Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1896-03-22
The. Mint Steal.

The evidence in the case of John I.
Jones ON trial in the U. S. Court at
Carson for stealing gold bullion from
the Mint was all submitted Saturday
and Judge IEawley notified the attor-
neys to be ready to begin argument
at 10 o'clock this morning.
THIS scribe listened attcntivcly to
the evidence introduced in the de-
PENDANTS behalf on last Friday and
Saturday. While the direct evidence
for the defense was of a positive char
acter. the thorough cruSS examination
OF General Clarke tore it to pieces
and in many instances showed its ut
ter falsity. Take for instance the di-
rect evidence OF the defendant. In
answer 10 the questions OF Mr.. Wood.
burn. the defendant swore positively
that no records of the consolidation
me-, was kept in the mint prior 10
lS9l, and then il WAS kept III u book
invented 10y himself. On cross exam
inatiou General Clarke handed him a
book containing records OF conSDli-
dalton meIts as FAX back rs ISIS and
asked him il the entries therein were
tot made by himself and il they were
not III all respects similar 10 those i'll
the book he had claimed to invent.
This he admitted with as much cheer.
fVNINaEz E.s,hsttylNs ~ l.a tn.l .sr,sAFp 20
the the contrary on his direct eXami.
nation. When simmered down the
only difference between the books
was that :hat containing the records
Of consolidation melts made by him
in lSSS had written headings whereas
the Ii i'll use i'll 1891 had the same
headings printed. Again he testified
that Mr.. Mason the, Government In-
spcctor, had told him Of the number
of the spurious bar No. l6i and that
he had gone the same day to the office
of Hirsch Harris. the Meter and Re-
finer, and with him had traced the
spurious melt in the records and that
the record OF consolidation melts had
not heen mutilatcd at that time. Mr..
Mason was called i'll rcbuttal and test.
flied that Mr.. Jones had asked him for
the number OF the bar that that he
positively declined to give it To him.
saying that it was his (Mason's) bust
ness to do the questioning and that he
(Jones) should do the answering.
Mclter and Rctiner Harris also swOrc
positively that he had not examined
the records with MIR. Jones for the
purpose Of tracing the history of
the spurious bar, No lGi. The de-
PENDANTS statement that lie had gone |
to the Office OF the Meter and Rcliner !
to search the records on the day the
spurious bar lGi was discovered by
Inspector Mason wns contradictcd by
his evidence in the lIcncy trial.
EN Superintendent IIofcr also gave |
positive evidence on his direct exam
ination that he IA present during
the settlement of 1894 and the trans
fer Of the Mint to Superintendent
Adams and that the spurious bars
were no among the bullion turned
over to his successor and hal they
been he would have noticed them.
Yet under the cross examination of
General Clarke he wrigglc1 like an !
eel and was forced to admit that he
was only in and out Of the Mint dur.
ing the transfer and that there might
have been Il hundred spurious bars
among the bullion turnc | over to his
successor and that he could not have
detected them 10y their appearance.
Question after question requiring nm
answer "ycs' or mo- was lodged by
MIR. llotcr until General Clarke lost
ms patience and appealed la Judge
liawlcy to make the witness answer
his questions.
II is upon such evidence ms the
above and the weakness Of the prose.
cutiOn that the defense relies upon
fOt Il verdict Of acuuittHl.
The evidence for the prosecution.
though mostly circamstantiul. is cor.
roboratcd III its main points by the
records OF the Mint.
Tho general impression in Carson
seems to be that the jury will dis
agree. In this event the caBc will he
Immediately set for rc.trial.