Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-19
AR GUING THE CAS-
Counsel for Frank Aldrich Talk to the
Jury.
CIosIng an Interesting Trial - Want
the Jury Not to Consider Judge
Coles Standing.

Foreman A. Geary Johnson Of the jury
! sitting in the case of Frank AIdrich, charg-
| ed with forging the name of Judge Cole on
| several prornissory rotes, was well enough
| to be in court this ricIrirg, and Judge Nc
Comas directed the trial to proceed The
| court room was again crowded, and again
was the defendant cheerful ar confident Of
| a favorable termination of the case. He
was accompanied by his wife and father-in-
law, and also by several ladies, friends of
| bis wife,
Afte- stating that he would abandon the
| counts in the indictment respecting the
notes purchased by VIM. E. Matthews, be-
cause of the latters death, District Attorney
Birney announced that his assistant, Mr..
Tracy l.. Jeffords, who. by the way, was a
brother officer of the defendant in the Dis
trict National Guard, would make the OPEN
ing address to the jury on behalf Of the
government. The defendant explained Mr.
Jetfords. was charged with forging the name
of Judge G. c. Cole on several promissory
notes made by the defendant, some sixteen
In all. The case, thought Mr.. Jefords, was
very plain one, and one about which there
could be little, If any, real doubt.
The Same Ink.
Handing the notes to the jury for their
inspection, Mr. Jeffords called attention to
what he claimed was clearly established
TACT, viz: That the body Of the notes. adj
mitted to have been written by the defend
ant, were written in the same ink as the
rame of Judge Cole. In their opening, said
Mr.. JeIords, counsel for the defense had
SAID that the proceeds from the notes in
question had been used by the defendant in
promoting the interests of the Hanson Flee
tric company, yet the defendant had ex-
pressly said that the notes were given for
out one purpose-to take up and reduce
older notes.
Mr.. Jeffords' address was rather brief
ana at It's conclusion District Attorney
buhey asked the court to instruct the Jury
that the defendants hasty dena rture fro,o
the city just before the alleged forged notaa
became due, and his long-continued efforts
10 avoid detection and arrest were facts
of guilt.
For the Defense.
Judge McComas, after modifying the in
struction, granted 1t, the defense noting an
exception, when Mr.. Philip Walker adj
dressed the jury on behalf of the defendant
Reterrlns to the confederation of Judge
Coles testimony respecting his handwrit-
Ing, Mr. Walker called attention to what
he claimed was a discrepancy between the
testimony of Judge Cole and Mr. Given
contending that Endorsements admitted by
the judge had been pronounced bad by Mr.
GEen. MIR. Walker also called attention t.
d.
that he could see no difference between two
notes acknowledged by Judge Cole and a.
third one which Judge Cole declared was
forgery. The fact of the matter was stated
Mr.. Walker, that Judge Cole had been
shown to be so unacquainted with his own
signature as to make his testimony so
doubtful as to warrant the jury in giving
the defendant the benefit of that doubt, to
which the law declares him entitled The
defendant had not fled from Justice said
Mr.. Walker, but had gone away on a legiti-
mate business enterprise. But times were
VIGOROUSLY bad, stated Mr.. Walker, and to
save Judge Cole the defendant made an as
Segment of all he possessed in Judge Coles
favor, and sent it to Judge Coles brother
The defendant, explained Mr.. Walker, did
all he could to save his friend, and II he
were able, he would today pay every cent
of the notes irdorsed by Judge Cole.
Mr.. Truitt Argues.
Mr.. Sam1 ID. Truitt followed Mr.. Walker
on behalf of the defendant, claiming that
the defendant had not stolen away from the
city under cover of darkness, but had left
1t on an honest purpose, and with the
knowledge of his associates in the Hanson
Electric Company.
Mr.. Truitt had not concluded his address
when, at 1890, Judge McComas directed a
recess until l O'Clock.
Closing Address.
District Attorney Birney at O'Clock this
afternoon began his closing argument for
the government in the Aldrich trial. The
case is expected to go to the jury today.