St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-13
CLIFFORD is ON TRIAL.
GOVERNMENT THINKS HIM A R0T0-
RIOUS c0UATERFEITER.
SPEAKER LEE Is IN COURT

He Is Plaintiff In Patent Case in
Federal Court-Federal Grand
jury Supposed to Have Irdict-
ed Strikers-Operotor Charged
With Contempt by Intimidat-
ing Hallway Men.
Robert Clifford, alias Clifford. alias
Gilbert, is on trial in the United States
district court on charge of passing
counterfeit coins of the denomination of
81. He was arrested some months ago
at house on Front street near Rice.
He had over $50 in paper, silver and
other coins in his possession, of which
81 was counterfeit. He was accused OF
passing dollar counterfeit upon A.
Lazarus, a seco nd.hand clothing dealer
on Minnesota street between Sixth and
Seventh streets, on March 81. The ar
rest was made at the time when consid-
cradle spurious silver currency was in
circulation. Two other men in the
Front street house at the time of Gift
ford's arrest escaped. 1t was asserted
that there was systematic course of
Issuing bad coin at the time, and the
government sent out q special agent
from Washington to look into the mat
ter. 1t is thought that Clifford is an
important figure in the counterfeiting
business. The evidence in the case has
been presented. and Judge Nelson will
charge the jury this morning.
LEE AGAINST A MILL COMPANY.
Judge Williams and jury are en-
gagged in trying in the United States
circuit court the action brought by
William E. Lee, speaker of the last
house of representatives, against the
Washburn-Crosby company, of Mime
apolis, for infringement OF a cookie
separator. Mr.. Lee has patent on the
machine and alleges that the defendant
has Infringed on his rights. The value
of the machines is agreed by stipulation
to be S25 for each machine. The only
question submitted to the jury is that of
an infringement. This is one of all
even dozen of actions begun against as
many owners of flour mills. There is
quite an able array of attorneys engaged
in the case. The trial will proceed
today. This case will be made test
one for all. Mr. Lee was on the witness
stand considerable portion of yester-
day, and was examined in detail as %
his patent and its correspondence with
other similar machines.
ARRESTED FOR CONTEMPT.
Earnest Lesson. the telegraph opera
tor OF Duluth who was arrested ON a
bench warrSnt issued by Judge Nelson.
of the United States district court, was
brought to this city Yesterday and taken
before Judge Nelson. His bail was fixed
at $500 and he furnished security for his
appearance today for hearing before
Judge Nelson. Lesson is charged with
calling an engineer on the Northern
Pacific road names and with stoning ID
deputy United States marshal. This is
charged TO be in violation or orders
recently made by Judge Caldwell against
strikers Interfering with the running of
trains.
INDICTMENTS RETURNED.
The federal grand jury is still hard at
work. No indictments returned are
made public, although number are re-
turned into court. 1t is more than prob
able that number OF them are against
strikers in the late Great Northern rail-
Way trouble. 1t is said that the grand
jury is making dilligent inquiry into the
present strike troubles. There have
been no arrests in pursuance of the i'll
dictmentS yet, but d number are expected
to be made.