The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-20
Especial to The herald.l


EVANSTON, Wyo.. Sept. 19.-The
prosecution in the Croker case closed
this afternoon, and the defense opened.
The forenoon was consumed by the
prosecution in recalling several wit
nesses to testify to unimportant de-
tails overlooked, and in attempting to
get into the case what the court
ruled out yesterday in regard to
proposition made by Lime Higgins to
suppress certain testimony supposed
to be that of Mrs Higgins for $1,000.
Higgins Scored.
A. w. Butler, Crocker's son-in-law,
of his own motion had gone to see
Higgins, to find out what he meant
by his letter to Croker, referred to in
these dispatches yesterday. And
Butler was called by the prosecution
today to prove what took place at
this interview. The prosecution now
make a claim that Sheriff Ward and
Detective Hobbs were secreted at Hug
gins house that evening when Butler
called; that Higgins offered $2,O00 TO
suppress alleged important evidence,
and that Butler agreed to pay said
sum within two days and that Ward
and Hobbs heard the agreement. The
court would not admit the evidence,
because it could not be shown that
Croker authorized such action on the
part of Butler, or in any way assent
ed to the proposition, regarding the
scheme as blackmaii.
The court. in excluding this kind of
evidence, scored Higgins severely, and
said the jury would disbelieve the tes-
timony offered by a man who proposed
to suppress it for a consideration.
Salt Lake CIafrvOyant.
A day or two ago, it was testified
that the inside pocket of Booths vest
had been cut out by some one since
the murder This was the pocket
where his wallet was carried, and when
the vest was exhibited the pocket APP
peared to have been removed. 1t now
appears this pocket was cut out Wy the
prosecution and sent to a Salt Lake
clairvoyant, who for 5000 offered to
come to Evanston and lay her hand on
the murderer. They never put up the
money and she never came.
z. w. Hinchman, bookkeeper for
the Beckwith Commercial company,
was the first witness for the defense.
He said he boarded with the Crock
ers for two years last past. That on
the evening of the homicide. he went
to his supper at 5:45. He found
Croker in the dining room, sitting at
the register reading a newspaper.
The proof thus far shows the muir
der was committed between and 6
o'clock that evening. Witness, Mr.. and
Mrs Croker. ate supper together,
and he returned to his work at $50
At $40. he went home from the store,
and saw Mr. and Mrs. Croker start
to the theatre a few minutes after.
They returned about 11:30 and had
been in bed but few minutes when
they were aroused by Mrs. Booth, and
all went with her to the barn The re-
mainder of his testimony was corrob-
orative Of that told by witnesses for
the prosecution, after the finding OF
Booths body.
A Profound Impression.
No man stands higher in this COM
munity for truth and integrity than
Mr.. Hinchman, and his testimony
made a profound impression, 1t is a
direct contradiction of those witnesses
for the prosecution, Mr.. and Mrs
George Murphy, who said they saw
Croker with a handsled in front of
the barn at $40 on the fatal evening.