New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-09-12


didn't know.
G. G. Curtiss, the pepman, was the last
witness for the state and was intended
for their most important. The five posta
cards were shown to him and he testified
boldly that all five were written by the
same hand. Eckstein's signature to the
bail bond was next shown him for COM
parison with the writing on the postals.
Without moment elapsing he said: "In
my opinion the same hand wrote the
signature and the five postal cards. "Lind
then took hold of the witness and asked
"Who was the first person to submit the
matter to you for an expert opinion?"
"Mr. Chas. Silverson'' was the answer.
"When was that?' sIn May sometime,
several months SINCE" did he express
to you any opinion as to who the writer
was at that time?" eyes, sir" "And
your opinion comedies with his?" "Yes
SIR"
This was all of Curtiss' testimony and
it was plainly evident, that he was like
all other professional experts. His testi-
mony went to the man who hired him.
Prof. Mulliken OF theSt. Paul Business
College, although he was not a witness,
stated freely that there was not the
slightest indication of Eckstein's hand
writing in any of the cards. Neither did
he think for a minute that they were all
written by the same party.
| The state then rested and witnesses
for the defense were called.
Judge Webber, of the Ninth District,
said there was not the remotest resemb-
lance in the writing on the cards to the
writing of the defendant, He also testi-
| fed to Eckstein's good reputation for
honesty and rectitude of conduct.
Ex-senator H. J. Peck of Shakopee
swore that he knew the defendants hand
writing and that there was not any prac-
tical similarity between the two. He al
so said that he knew Eckstein was in
New Ulm on the day on which two of
the cards were mailed in Minneapolis. s.
A. McE!hinny was a witness to the same
effect regarding the latter point
Peter Scherer couldn't find the slightest
similarity in the writings and as for Eek
STEMS reputation for uprightness, hon
esty and rectitude it had never been
questioned.
Ernst Brandt, judge of probate for SO
many years, said he had become acquaint-
ed with the defendants handwriting in
that time for he did more probate busi.
ness than all the other attorneys of the
county put together. He could find moth
ing in the cards that resembled Ecksteln's
scribe. John Larson, S. A. George
clerk of court for eight years, A. J, Grim.
mer, register of deeds for eight years, E
G. Koch. mayor Of the city and John C
Rudolph, for so many years most cx.
perienced bank cashier. all testified tc
the same effect. All had been familiar
with his writing and Rudolph said there
was hut one thing about any any of the
cards that looked like Eckstein's. That
was liberal application Of ink on one
corner of one of the cards. But it was the
free use of ink and not .sA.e style Of writing
that resembled Ecksteln's penmanship.I II
was ridiculous, he said, to claim the lat.
ter.
Olof Olson, grand recorder OF the 40
U. w., mada similar witness. He had
received as many as 200 letters in sin.
gle year from Ecksteln, and he could not
see any resemblance.
| CIV. H. Heideman qualified as an ex.
pert and made splendid witness, alto
gether too shrewd for the district attor-
ney. Viola Koch testified to Mr.. Eek
stein having been in his office on the
days when the postals were mailed. So
did Albert Setter and John Mitchell.
This ended the testimony and the case
went to the jury where it was soon de-
cided in favor of an acquittal. Lind's
s'1mming-up is said to have been a mas
terpiece and he lashed Krook, Peterson
aud Silverson in the most sarcastic Ian
guage.
| Mr.. Eckstein received numerous con.
gratulations on his victory and 1he had
earned then. Placed in an uncomforta.
BILE position for the sake of spite it was
a relief to have an honest decision and s
trial where all came out. He entertains
the hope however that the day will come
when it will be known who the author
of the cards actually was, and if tha1
time should come. we wonder if his per