The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-10
COFFIN DEFIED THE LAWYERS.
His Remark i'm B~ostOn-The Branch I'm
that City.

The court convened at 205 o'clock for
the afternoon session, with Mr.. Nutting
on the stand. The witness read letters re-
ceived from the cabinet company directing
the business of the Boston branch. He
testified that all business. save with the
cabinet company, was transacted as the
Boston branch of the cabinet company,
and not as an independent concern He
testified to the receipt OF a $1,000 draft
which was headed off by a telegram on
July is. 1893. The various other drafts
upon the Boston branch by the cabinet
company and it's various branch concerns
were then read, and the witness specific
ally denied knowledge Of any of them. and
said there was no Indebtedness TO support
any of them. He also testified to the sale
of the Boston business to Thomas L.
Pierce, whom Coffin said had been an
employe of the cabinet company in In
dianapolis, and that Coffin had told him
(yitness) to remain in the same position
he held prior to the sale, and Pierce was
to receive SIS a week from the proceeds
Of the business. The witness testified that
at the time P. B. Coffin was in Boston
making the arrangements for the sale of
the property &c Pierce he had the witness
check from the bank the balance to the
credit Of the branch at that time. The
check was made payable to the person
directed by Coffin, and after it had been
drawn Coffin said: THAT will seal the
deal, and i defy any lawyer to trace it,"
The witness said he had severed his con-
nection with the Boston house in Septem-
Der, 1893. He was asked why he left the
business, but the question was objected
to by the defense. Judge Baker said the
witness might tell what, If anything, oc-
Cured to cause him to sever his connec-
ton with the branch house. He said 1t
was the manner of the sale more than the
fact of the sale that caused it
BY Mr.. Kern-What was there in the
manner of the sale that caused you to
leave?
answer that.
Mr.. Kern-Just answer IT truthfully, sir.
The question was again put to the wit
ness as to what had caused him to leave
the branch. He answered: well. the
failure of the bank, the arrest of the Cof-
fins and president of the bank and other
information which / received"
me witness an was vs. t9 3Sdr prsse H TO ,, cross sbe
proposition to open the Boston store was
first made by himself: BY referring to the
to the goods purchased from the cabinet
company the Boston branch had pur-
chased two bills from n. Lauter. of this
city; one of these bills was in the name
of the Indiana Cabinet Company. The wit
ness said that when p. b.. Coffin came TO
Boston he said IT was necessary to. sell
LII tDCl " lAC piOlCCliOh u l4lCiiF
selves and their creditors. On indirect ex-
animation the witness testified that the
purchase notes were entered on the books
1898. They had been filled out by the wit
ness on Aug. 5. He was asked II Coffin
entry eau Sa upon the BOOK dated back. He said
that after the sale to Pierce, and before
the arrival of Pierce in Boston, the goods
the cabinet company. The witness tele-
graphed the cabinet company for instruc-
tons what to do, and received a reply by
wire to pay the claim. He said he paid it
from the store from the goods that were
supposed 70 belong to Pierce.
Thomas L. Pierce, the alleged purchaser
of the Boston branch, was then called to
the stand. He said he had been employed
as shipping clerk by the cabinet company
until the first week In July, when the fac,
transactions relating to the purchase of the
property. as upon the former trial. He
ried on Coffin asked him If there were any
judgments standing against him. He testi-
fed that the first conversation between him
self and +. A. Coffin was held on Aug. l.,
and ii was finally agreed that he should
take the Boston store on III 3. He said
p. b. Coffin went to Boston on Aug. 1, be-
fore the conversation between himself and
F. A. Coffin. He admitted that he knew
nothing about the condition of the stock in
Boston. He testified to having paid three
OF the purchase notes, ~aggregating 1855. He
testified to having met F. A. Coffin, by ap-
pointment, in New York during the month
or september. The purpose OF the meeting
was to talk over what was to be done in
regard TO suits that had been brought at
Boston. One of these suits was by w. b.
Nutting for damages and his proportion of
the profits. During the examination of
Pierce he made a statement at variance
with his testimony upon the former trial.
Mr.. Kern, referring to an abstract of the
former testimony of the witness, asked
him If he had not testified differently, and
the witness said he could not remember.
When the evidence was read from the abb
| Stract the witness said that was correct
The court then adjourned till this morn
ing.