Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1896-03-16
The Mint steal.


Jones on trial in the u. S. Court at
Carson for stealing gold bullion from
the Mint was all submitted Saturday
and Judge Hawley notified the attor-
neys to be ready to begin argument
at 10 o'clock this morning.
This scribe listened attentively to
the evidence introduced i'll the de-
PENDANTS behalf ON last Friday and
Saturday. While the direct evidence
for the defense was of Il positive char
acter, the thorough cross examination
and in many instances showed its ut
ter falsity. Take for instance the di-
rect evidence OF the defendant. In
answer to the questions of Mr.. Wood
burn, the defendant sworc positively
that no records Of the consolidation
melts was kept in the mint prior to
1891, and then it was kept in a book
invented by himself. On cross exam
ination General Clarke handed him
book containing records of consoh-
datiOn melts as far back as 1888. ind
asked him if the entries therein were
rot made by himself and if they we're
not in all respects similar to those in
the book he had claimed to invent.
This he admitted with as much cheer.
fulnes5 seemingly as he had sworn 10
the the contrary on his direct cXaGi
nation. When simmered down the
only difference between ihe books
was that chat containing the records
of consolidation melts made by him
in 1888 had written headings whereas
the one in use in 1891 had the same
headings printed. Again he testified
that Mr.. Mason the, Government In
spector, mad told him OF the number
of the spurious bar No. 164 and that
he had gone the same day to the Office
of Hirs:h 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 mutilated at that time. MIR.
Mason was called in rebuttal 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.
Mnltar md IaEnar Eorr;, oleo ou,o-o
positively that he had not examined
the records with Mr.. Jones for the
purpose of tracing the history of
the spurious bar, No l64 The de.
PENDANTS statement that he had gone
to the Office Of the Meter and Retiner
to search the records on the day the
spurious bar 164 was discovered by
Inspector Mason was contradicted by
his evidence in the Heney trial.
Elk Superintendent Hofer also gave
positive evidence on his direct exam
nation that he was present during
the settlement Of 1894 and the trans
fer of the Mint to Superintendent
Adams and that the spurious bars
were not among the bullion turned
over to his successor and had they
been he would have noticed them.
Yet under the cross examination Of
General Clarke she wriggled like an
eel and was forced to admit that he
was only i'll and out of the Mint dur.
ing the transfer and that there might
have been one hundred spurious bars
among the bullion turned over to his
successor and that he could not have
detected them by their appearance.
Question after question requiring an
answer eyes" or mo-" was lodged by
Mr.. Hofer until General Clarke lost
his patience and appealed to Judge
Hawley to make the witness answer
his questions.
1t is upon such evidence rs the
above and the weakness Of the prose.
cution that the defense relies upon
fol a verdict of acquittal.
The evidence for the prosecution,
though mostly circamstantial, is cor.
roborated in it's main points by the
records OF the Mint.