Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-04

lecting autographs sometimes even cutting
them out of records. During his leisure
moments in office hours Nh. Devlin used to
amuse himself by initiating signatures. He
was very successful. and it would be a
difficult matter to tell some or his lmlta-
lions from the genuine ones
How about Judge Holt Signature?
Well sometimes, by oversight, there
would be some official papers that had rot
been presented to the judge for his sigma
lure Rather than hold them back and
uause unnecessary delay Mr.. Devlin would
fign the judges name, and he would do 1t
Just about as well as the judge could do it.
too
Now. look at this alleged will carefully
Ind tell US what you think of it,
Mr.. Fought looked at the paper for a few
minutes and then replied:
Il am free to express it that that amt
Judge Hollis handwriting at all, in whole
Or in part. l was familiar with his hand
writing from 80 to '16. and there is writ
Ing in this paper that Judge Holt never
could have done
The witness said that he and Mr.. Devlin
had not been speaking terms for twenty
years. but last Friday morning Deviin &C
costed him while he was out in his milk
wagon. AMI asked him II he would not be
witness in this case and testify in contra
diction to the testimony of Mr.. SaXton,
who was messenger at the same time.
Mr. Devlin promised him that If he would
testify his expenses would be paid
Witness said he refused to have anything
to do with the case. In answer to ques-
said that he would not have come wit
ness at all if a subpoena. which he had
been lodging. had not caught him several
days ago.
On cross-examination the witness de-
scribed more fully the occasion when Judge
Holt found that Mr.. Devlin acting
private secretary. He said that if the
Judge had found that Deylin was doing
such work during office hours he would
probably have discharged him.
Arthur Schatz. a clerk in the pension Of
fee, testified that he was copyist in
Judge Hollis office for four years from
49, In all that time he never saw Mr..
Devlin enter Judge Hollis room speak
to him. and he never observed the slightest
intimacy between the two men.
Mr.. Schatz said that he was familiar
with the judges handwriting. He was
shown the viii. and said that, in his best
judgment, II was not written by the Judge.
He was especially sure to the signature.
On cross-examination. Mr.. Schatz said
that the body of the alleged will and the
signature were written in freer and less
cramped hand than was characteristic of
the Judge. It was Judge Hollis signature
that he was particularly familiar with.
His Opinion.
Mr.. Judson H Jennings testified that he
first met Judge Holt. with whom he WAS
Instantly related. when he was a small
boy. He renewed The acquaintance in the
spring Of 1889. and saw the judge fire.
qEently up TO the time of his death.
MIR. Jennings testified that on one oc-
CASTOR he had a conversation with Judge
Holt. il the course of which he said some
thing about Mai. Throckmorton being in
some sort of trouble with the department
Ihat man. replied Judge Holt, is an
unmitgatsd scoJndTel and this is not the
hrst time he has been in that sort of
trouble
The witness said that Judge Holt often
spoke to him about Mr.. Wash Holt and his
family. and Col Sterett and his family.
always in the most afectioaate manner
he seemed to rely upon Mr.. Holt, in bust
ness matters especially. and had great
confidence in his Judgment.
On cross-examindtion Mr.. Jennings said
that when Re first net Judge Holt the lat
ter already showed signs of physical
breakup. but mentally he was all right
he could not say just when 1t was that
he heard Judge Holt speak in such an un-
complimentary manner of Mai. Throck-
MORTON but 1t was Within few days after
tie publication of the findings of the
1hrocknorton court-maTtial That was
the only time he ever heard the Judge
speak OF any member of the Throckmor-
ten family
The witness said that he asked the Judge
whether ne was not responsible for Maj
IhrockmOrt0ns appointment. The nudge
SAID that he was. He had thought that
the young man ought to be rewarded for
ms loyalty at the breaking out of the war
ana at his request made to the Secretary
OF war the commission was made out
AT the conclusion of Mr. Jennings tes-
unony the court took the usual noon re-
After recess Mr.. Schatz was r,c,IIaJ md
asked by Mr. WOrthington as to Mr. Dev-
IN skill with the pen and his ability to
initiate other people's signatures
MIR. Schatz said that frequently when he
hsd nothing else to do Mr.. Devlin instead
or reading paper or anything of that
sort. would busy himself with a pen AS
signatures . ...-0
Long Search.
MI Wright, the former register of wills
was the next witness called He testified
as 10 the receipt Ct the alleged will through
the mails. He said that when Mr. Devlin
hrst sew the will it was In the hands of
The Star reporter. Mr.. Dutton. Mr. Devlin
evfnCed no surprise when he learned tho
significance of the paper
MIR. Wright said that every effort was
made IN his office to preserve the document
In precisely the condition it was in when it
was received. 1t was kept between two
with "
At the request of the Holt heirs. the wit
ness said, he spent half a day at the Holt
mansion searching for will but no such
paper was unearthed.
on crcss-examination Mr. Wright said
that the Holt mansion was in some con-
fusion at the time of his visit but not
more so than enc would expect under the
circumstances. Before the alleged Will
turned up. he said. application had been
Holt estate. but 1t was not made until
after his search for will.
Mr. Wash. Holt, he said told him that he
expected to find a will in which he would
De made the executor of the estate
Was anything said about a rrwar,I9''
eSked MIR. Darlington
He said il would be worth $4,000 if l
could find the will. This may have been
said Joklngly, and l did not regard 1t as a
contract at all. | certainly did not expect
any such reward
Mrs. Emily Van Doren Miller testified
that she knew Judge Holt. and saw him
frequently. She identified several notes
which We're written Icy Judge Holt She
examined the alleged will and. in answer
to question from Mr.. Wilson, said that
she thought 1t a very good imsta-
uCn, bat she was satisfied that it was
not In his handwriting. She expressed
herself as confident that the signature
was not genuine.
Cross-examined by Mr. Darlington. the
wttEess said there a number of
features about the alleged will that seemed
TO her to he quite different from any of
his handwriting that she had ever seen
Mr.. j. NOta McGill, the successor to Mr.
Wright register of wills. was recalled
and testified to the care that has been ex-
ercised in the preservation of the alleged