The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-28
HIS BAD MISTAKE.
Trial of c. c. Higgins for
Perjury.
WORKMEN ANNOY THE COURT
Taken From the POStoffiCe and
Reprimanded.
DEFENDANTS GOOD REPUTATION
A Chinese Lottery-Player Testifies
for the Druggist, but He Too
Makes a Mistake.
DEFENDANTS GOOD REPUTATION

The trial of G. G. Higgins, the druggist
who is charged with perjury, will probably
close in the United States District Court
to-day. and his defense will be that
when he swore that Wong Sing Non
was Chinese entitled to land he unInten-
tionally erred. Two attorneys are trying
to get the defendant out OF his bad scrape.
The Government, represented by Attor-
neys Garter and Witter, piled uD mass
OF damaging evidence against the accused.
Higgins had sworn that Wong Sing Non
was merchant doing business al 315 Pa
clflc street In 1889 when he went TO China.
He had sworn that he knew the Chinaman
we'll and had sold him goods In the Pacific
street store. Higgins gave this testimony
when a Chinese calling himself Wong
Sing Non and producing certificate issued
To that person endeavOred to land as re-
turned merchant last June. Tie records
OF Com missioner HeacOck' s court, In which
Higgins testified, were produced and sew
erai witnesses were called to show that he
swOre falsely.
A Chinese photographer was shown the
ce tlficate which purDOrted to have been
issued TO Wong Sing Non in 1889 He
examined it closely. and testified that the
picture of the alleged Wong Sing Non,
which was pasted upon il, was taken By
him in 1898. Then Attorney Garter called
to the stand seven people who live near
3l5 Pacific street, and they, without an
exception, swOre that no Chinese lived
there In 1899. but that it was opened as a
lottery In 1892 Among these witnesses
was cOl0red man who had the building
IN 1889, and real estate agent who gave
the names Of the tenants until 1892, when
the Chinese moved in, and when, accord
ing to Higgins statement, Wong Sing Non
must have been in China.
Attorney l.. [. Mowry, one of Higgins
lawyers, OPENED the case for the defense.
He assured the jury that his client was a
man OF unblemiShed reputation, who
his aestimOny before Commissioner Hea-
cock pr baby made mistake about the
date of Wong Sing Mons residence a 315
Pacific street. MI. Mowry called upon
City Treasurer Widber, VINO is druggist,
and upon a doctor who once employed the
defendant to stale what they knew about
his clients reputation. They and several
other witnesses declared that Higgins
reputation was good.
j. II. Murray testified that he earned his
living by painting signs, and that he fire.
quently played Chinese lottery. He said
that he knew the lotIery-shop at SIS Pa
cite street, and played there in Decem Der,
1892. lie was shown the picture of Wong
Sing Non, which the photographer had
said was not taken until 1898, and testified
that il was the face OF the man who
sold him the lottery tickets. Later
on, when the witness was Informed
that Wong Sing Non left for China in
1889 and did not return until 1894, he said
he thought the picture resembed the man
who was at the shop in 1892.
The cross-examinatiOD If this interest
ing witness will be concluded this morning
During the trial the court was disturb
by the noise made by the workmen who
are removing plaster from the Postoffice
building. Judge MorrOw's patience finally
forsook him a1d he sent the United States
Marshal after the offender. The officer re-
turned with three wOrkmen, who were
covered with lime-dust from head to foot
1.-THE noise that you make in that build
ing" his Honor remarked, "dis;urbs this
court. / have borne it for ten DAYS, and
have made up my mind that it or this court
must stop. l think it will stop. If it oc-
curs again, will commit you to jail for
contempt"
Aud forthwith the noise "was heard to
cease"