The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-19

The trial of James True on the charge
of having robbed a U. 2. mail train about
one year ago brought out some lively and
sensational dialogue between ]. B. Ham
ilton. counsel for the prisoner, and one
l. T. l.. Cullen, the man who testified
that True told him he was the perpetra-
tor of the Uintah train robbery. and that
he suggested a similar scheme for flching
registered mail from an S. p. train near
San Francisco
Attorney Hamilton sought to prove that
Cullen had confessed that he tried to in
enloate Irre, IN order to get even with
the y. p, but the Irishman denied, with
a deep, forget-me-not brogue, that he had
ever made any such statements. The at
torney and the Irishman were just reach
ing the height of fierce linguistic war
fare when court adjourned for the day.
THE ENGINEER.
The first witness called at the morning
session was Daniel S.. RoWlands, who was
engineer of the i'll fated train which was
swooped down upon by the robber and
his gun. His narration of the incidents of
the robbery were the same as appeared
at the time the daring work was enacted,
near Ulntah station He said that when
the train had stopped, after the malefac-
tor gained full possession, he found upon
examination that several sticks OF dyna-
mite had been laid around conSpicuouSly,
and testified to having heard several eX-
olosions after he had escaped from the
Immediate vicinity by getting away be-
tween the wheels of the car.
Engineer Rowlands said he had known
True since 1884 and that he first met him
at Spring Hill Mont, where he was con-
ductor of a Utah Northern train. Later
he met him in Ogden, where the defend
ant was employed as switchman. When
asked as to who he thought robbed the
train, the engineer said he did not have
any settled opinion.
On cross-examination, Mr.. Rowlands
said that the sack which covered the
face and head of the robber made his
voice sound unnatural and that he would
not be able to recognize the transgressor
by his voice, even If he uttered the same
words in his hearing as he used at the
time of the holding uD and mulcting of
the train.
FIREMAN NTFARLAND.
The fireman of the train, ". NJ. Nc
Farland. after reciting the incidents of
the holding up Of the train said that the
2 robber had used a large supply of eX-
/ plosives, but that none OF these had occa-
stoned any very serious results. When
/ the train stopped, near Uintah. the man
with the sack-covered face and the gun
asked him to cut the steam hose. and
when the fireman refused TO do this on
the plea that he would be scaided, the
/ robber himself shut off the steam and
then put some explosives beneath the
hose The explosion Jared the nerves OF
/ the fireman and made him dizzy.
/ Mcfarland said that he had known True
/ L years. He said he was employed at
Ogden as a switchman, ard described as
his chief characteristics. an excessively
long face, STOPPING shoulders and q swag-
gering gait.
/ Mcfarland admitted when poss-exam-
ined by Attorney Hamilton, that he had
once had row with True at Ogden. and
/ that on that occasion True called him a
scab. He believed True had about a No.
9 foot. which was the same size as the
pedal Examinations of the rObber.
In reply to Judge -Maginniss, the fire
man said he believed that the robber of
! the Z P. train was James True.
Expressman McEvoy related the circun-
| stance of tho explosions, and described
| the robber as being tall and inclined to
be slender.
I. W. wooLFoRD.
]. w. WooIford. the railway postal clerk
in the case, told how the robber obtained
the mail pouches II had heard some
explosions" he said, but did not see the
man until he appeared at the mail car;
and with q gun in his hand. demanded
the mail pouches. After I had thrown
them down to him. he cut oDen the
| pouches with his pocket knife and took
/ what registered mail he wanted
McEvcy identified some blank envelopes
used for registered letters and several
mail pouches, which were filled with large
rents where the robber had applied his
knife. Postmaster HySlom OF Ogden also
identified the pouches.
Mr.. Fredwell youth living at Bounti-
full. told the jury about finding registered
mail letters on a vacant square about a
fourth of a mile from where the train
vas held up.
INSPECTOR WATERBURY.
Mail Inspector Waterbury testified that
the amount lost in registered letters sc
far as he learned, was about S2,4Qo, ano
that the sum might have been much I@rg-
er. as registered letters TO foreign coull,
tries were more difficult to trace. and II
required much longer time to gain infor-
nation regarding them.
THE STAR WITNESS.
/. T. L. Cullen, a huge freshman with 8
tremendous brogue, and the chief wit
ness in the case, was called TO the stand
He knew the prisoner, he said, for eight
years at Ogden, and on Dec. II encoun-
tered him again at the Palace beer hall
in San Francisco. During one of his con
1idential talks over Palace beer TheJ
concluded to go to Stockton. and True
handed him $50, and had on that occasion
plenty more to spare.
Gle also pulled out gun. SAID cullen
land said that was the weapon he helC
up the Z. p. train at Uintah with. lie
then asked me to join him in holding VI
a Southern Pacific train
of course you did not consent, sug
gested Attorney Maginniss-
Il did not said Excuse me, I don
want to die SO young Then said True
Cullen you're q coward.
Cross examined by Attorney Hamilton
Cullen was asked to tell every place n
had been in for the past eight or ter
years. When he had finished this mar
ration, Attorney Hamilton asked thu
u 4 4 don don't Know said Cullen. "I wa
born in Ireland. and came here whin onl!
six years Old"
How many times have you been guilt.
of crimes and been sent to jail?'
81 believe once l was arrested in Og
den for fast driving in a voice so lou'
that the jury box trembled.
He denied that he was ever arrested il
Pocatello. and was then asked anent hi
incarceration in the Salt Lake count.
Il think said Cullen. I was Their
once. l was walking around with n sod
water jag on. ] don't now remember hO1
longer than a yard stick. I was feelin
good about that time. It was fine Whisk
] had fine whisky
He denied saying before the grand jur
} that they We're trying to influence hir
against True and that he had sal
was then asked if he could read an
write. 10 which he replied that he rea
and wrote the English language. and wa
informed that he was not being inter
rogated regarding the French or Egyp
tan Attorney Hamilton then inquired @
Cullen if he did not stop working at Sa
Francisco the day he met True.
You are trying to make man of me
anyway
: 'Ts there any day you can remembe
I better than the one when you were pu
: in the county jail?'
/ Yes, there is one. It was when tn
Oregon Short Line after a hard mont
of work stopped my pay
5 Cullen was then asked about his reaso
1 for appearing before Magistrate Irwin a