The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-12-05
POSTOFF|CE ROBBERY CASE.
Inspector Sackptt Takes the Witness
stand 49, His Evidence the
Most Direct Brought
Out
Mrs. Barnum UndergOcs Rigid
Cross Examination - Her
Testimony Not
Shaken.
The Closing Arguments VIII Re
Made Before the Jury
To-day.
The I.nrnIIin Case.

HELENA. Dee. :,-in the Barnulu case
yesterday "A large part Of the testimony
for the prosecution and defense was
submitted.
Inspector Sackctt's evidence is the
most direct 50 far brought out by the
tcrday morning and examined on some
of the points about which he testified on
Tuesday. Mr.. Baum Of Great Falls.
who does the cross. questioning, for the
defense, took the witness in hand and
put probing questions to him as he did
on the opening day. His testimony was
substantially as first given. One Of the
witnesses for the prosecution yesterday
forenoon was William Lee, the postmas-
ter at Kibbcy, a station on the mail route
between Arlington and Monarch. kib-
hey and Mann are the only postoiices
between these points. Lees testimony
was corroborative of Sackctt's testimony
about the registered letter passing
through his Office after it was mailed at
Arlington by Inspector Sackott. The
Kibbcy postmaster caused tine first
amusement OF the trial. In replying to
questions he made them emphatic by
concluding with That's straight goods"
After several of these declarations Mr..
Baum, in his courteous manner, asked:
"What do you mean by straight goods"
well, it's something that people don't
get tangled up in. It's the truth"
The eXplanatiOn Of the witness seemed
to be very satisfactory and raised Il
laugh.
Mrs Barnum. the dcrcnG"nt. was the
first witness called by Mr.. Baum. She
was on the stand q good part Of the day
and underwent Il rigid cross-cYamina-
tion by the governments attorney. Nj
times the questions and answcrs and
the objections Of her lawyer. came so
thick and fast that the lady stcnOgraph-
crs pencil fairly flew over the paper.
Mrs. Barnum is a bright woman and
was not at all confused by the cross
examiners questions. In substance her
testimony was in the line of the opening
statement made by her counsel to the
jury on Tuesday that conspiracy cX
listed to ruin the defendant and resulted
in her Indictment by the United States
grand jury for mail robbery. The theory
of the defense is that the mails had
been Systematically robbed prior to
August 2G last. The defense do not
charge this to the Manns. who
had the postoilice at Mann before Mrs.
Barnum was appointed as the postmis-
tress. Mrs Barnum told about the
stranger who came 10 the place and
stopped over night at the time the
marked - bill Of Inspector Sacliett dis
appeared from the registered package.
In the morning, after breakfast, the
stranger paid for his lodging and meals
with - bill This the individual who
is supposed by the defense TO have taken
the money from the registered package.
Whenever the prosecuting attorneys have
occasion to refer to the stranger who
stopped at the I'arnum ranch he is char
actcrized as this mysterious individual"
Mrs. Barnum's demeanor on the stand
and her ready answers seemed to create
favorable impression.
A neighbOr of the Barnum family was
the next witness. He is james Camp
bell. who gave his answers in a drawing
way. He said Mrs. Barnum had told
him to tell johnson To say nothing but
the truth. johnson and a ranS Gilman
named Carr are the witnesses who ere
atcd a sensation at Great Falls ON the
preliminary hearing of Ed Barnum, one
of the sons now awaiting trial for mail
robbery. These two men testified at
Great Falls that they entered into con
spiracy with Ed Barnum for the purpose
of divcrting suspicion from his mother.
They said they agcccd to go ont in the
hills and watch man riiling a mail sack.
This person was supposed 10 be Ed Bar
mum
Judge Dudley Dubosc told the jury
about the legation Of the rooms in the
Barnum house at Mann. He did not
think that anyone could rifle the mail
sacks without some one about the house
knowing of il.
Mrs. Barnum's II year old daughter.
Mabel. testified in behalf Of her mother.
The little girl is pretty and was neatly
dressed. She looked straight at the jury
| men. most of whom are fathers. Mabel
| was somewhat tilnid at first, hii soon
! felt ri ease under the kindly questioning
of Mr.. I.auu. She remembered the
stranger who stopped over night at the
house. and thai j." paid her mother -
bill
Next carnr Testimony as to Mrs. Bar-
NUNS good reputation both IN Montana
and at her former home IN Minnesota.
j. II. Mcknight, formerly post trader at
| Fort Shaw. SAID she bore an excellent
reputation. }. }. Davis. superintendent
| of the Montana Stag company, sa'u lhat
Mrs. Barnum WAS still in the employ OF
| his company as agent at Mann. me su
perntendcnt testified that she conducted
the affairs of the company in u
! al