The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-24

to be thrown on Katzauer and Foss. The
latter had already pleaded guilty, and he
was to be shown up as the arch-conspira-
tor. Ciprico was not to be mentioned in
the matter except as an outsider, and thus
the charge of conspiracy against him would
fall to the ground. Sullivan upset all this
nicely arranged plan, however, by telling
how Ciprico had furnished him with the
certificate he was to copy. and describing
in detail all the transactions he had had
with the gang.
When the court convened in the morn
ing o. P. Stidger, the sGovernment's prin-
cipal witness, was recalled to the stand.
He was put under very rigid cross
examination by Carroll Cook, but his testi-
monY was not shaken. de gave an ac-
curate account of the gangs various
transactions, and said that Foss. was to
chandle the opium deals and Ciprico the
certificates while KatZauer was to be
sort of general superintendent. He made
notes of everything that took place and
every day reported to Internal Revenue
Agent McGIachlin and Special Deputy
Bert NJ Thomas. The elevator-boy in the
WelIs-Fargo building helped him to keep
watch on the certificate forgers on several
occasions.
"Did YOU not expect to make money out
of Ciprico because you thought he was a
IL.
asked Cook
mo, sir; 1 did not" was the quick re-
Spouse. 81 knew Ciprico was hard up be-
cause on many an occasion l saw him bor-
row 10, 10, % and 80 cents from Katzauer
and Foss."
How much did you make out of this
little scheme ?'' asked Cook.
Not a cent was the answer. 81 was
employed by the Government at regular
salary and acted under the instructions OF
Major McGlachlin and Mr.. Thomas l
NAV have told these men lies, but l did it
in order to trap them. The Government
wanted to catch them and it was my duty
to do it by fair means or foul, and L think
l succeeded"
Cook tried by all the means in his power
to make Stidger contradict himself, but
failed and the witness was excused.
Robert Burns Jr., a reporter on the Even
ing Post, corroborated Stidger's story in
.. almost every detail, and then d. ]. Sulli-
van was called. He told how he had been
. engaged by Foss to forge the signatures OF
.. ,Welburn and Cusick to the certificates. 1t
was his first visit to the headquarters of
the gang, and he Worked for two hours on
the Job. He was to get $500 a month out
: Of the scheme. and was thinking he had
. struck soft snap when the detectives
bounced down upon them and all were
arrested.
:. The genuine certificate on which Sulli-
van practiced was given to him by Foss,
but the one he copied in the Wells-Fargo
building was given to him by Ciprico.
When Detective Harris and the others
broke into the room he hid the genuine
certificate in his hat, and afterward, at the
instance OF Ciprico, destroyed it IN the
County Jail.
In answer to question Sullivan said
that United States District Attorney Foote
had promised to nolle prosequi the case
against him if he would tell the truth.
William Gilchrist, an employee of the
internal revenue agents Office at the time,
told of Foss' throwing the forged certif-
Gates out of the window. and court then
adjourned until Monday next, on which
occasion Foss will be put on the stand.