The San Francisco call., 1896-06-11
Provided 1t Be by a Detective
Who Is Searching for
Truth.
CRITTENDEN SCORES WITNESS.
Whereupon Judge Slack Cautions Him
to Be More Careful in His
Language.

The Ashley-Baldwin trial yesterday was
devoted to the cross-examination Of De-
tective Wood. Much of the time was
taken up with repetitions of Tuesdays
testimony and reading from the tran
script. In regard to Woods employment
contemporaneously by several parties hos
tile to one another the interesting fact
was brought out that at one time he was
representing Colonel Pope, E. J. Baldwin
and Lillian Ashley and making each be-
lieve he was doing the best he could for
him or her.
Deception and double-dealing seemed TO
constitute the detectives art, to judge
from Woods experience. He promised
Miss Ashley to prosecute her claim
against Baldwin. Under this pretense lie
requested her to swear that she had never
been intimate with Colonel Pope, in order
to establish the innocence of character
necessary to be shown by plaintiff IN an
action for seduction. His intention, how
ever, was to secure Colonel Pope. Then
he wanted in the affidavit a statement
that Baldwin had ruined her. This was
TO be used by Colonel Pope as evidence
against Miss Ashley's character in case
she should sue him for damages The
only one of the three that he remained
absolutely true to was the amorous bicycle
manufacturer.
Attorney Crlttenden continued his cross
examination of Detective Wood yesterday
morning. He resumed his questions
about Woods employment by BALDWIN
and his compensation for the services he
should render. Wood brought with him
two assistants, Daniel j. O'Keefe, whom
he pays So a day and expenses, and
Emanuel Baines, who receives $1,000
,0tH of
work for Baldwin, but are waiting to give
testimony in the trial.
In regard to the employment OF Wood,
the contract he had with Baldwin was
produced. BY the terms of this contract
Wood was to bring with him to California
two witnesses to testify in the suit. They
were to prepare for the trial and secure
evidence and to bring all letters and testi-
mony they were in possession OF with
them. 1t was specified that Wood and
his men should not be kept away from
Boston more than sixty days, and that
they were 10 have a weeks notice before
being required to start. In the event of it
being unnecessary to come to San Fran
cisco the contract was to be null and
without force.
Baldwin had employed Wood while he
was still ostensibly acting for Miss Ashley.
He admitted that he acted with the inten
ton of misleading her ii order to ascer-
tain the truth, as he said. He had advised
her that to secure large damages from
Baldwin in an action for seduction she
must declare that she was ''as pure girl
when she met Baldwin as when she was
born" Accordingly, Wood represented
to her that she must make affidavit that
she had never had intimate relations with
Colonel Pope, in whose employ, by the
way, Wood still was.
This much was in the interest OF Pope.
Then he went as Miss Ashley's representa-
tive TO Baldwin to effect a settlement. He
saw Baldwin at Saratoga, but did not men
ton this to Miss Ashley when he wrote
her to send him written authority to nego-
tiate a settlement with Baldwin. He also
inquired of her the lowest sum she would
take, and promised her "to endeavor to
get as much more than the amount named
as possible"
All this witness admitted he had done
to deceive and mislead the plaintiff. He
didn't remember whether he had sincerely
intended to settle her claim against Bald
win; come to think of it he believed he
had written the letter asking for authority
merely to put her off until he could make
further investigations about her in his
search for truth All the evidence he
got in the Baldwin matter he intended to
make use of in case she attempted to make
trouble for Pope.
Before the noon adjournment Judge
Slack cautioned Attorney Crittenden that
he must be more careful in the way he
spoke about Witness Wood. Crittenden
had asked him if he had not deliberately
written falsehoods in order to entrap Miss
Ashley, and was beginning to indirectly
score the detective quite roundly. This
was the second reproof his Honor admins
tered to the attorney for the plaintiff, hav-
ing censured him for his tardiness in COM
ing into the court nearly half an hour late
in the morning.
The afternoon session was delayed
again by Mr.. Crittendens failure to ap-
pear at the appointed time. The cross
examination of Wood was resumed. Wood
admitted that when he went to see Bald
win he gave him to understand that he
had come from Miss Ashley with author
ity to settle her claim and told Baldwin
the amount he received.
Although he had no nope of making a
settlement with Baldwin, he represent ted
to Miss Ashley that he had good pros
poets of settling.
"Then, " said Mr.. Crittenden, "you were
guilty of a deliberate attempt to cause her
to make an affidavit that would compro-
mise and iniure herself, without disclos-
ing to her your purpose, and by using
language calculated to deceive herr"
Witness answered that to part of the
question he would answer yes and part of
it no.
"Did you believe you were acting
souarely toward her?" pursued Mr.. Crit
tenden.
The witness declared he did so believe.
as it, then. customary in your business
to pretend to represent party and, while
SO pretending, to get from them damaging
and compromising evidence against that
party?"
The Court, however, ruled that the w.t.
ness did not need to answer the question:
''The uppermost thought in my mind,
declared the witness, was to get an afti-
davit from her of what l have always and
do now believe, that Colonel Pope had not
been intimate with her. And wanted
that affidavit in order to give Colonel
Pope an assurance that he would be no
further troubled by Miss Ashley, who had
harassed him, demanded money of him
and threatened to expose him."
In his endeavors to get affidavits and
other documents from Miss Ashley Wood
wrote her that he believed her statements
were true. Yesterday he declared he had
had his doubts when he wrote it.
Then" said Mr.. Crittenden, "you
wrote another falsehood to her?"
Judge Slack again warned the attorney
in regard to the manner in which he spoke
of the witness.
aTs 7 M onuonaI1ad fo epao1, 80 4br1