Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-11-11
BAKERS TURN.
The Second Act in the Bogus
Mortgage Trial.
Apparently a Clear Case Against
the Defendant.
Old Man Hoy Will Tell All He
Knows of the Scheme.
Yesterdays Proceedings In the Case
o. w. StassfOrth on the Stand
Hoy Brought Into
Court.

Court.
o. A. Stassforth was the only witness
examined yesterday in the case OF the
People vs.. Ed. l.. Baker. for forgery,
which is now in full blast in Judge Nc
Kinley's department.
This case has attracted such wide
spread interest that the court room was
crowded to the doors all through the
session, and more commodious room
than any possessed by the county would
be required TO accommodate the people
who are anxious to be present.
Hoy's confession and the arrest OF j..
X. Stump for completely in the forgery,
together with the rumors that there are
still others implicated in the conspir-
acy, are circumstances which make this
one of the most sensational cases tried
in this county for some time past.
Stump and Hoy still occupy cells in
the county's hotel, and are kept in sep
arate departments. Baker is also in the
Jail when the court is not
in session and is not allowed
to see anyone except his attorneys.
Members of the press are not allowed to
see any OF the defendants, and just
what Hoy will testify to, and who he
will implicate, is a matter OF conjecture.
The district attorney stated yesterday
that the old man is going to tell every
thing when the time comes for him to
speak, and with his testimony in the
case, things look pretty black for the
two men yet to be adjudged by jury.
Mr.. Stassforth was the first witness
for the prosecution. He went over the
same statements in regard to the con-
versatons with Baker and Hoy regard
ing the loan on the property that were
testified to by him in the trial OF Hoy
last week.
He met Baker on Temple street in
August, when the latter spoke of man
he knew who wanted to borrow $4,000
on some land down in Vernon, the ex-
tent OF which he named. The following
day Baker called at witness Office, and
they talked further about the loan.
Baker said Morris NJ. Green was the
owner of the property. They took a
drive out to the place, and Baker point
ed out man standing in field as
Morris M. Green. Baker hailed the
man, and when he came up to them in
troduced him to Stassforth as Mr..
Green. 81
The supposed Green entered into a
conversation with Stassforth about the
land. Witness asked the man some
rents, etc and on these points he ap4l
peared strangely ignorant. Stassforth
was finally Informed that the land
rented for $22 80 per acre, and came
home with the impression that Green
was very peculiar person, in which he
was supported by Baker, who said
Green was strange. He never knew his
neighbors, didn't read the newspapers
and in fact paid no attention to what
went on in the community.
On the day following the drive Baker
went to Stassforth's office and was told
by the latter that he would only loan
$4,000 on the land. The day following
that statement Baker returned and said
the $4,000 offer would go. He did not
seem to know just what to do to get the
loan fixed up. Stassforth told him bow
to proceed. Baker was surprised to
learn that Mrs. Green must sign the
mortgage. 1t will break up the deal.
He said she objected to getting the
money on mortgage. The witness
said it was essential, a recent act of the
legislature making the wife's signature
necessary. "A little later Baker re-
marked that it was all right; Green had
been widower for five years. Baker.
in order to clear up all suspicion that
might be entertained bv the witness,
referred to Green's son who worked in
town-he could verify the statement
that Green was a widower. This was
fatal step for Baker, for the witness be-
gan to make inquiry about Mrs. Green
and went out and found her.
When the papers were brought into
the witnesses Office day or two later,
Hoy came up with Baker. The witness
said he had found that there was
homestead on forty acres OF the prop
erty. This fact did not surprise Baker.
He replied: 81 have just consulted
Henry Gage and he says that when the
wife dies the homestead dies Also"
This seemed satisfactory to the witness.
After the mortgage had been signed,
done in the presence OF j. G. Oliver, a
notary public. Hoy was arrested for the
forgery. This step was taken after the
witness had come into the possession of
the fact that fraud had been perpe-
trated, and the authorities informed
The note accompanying the mortgage
was signed by Hoy in the presence OF
the witness, and Baker sigped the name
of Morris M. Green to it.
Hoy was brought into the court room
by deputy sheriff and the witness
identified him as the man who was in
troduced by Baker as Morris NJ. Green,
and the convicted man was taken back
to his cell.
Counsel for the defense kept Mr..
Stassforth under cross. examination until
not,rt oI;o,,r,aJ