Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-06-01
THE GOYTINO CASE.
Queer Stories Brought Out by the
EXamin alton.

Queer Stories Brought out by the
Examine alton.
The Goytino forgery examination came
to an end yesterday, and the defendant
was held to answer to the Superior
Court. The complaint in this case was
filed more than two months ago. 1t was
continued from time to time before the
examination began, and after it was in
progress it had to be continued for a
week, owing to the illness OF Judge
Rymert, the attorney for the defense. A
large quantity of testimony was taken
and number of witnesses called for
both sides. Altogether it proves one of
the most interesting cases that has been
before the courts OF this county for some
time.
J. P. Goytino, the defendant, is the
editor of one of the French papers OF thfs
city, and man of high standing and
good reputation not only among his own
countrymen but, also, among all Ameri-
cans with whom he has had business or
social intercourse. A man of unusual
education, he has served as teacher Of
French Spanish and music. The name
which he is charged with forging is
that OF Miguel Leonis, rich sheep
ranch owner. 1t came out in
the course of the evidence that, in spite
of the fact that Leonis is now the owner
of great deal OF property which he
acquired solely through his own thrift
and industry, he is, nevertheless, very
illiterate man and compelled to have all
his business transacted by his friends
and business parties. 1t was brought
out that there existed an agreement be-
tween Leonis, on the one hand, and Jose
Mascarel and l. w. Hellman, on the
other, that Leonis was never to sign any
paper of a business sort except through
the knowledge or in the presence Of
one or the other of the latter gentlemen.
The position taken by the two sides,
the prosecution and the defense, with
reference to the transactions out of which
the crime is said to have come, is such
that the story can be satisfactorily told
only by giving first one statement and
then the other. The note which is said
to have been forged is in Goytino's hand
writing, with the signature "Leonis" ap-
pended. This is the way the ranchman
was in the habit Of signing all documents,
it being alleged that he is unable
to write even his own first name.
The signature was 80 much like that
of Leonis that it was unhesitatingly
accepted by experts as his own, and a
number of those who were put upon the
stand yesterday declared that it was the
best they had ever seen. The note calls
for the sum of So, $50, with interest.
The statement of Leonis and his
friends is that the note was a forgery
executed by Goytino in the belief that he
could hypothecate it with some broker
and raise money to tide over financial
difficulties. When it was first discoy cred
Goytino was confronted. with Leonis,
VINO denied that it was his signature, and
thereupon Goytino admitted the fraud
and promised to destroy the note. After
wards he declared that he had destroyed
it and that it would never be seen again.
Later on he undertook again to raise
money upon the note. and in conse-
quence was charged with the crime of
forgery.
The case for the prosecution seemed
very complete until the defense began to
show its hand, when it appeared that the
crime was by no means proven. Leonis
had sworn that Goytino was no relation
at all to him and had no claim upon
him. 1t WAS shown beyond apparent
question that Goytino's mother and
Leonis were first cousins, and
that Leonis had no nearer relative
than Goytino. The defendant testified
that Leonis had frequently dwelt upon
this fact, and had held out to him the
hope that he might be his heir. Then
the defendant accounted with critical
exactness for every item of the So, $50
which the note called for as the indebted
ness of Leonis to him. Part of it was
due for services in assisting in the sale of
land, and the rest was money which
was deposited with his uncle. He swore
that Leonis bad at his request signed the
note, but upon his presenting it for pay
ment, disowned it and declared T. n a.
would be disgraced if its existenc wers