The Saint Paul globe., 1896-11-20
asked to testify otherwise. Greenleaf

asked to testify otherwise. Greenleaf
bays"
20, what's the use Of quoting Green
leaf to me?" interjected the court.
We'll I don't know" retorted Mr..
Pierce. but he's considergd pretty
good authority, just the same
Then the comedy began. Mr.. Butler,
with humility and in a deprecating
manner, assured the court that it was
necessary to his case that the contents
Of the letter be admitted in evidence
Rs showing the conduct and credibility
Of the witness. This is at the discre
tion of the court, your honor" said
Mr.. Butler, you know that the person
to whom this letter was sent is outside
the jurisdiction of the court and can
not be brought here to testify. But I
submit that the evidence 1 here seek to
Introduce is collateral and necessary"
With this statement Mr.. Butler stood
awaiting the decision of the court.
The witness and Mr.. Pierce showed
their relief at the improbability Of the
evidence being admitted Finally
Judge Egan said, ''To avoid all pos
sibility Of error I will sustain the OBJ
lection"
PIERCE BUTLER'S COUP.
Mr. Butler sat down with an, air of
injury. Struggling his shoulders, he
said: well, if must and then thrust
his hand into an inside pocket and pro-
duced a package of letters From the
package he selected one which he
handed to the witness.
did you write that ietter?" thun-
dered the prosecutor, his manner sud
denly changing.
The hand of the witness did not tren-
bic, but if possible his ashen face grew
a shade paler. He stared at the bit Of
typewriter paper as though struck
dumb. One, two, five minutes passed.
Mr.. Butler stood leaning against the
courts bench. gazing f1xedly into the
face Of the witness, whose eyes were
riveted on the letter. Buffers fingers
drummed a merry tune, as he waited
for an answer. Judge Egan, too, be-
came impatient, and turned and glared
at the motionless figure in the witness
chair Mr.. Pierce, who up to that mo-
ment had no knowledge of the ex-
istence of the document, was struck
dumb with anazement. Passing
shades of emotion chased themselves
over his hard features. Finally, he,
too, became impatient, and he rose
from his seat to advance to Mr.. But
ler's side.
"Did YOU write that letter?'' again
demanded Mr.. Butler.
Witness shifted uneasily in his seat
and said slowly, 81 cannot tell until l
know whether"
''Will you swear you did not write
that letter."
Witness looked in the direction of his
counsel as If fer help and inspiration,
but Mr.. Pierce was silent The witness
then began to equivocate and beat
about the bush when he was interrupt
ed again by the prosecutor
did you write these words: The
trouble seems TO be internal cancer
did you? Hurry UP, now?"
Witness raised his eyes to the prose
cutor and said: 81 cannot remember"
Again Mr.. Butler thundered, ,S'Did you
write this letter to Mr.. Spencer?'
81 remember sending him one Of my
wife's letters"
''Will you swear that you did not
write this letter to Mr.. Speneer-be
quick, noW?"
Again the witness shifted in his seat
and sought to eVade direct answer.
"I cannot identify it," he said.
: The question was read again and wit
ness replied, 81 have no recollection Of
writing it."
Did you dictate it?"
mo sir"
type writer and your letter paper, was
written to Spencer by yoursclf?"
PROBABLY
did your little girl write to you as
stated in this letter-loolz out now?"
Mr.. Pierce who had been listening to
the examination and saw the evidences
of guilt in his clients face and manner,
spoke up sharply. 'Mr. Hull, 1t is Just
as we'll that you state the facts"
Then Mr.. Hull, after a brief hesita-
fion, said, 81 think she did
Mr. Pierce spoke again, yet more In
dignantiy than before: s'Mr. Hull.