Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-24
IRRaPRESSIBLE BILL.
One of the Notorious Coyne Cases on
Trial at Omaha Knveiyes Testimony
From Many Former Rock Isinaders

lar 10 nearly everyone in Rock Island
and in which W. L Coyne of this city is
! probably the most interested party. and
out OF which have grown number of
criminal prosecutions involving that in
dividual. has been occupying the atten>
| ton of the Omaha courts of late and a
number or ex-Rock Islanders have been
called to tell what they knew about
Coyne's reputation for truth and veracity.
The Bee speaks of the testimony of E.
ii. Bowman, Jr., formerly circuit clerk of
Rock Island county. and now resident
of Omaha, and continues:
In the evening an extra session was
held, and 1t was during this extra session
that things livened up. and it looked for
a time as though Mr.. Coyne's reputation
would be considerably the worse of wear
before morning. Coyne himself was put
upon the stand first, but his testimony
did not contain much of importance, ex-
cept his denial of the truth of the deposi.
uons of Henry Fluegel, in which he &C.
cused Coyne of having tried to buy his
testimony
j. J. PARKS an attorney who was for
merly a resident of Rock Island and a
member of the firm of Parks s. Peasants,
now OF Wichita, Kan, was asked whether
the dispositions thai had been introduced
by Benjamin rs Fluegel's were really
signed by Fluegel. He examined the
signature moment and then said in
very decided way that the signature was
not rIuegel's. At this point Ben iamin
interrupted |, n. Flicklinger, who was
doing the examining. and requested him
10 produce the original dispositions, that
they might compare writing. Flicklinger
ped that the dispositions were
in the hands of J. L. Haas of
Rock Island. and that he would
not give them up. The questioning then
proceeded. Parks stated that he had
known Coyne since 1872 and that his gen
eral reputation for truth and veraclty was
bad. In reply to the question what made
him think that the dispositions above re-
ferred to were not in the handwriting of
Fluegel, he stated that the name was not
spelled correctly, and that Fieugel knew
enough to spell his own name. He said
he and Coyne were not friends; in fact,
they we're not on speaking terms, and had
not been since shortly after they became
acquainted. He could tell the circum>
stances that led up to the trouble between
them, but Benjamin was not anxious to
be enlightened on that point, and in
short time Parks was allowed to step
down
J. X Cooke, who has been deputy
county clerk ct Rock Island, but is now
in the Swift packing house office in
Omaha. was then called to the stand. He
had known Coyne for eighteen years, and
had known HIM personally about ten
years. His general reputation for truth
fulness and veracity was bad, and he
would not believe him under oath where
there was any money at stake. Coyne had
been indicted II times for perjury,
felony and subornation of perjury, but
for some reason or other only one of these
cases had ever come to trial In the
one instance he was tried and found gull
ty, but on an appeal TO the supreme
court the decision of the lower court was
reversed, after which the case WAS dis
missed. On cross examination consider
able talk snd back talk was INDUCED in
which caused some amusement mong
the spectators.
DO you knew anything from your own
tstion since you left Rock Island, or do
you form your opinion from what you
have already heard2" was asked by Ben.
jamin.
well" was the reply, II know what
the people in Rock Island have been say
ing about him for the last 10 years, and
suppose his reputation is still lasting"
But you didn't have any personal
knowledge?'
No, know what he was up to year
ago. and have never had any reason to
think that he had mended his ways"
Where have you obtained any infor-
nation as to Coyne's actions since you left
Rock Island?"
Il received letter from my father
which spoke of him.
What did 1t say of him?"
ut said that there was & probability
of lot more indictments being returned
against him.
Several more questions were asked by
Benz amin for the purpose of tangling up
his witness, but the result of 1t all was to
show up his client in such an unfsvor-
able light that he at last gave up the
cross examination entirely.
Apropos of these same proceedings it
is interesting to note the filing of pre-
cipe in the Office of the circuit clerk to-
day for suit for S25. 900 against W. l..
Coyne. J. L. Haas is the plaintiff and
the suit is for libel. Messrs. W. 81.
Gest and Adair Peasants are attorneys
for Mr.. Haas who bases his charge on
the allegations made by Coyne in suit
brought some time since by CoYne against
Messrs. Haas, Guyer and Peasants and
dismissed on demurrer, but in which he
accused Mr.. Haas of perjury of suborna>
ton of perjury, fraud. etc. Mr.. Haas
further charges Coyne with having made
accusations against him in the Omaha
case of having concocted evidence in said
case.
n.