New-York tribune., 1895-01-22
SAGE PITILESSLY SCORED.
JOSEPH II. CHoATE DENOUNCEs HIM AS
4 sKI-LKER. LIAR AND ROBBER.

APPLAUSE FOR LAIDLAw's LAWYER Al ii'H A'D
or HIS SUMMING UP-INCIDENTs IN THE
LAST DAY OF THE TfuAL-THE JURY
10 BRING IN = SEALED NEE-
DICT THIS MORNING.
The trial of the suit for $4,000 damages, prousn'
by William T. I.aidlaw against Russeii sage was
finished yesterday. and the jury VIII oriHs III
sealed verdict this morning
C. E. James Of Chattanooga. Tenn. WHO was ="
sares Office when the explosion took place ana VINO
u.as . now witness was the first on the stand lie
u.as ,,,h enough while in the hands OF Coohei
Ia,nes but went TO pieces when Mr. Choate opeheu
IN on him. G. r. James testHeu ''' " w
partly stunned by the explosion anu 'e' ~ Sc
ont. He said Laidaw did not try 10 pfeaA ou'
,brougb the door to the Manhattan Railway once.
To Mr. Choate he admitted that he "a' ''ueo'u
for large amount to Mr.. sage. ana 'hay III I'll
o., a,,,os, dcnied his former testimony. lie couiu
NO, remember whether Laidlaw had tried the door
&, ouestEoo or even whether he had urea 10 pa'-
ter II down with chair lie wouio "o' sweat '""'
he did not do So ., ,,,. g..
Mr. Choatc asked MIN II he remembered giving d
o,anhic description to a reporter Mr. James
o,,,Ir, remember: he said he had talked to several
noonle He denied having said. however wha' ne
was ouoted as saying in the newspaper anu Sa'u
he did not buy read the paper lhe ie~, "a'' aS
he was in no condition to read' ha'ins oe'" 'oo
much shocked BY tfe explosion anu '''e III
dazed condition . ,.-
r,bo, bannened two minutes after the explosion
eh? That's all" said MIR Choate.
Charles a. Gardner. of DAVIS stone '.''"0"
was called to dlsprove the alleged admission Oh
Sage TO Kendall. Mr.. Gardner said lie cou'd not re-
cau hearing Sage say he would nave oecn "eau
man If he had not got Laidlaw p't"ee" M" anu
the dvnamiter. on cross-ex examination. MT tardher
Sat had been counsel fOr tne
for years.
THE MILIIoNAIRE's WOUNDS
Dr 1oh, p Mum. sage's physician. testified as
to the extent of Sagc's wounds.
"Do Won know OF any wounds on Sages oody!
asked Mr. Choate in cross-examinatioh'
.Yes; quite a few.
"rhon Won are more familiar with his body than
he is hlmsef?'
1nsnoc,or Mclaughlin was called and testified as
70 the condition OF the office when he went TO the
place. ,, ,.
MIR. choate took objection TO Colonel James's
questioning. .
II don't think he wants 10 Hi's" ''e '"'e !"
DAY." said Mr.. Choate
~ think he will. however" said Judge Patterson
inspector did you ever have any business rea-
tons with Mr. SlGe-any puts. cans OF sUa"ules'
NO SIR" said the Inspector
Colonel j. j. Slocum. Sage's clerk ana hrother-ln-
called. lie was IN tnf once 'H iH' 'aS va
the cxploslon He was blinded by blood and the
dus, and went across the street TO the drugstore
where Sage was He also had not heard Sage say
he would have been dead but for Laidiaw. Inc
witness was apparently extremely deaf. and Mr
Choa,e got him to admit that. even II n converse
ton had taken place. the persons would nave had
to speak very loud 10 be heard by HIM
William H. Wilder. who was the witness. Ken
dalrs. attorney. and whom Kendall. when he was
on the stand. pointed out as a ''rascally lawyer
and who. he said. had sold him out TO Sage. was
called TO the stand
Now Mr. Wilder. did Mr.. Kendall say on
ferryboat In 1892 that he would bring old man Sage
to his knees and would get even? was asked
The witness quibbed about the relations OF lawyer
and client. and finally answered that Kendall had
said So
no questions" said Mr.. Choate. much to every
ones surprise.
COLONEL JAMES SUMS Up.
Then Colonel James began the summing up He
said he was not going 10 be dncharliable enough
to say the plaintiff did not believe what he s"ore
TO- but ii was d entirely OF mem )ry, and one
OF Laidaws greatest injuries. according 10 his
testimony and that ot his witnesses. was the loss
OF memory. Colonel James also pointed out tha,
sage's design must be deliberate. and not under the
instinct OF Misrepresentation TO enable the plalntiH
to recover Colonel James then attacked the testi-
.nony OF Mr.. Kendall
This man" he said rs avowed enemy o,
Sage he claims he robbed by him and that
Sage conspred against him. lie Is a prejudicei
witness and was not called by the plaintiff on the
last trial FOR this reason"
In his address to the jury Mr. Choae gave Rus
sell Sage an unmcrci'ul scoring. lie started out
to say that he echoed the statements OF the other
side that there should be no sympathy. but only
a verdict on the facts and the evidence.
"We start we'll" he said. with the admission
Of Colonel James that the plaintiff at least be-
licves what he gays. | will no, give Sage the
benefit o. any such admission rom me. I'll tel
about Sage. and then II you think that you can be
hcve him, all right. I'll tell you that ne has been
for years engaged in a business that blunts the
scnsib!es
Now about that 1900 commission. Sage
president Of the bank note company. and II was to
his interest to put the certificates OF the company
the Stock Exchange; and Sage could DO this.
He Is so powerful that he has only TO say to
merchant. come. and he cometh. to this broker 20.
and he gocth. and 10 this banker, shell out. and
m ON the hsa 'G Scn 90 on pl the Stand he
denies that he ever got a commission When the
he admitted that he had been given 81 coo by Mr..
Kendall as Present He. the president OF the
he % his W. Company So Gon
you believe It was commission? Why. his ad-
trial across the hall in the Oyer and Terminer
and had made admissions like these, like the po-
not believe his story about this present you
have the right to disbeeve al he says"
DOWNRIGHT ROBBERY. HE DECLARES
Mr.. Choatc thon spoke OF the transactions by
which Kendall said ne had TO pay Sage $500 to
get back his stock.
why don't they dlsprove these thngsT' asked
Mr. Choate at robbery. downright robbery.
and what is the moral effect OF false testimony on
n man who is guilty of such transactions? The de-
fendant is II swInder and robbcr. convicted out
OF his mouth
They make "A great point OF the fact that the
plaintiff forgot his figures In the Office after the
accident but don't YOU think he will remember for
ever the happenings Of the most critical moment OF
his ne? What Is that compared with forgetting
figures; And compare the TWO men on the stand
I.aldlaW'S honest statement, and Sages skulking
cvading. lying. mumblinR and sneaking contradict
ing latly the testimony that he sworc 10 the
truth Of al the latest trial
Sage was as lively as cricket after ten days.