The San Francisco call., 1896-07-03
Admits That He Has Done Moth.
ing on the Square Since
1894
HOW HE SAW THE PRIzF-F1GHT
While Walking Past the Pavilion
With an Officer They Were In.
vited In.


or Dean consumed most of the time in the
trial OF Creegan and Becker yesterday in
Judge Wallace's court. The conclusion
OF his direct testimony was given in the
same easy and unem barrassed manner as
his story on Wednesday. The exception
ally strong and piercing cross-examina-
ton of Attorney Dunno failed to confuse
the witness, although it made him con-
tradict in some details the testimony he
had given in the McCloskey trial.
Attorney Wilson continued his examina-
ton of Seaver in the morning. Seaver
had made an agreement with Creegan that
the latter and Charles Becker should each
receive one-fourth of the $4,000, i. Q.
$4,000 apiece. After McCloskey and Seaver
divided the money Seaver did not see
Creegan until several weeks later, when
he met him in New York. When Seaver
had left this City on the afternoon of
December 10, 1895, he travelled under the
name of S. G. Jones. The witness here
identified the overland railroad ticket on
which he had travelled East. Seaver was
arrested in the St. Paul National Bank in
Minnesota. McCloskey was arrested
about the same time in Minneapolis, and
both were brought back to this City about
March IL by Detectives Seymour and
Whitaker.
Attorney Wilson went back again to the
forged check. Before he came out from
New York Seaver had procured various
samples OF bank paper and had given them
to Creegan to be used by Becker. Seaver
again examined the forged draft and swore
that the perforated figures changing the
draft from $12 to $22, 900 had been made
between the time he gave the original
check TO Creegan to give to Becker and
the time when he received it again from
Creegan.
The statement made by Seaver to Cap
tain Lees on the morning after he was
brought back to tie City was substantially
the same as the story told by the witness
on the stand Tuesday and given at length
in Yesterdays CALL. While in this CIV
Seaver often slept at the Hammam Baths.
where he often met Talbot Clifton and
White Hat Mccarthy. Seaver here men,
toned that his crooked career began with
his arrest for having in his possession a
$50 counterfeit bill. After that he fell in
with various forgers and engaged in vari-
Gus jobs.
Seaver also identified a sample of Cree
gan's handwriting, with which he declared
be was familiar. A memorandum of ex-
tracts from the Bankers Almanac, with
list OF various suitable banks in Minnesota
and Dakota doing business with the st.
Paul and Minneapolis banks, was offered
In evidence as a specimen of Creegan's
handwriting in spite of Attorney Dunne's
objection.
Attorney Dunno began the cross exami.
nation of the witness with some oue stions
about Seaver's statement made to CAPTAIN
Lees, and introduced a copy of it which
had been sworn to before a deputy clerk
and forwarded to New York. Then the
attorney for the defense began his attack
upon the witness testimony. Seayer ad-
mltted that he had no legitimate occu-
patton and had done nothing ON the
square since 1894 He had been convicted
OF felony three times, once for forgery and
twice for counterfeiting. Seaver is at
present under Indictment for forgery. but
although.he was indicted before Creegan
and Becker, his trial has been postponed.
He saio ne wanted McCloskey's trial to be
completed first. Since his arrest he has
not been actually confined in cell. AL
though not admitted to bail, he has been
allowed to go to various places in this
City, the park, Cliff House, restaurants.
telegraph offices and elsewhere He had
also witnessed the prize-fght at the Pa
vIlion.
Seaver corroborated in general the de-
tails of his direct testimony Attorney
Dunno pressed him particularly with
reference to his intimacy with McCloskey.
Seaver and McCloskey were together
nearly every day, dining together at the
Pup" and the "Zinkand"
at the opening of the afternoon session
Attorney Dunno questioned the witness in
regard to the raised draft. He gave as his
OPINION, after having examined the draft
through glass, that ii was very expert
piece OF workmanship. The Photographic
copy, which Captain Lees had shown him.
disclosed imperfections in the work, and.
judging from this only, Seaver had ex-
pressed the opinion that it was bungling
JOB.
Seaver's account of his actions on the
morning when he drew the $40, 600 con ira
dlcted the testimony of Cashier Grant.
Seaver denied that McCloskey or anv one
else had entered the bank with him or had
suggested that he take the money in gold
or had gone out with him. Before going
into the bank he had gone into a saloon
with McCloskey.
After taking the money to the buggy.
driving 20 the Mission and returning to
town, as Seaver recounted in his testimony
on Wednesday, he and McCloskey divided
the money and McCloskey went out for
two or three hours Meanwhile, Seaver
shaved and packed his belongings. in
Guiding some $4,000, in valise and 5000
In parcel. When Seaver left the room
he lett McCloskey in charge of the money.
ms account OF the transaction differed
radically from the statement made TO Can
tain Lees, in which it was said that the
u1Fisloh oI money was made at the Bald |
win Hotel, and with Creegan, not McCIos-
key; Seaver explained this by saying that
at the time he signed the affidavit for Lees
he had not read it through. He had
originally told Lees that he had divided
the money with man whose name he |
not give. at hotel near Market street |
and later Lees had substituted Creegan's
name and the Baldwin Hotel without pro- |
test from Seaver, who did not at that time |
wish 1t TO be known where he had STAYED. |
WITH statement that he had seen Nc |
Cioskey several times during the past !
week, and that McCloskey had come ont |
here with Seavers wife, the cross-exami-
nation concluded.
On his redirect examination Seaver ex-
pialned some of the answers he had made |
to Attorney Dunno. His visit 10 the prize !
night had been accidental; he had gone
out to supper with an officer. and as they |
returned another officer at the Pavilion |
invited them in. AT the fight, as at ali |
times, be was accompanied by an officer.
Inc permission that he had been given to
stay in the detectives office instead of
being imprisoned in cell was gwen be-
cause he had been sick with malaria and