election. ! he court decided that
! the witness could answer questions.
| Doyle then said that Trevitt had asked
! him to help in doing something for the
| Democratic party. Witness told him
TINT he had done all he could by voting.
! Trevitt said: lit all hinges on the cleo
ton of Edward Young. We must elect
him so that John X. Mclean can be
! United States senator. Trevitt had
told him they had 10 Tx Young all right.