The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-13
qHECHECKS GENUINE
e~ssational Defense Of Repath,
the Alleged Forger.
ssys srIssos FEARED HIM
Ia Lac Taken By the Man who De.
s<.ds Himseif-Damsgs Csss-
The Bfefter.

80. uame.' court for the crime Of for
! - !. rnaarbtsdiy "a smart little cuss."
= - she srpressson Of one OF the large
.--rt~v az spectators present yesterday.
q. va.urer Of conducting the case 10
--st4v AMBIGUOUS for young attorney
~.x,Aurtinr his first case In the Washing
- Courts. He smiles approvingIy or sar-
s&.,iesllv upon the Jury and the spectators
8 4, listens 70 the testimony, not word
q xhsch escapes his eager ear. And yet
5 cores rightfulIy by his assurances. for
I. ia also had considerable training a. an
insurance agent. and be takes . deep In
sefezt in bis case. In fact, no one else
eould take . deeper interest. for 1t II his
arm case be Is pleading. And for that rea-
~ the remark Of another spectator, TO
- eject that Repath the lawyer u prov
- himself most too smart for the welfare
a Repssh the defendant, would seem well
lounded.
The state closed les case for the prosccu-
s;ou Yesterday morning. and Repath at
asee moved TO have the case dismissed, on
~ ground that the evidence did not sus-
1ssn the information. The motion was
essrruled. and then Repath addressed the
sury. outlining his defense. His state
menf was clear, concise. well connected,
and his modesty was not embarrassing,
He Axelt upon his character before coming
& here. stating that be had been prosecuting
attorney of Montroso county, Colo. for
over Two years. but bad gone broke in
politics and mining ventures. He came
70 Seattle to retrieve bis fortunes. and not
hnding the chance of making living at
- ~
agent 70 y. L. stinson, OF the Mutual Life
Insurance Company. After awhile hewas
made bookkeeper for Stinson. and got
thoroughly on the inside as to Stinson's
methods OF doing business. stinson COM
planned 10 him several times about his not
attending regularly 10 business, aud one
day be and q fellow empioye went
over 10 Tacoma. One thing or
smother delayed them. and they did
not return for three or four DAYS.
When be did return. thinking that
sfinson would be offended he did not 90
down to the ofiice, but telephoned TO stin-
con, saying: II suppose. after what has
happened. you don't want me any more"
etinson said yes. he wanted to see him.
He then went down TO the Office and he
and stinson had q settlement. Repath
wanted 10 quit. and said he intended TO 60
10 work for another company. Stinson
said that after the intimate acquaintance
with bis business methods and affairs
which kedpath had obtained rs his book
ksepsrit was in his power TO do him con-
siderable injury If he should go to work for
another company, and he waited Repath
70 sgftsnot to so 10 work for another in
sarsnee agency or il he did TO leave the
siste As an induccment to do this he
cftftd 10 buy Redpeth's policy in the
Natal Life for $500. Redpath agreed TO
The proposition and Stinson made out two
checks and signed them standing up,
rhich probably accounted for his sigma
ture appearing a little different from his
sanal method of writing IL. One Of tbs
fheeks was for $50 on the National Bank
If Commerce. and the other was for $3.50
90 the Merchants National bank. After
eashing the checks he and his wife left
hat evening for the south going 10 Tacoma,
stopping there over night, thence going to
Portland, thence to Sacramento, and
thence to San Francisco. stopping at we'll
Known hotels ~ each of the places. where
be registered under his own proper name
He secuted the idea that smart Iawyer
like himself. well awar. of the pen atty at
sAehed TO forgery. would render himself
liable for such q small sum. He said that
he did not leave the city like fugitive.
bat had told has friends he was going, and
he made no effort 10 conceal his where
abouts or dcstin alton. Besides. Ii was not
necessary for him 10 commit a crime in
order 10 get money. even IL he was hard
pressed, because his mother in Colorado
was In afiiaent circumstances and would
have sent him ali the money he needed.
he said the sole reason why he had been
arrested and charged with the crime was
because the knowledge be had gained
about Siinson' 3 shady transactions and bus
iness methods rendered him dangerous
opponent to Stinson. aud when he went to
tan Francisco and went TO work for the
sshsral agent Of the Mutual Life insur-
sn@ Company, under whom Stinson
noss his agency here, Stinson feared that
hspaih would do him some damage there
sad cause him to lose his agency here. and
% be trnmped up this charge to have him
noaght back and put out of his way.
lie pat several witnesses on the stand TO
sstlfy - 10 his reputation for honesty, aud
INS
and isilcw-employe on the stand 10
prove an alibt against the charge
the prosecution that, having
- efhcs key and knowing the safe com
slaasion. he had. the evening after be was
ascaarged. gone to the Office. opened the
we, took out the check book. wrote the
eAeSks, marked the stubs ~ l. s." as
sa ssinson's custom when he would take
aaoank check and put Ii in his pocket.
.Aaoas testified that he was with Repath
soaaauslly the whole of that evening aud
aa sasy went TO the theater and then
Aek 70 their room, and 60 the checks
soss not have been written st the time
ssa u the manner the prosecution alleged.
1epaths audacity is shown by his man
Hhsn the state was endeayoring to
.ses that he had secured KEY Of his ewn
N'ae office and that he had learned the
AeanasIon OF the safe, although ID had
.sssf been given 10 him. After ohjeeting
as testimony In vain, he spoke up and
- Well, III admit all that: I'll ad-
al nat got the combination from the
sasaie Of the safe"
lae Whole theory II the defense il bold
sensational. and il is understood tha,
.sasritng experts will be pat on the
$50 $50 20 prove thar the checks are genuine
pse s'inson's reputation of the sigma
Inc case viii be continued TODAY.