St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-04
MASONRY DRAGGED IN.
Gardner, the Ex-Letter Carrier,
Tells How 1t Bore on His Case.

Gardner, the Ex-Letter Carrier,
Tells How 1t Bore on His Case.
The trial of Orington M. Gardner in
the Un tied States court yesterday was
productive of some sensational testl-
money. The Masonic order was dragged
into it. The prosecution had rested
Wednesday evening. Yesterday morn
ing F. F. Davis, in opening, made a
strong presentation of Gardeners side
of the case. He expatiated upon
Gardeners good record in the
past, and declared that it
would be shown that some one
was back of the prosecution of Gardner.
There were rumorS when Gardner was
tried before and acquitted that certain
secret order to which he belonged had
cut good deal of figure In the trial.
Yesterday when Davis was making his
opening address to the jury he made
some very bitter illusions to Inspector
Gould, of Chicago, and then stated that
he would show that Gould said to Gard
ner, both being members of the same
oath-bound secret order, that if he.
Gardner, would confess that he opened
the letter he, Gould, In view of the fact
that they were both members of this
same oath-bound order, would see that
Gardner was freed. Davis went on to
show that Gardner was offered paper
to sign by Gould confessing his guilt
but that he, Gardner. refused to sign it.
A couple of witnesses testified to
Gardeners good character. One, a let
ter carrier, had heard Supt. Hill say
that he would "do up" Gardner. Then
Gardner was called.
Gardner went over his store very care
fully. He told how he was arrested by
Inspectors Childs and Gould, while he
was delivering his mail and taken to
the postoffice. There his pouch was
taken from him and he was questioned
about opening the letters. He denied
everything. AS 10 how he came to con-
TESS and why, he said:
Gould told where he belonged and
showed his Maltese badge, and | told
him l belonged to Cataract lodge No. 2.
lie said If he had known l was a Free
Mason he would have warned me that
they were trying to catch me. / asked
him If he couldn't help me; he said if l
would own up that l had opened up
those letters he would fix It with Post
master Hale and Mr.. Childs when they
came back from lunch if he could, and
lie thought he could. if / would confess
that | opened three letters, and he
wrote out confession Oh a piece of
paper and asked me to sign it. l did
not tell him what to write. l read it
carefully and refused to sign it as l had
done nothing wrong. He said the best
thing l could do was to make confess
sion to the postmaster and Mr.. Childs
and Mr.. Hill. l never was arrested be-
fore. When Mr.. Hill came back / said,
Il want you to help me, opened those
letters He said [ had better tell the
postmaster. / did so. l did not open
them Mr.. Davis. My purpose in saying
| did was because l thought it could
help me if made confession. i was
taken to the United States commissioner
and charged with variety of crimes"
Then Gardner showed how mail
pouches were filled, and how easy it
would be for a postal card to slip in and
break the seal on letter.
Inspector Gould was put upon the
stand in the afternoon to refute Gard
ner's testimony. He denied every word
that Gardner had uttered relative to
freemasonry. and about his Offering to
help Gardner out. The arguments will
be made to-day.