Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-06-03
A CELEBRATED CASE.
The Closing Scenes In the Trial of the Al
legged Counterfeiters-A Surprise was
Sprung on the Defense.

counterfeiting trial against DePree,
Hauck, Craig and Elton was submitted
to the jury in the federal court last
Saturday and Judge Sage adjourned
the case until Tuesday when il was
again taken up with the arguments OF
the attorneys 1t has been one of the
most noted and sensational cases ever
heard IN Grand Rapids court. Last
Friday, after the defense had rested
their case, the government introduced
rebuttal testimony which proved IA
great surprise to DePree, Elton and
Craig. Elton had sworn that he had
never been arrested. The testimony
OF j. j. Green, county clerk of lonia,
and r. M. Douglass Of the 5. II. of c.,
showed that Elton had been convicted
of horse stealing and served term in
that institution in 1877. Craig had
sworn that at the time the Kingstons
swore he was In Geneva and other
places in Indiana, he was in Belding
and Durand and had made out IA pretty
strong defense, but it was shattered by
the introduction of a girl from the
Hoosier state.
''Mollie Yost, called District Attor-
ney Power. 1t was new name TO all
the attorneys for the respondents, and
they wondered who she was. 1t was
no new name to Craig, however, and
it fell on his ears like death blow.
His countenance fell and his face
flushed as he recalled some of the incl
dents Of his career in Geneva, Ind. He
knew what was coming, and the eXper-
ience coupled with what he had seen
during all the day as the others con-
cerned in the trial had their theories
badly damaged. A handsome woman
of IL years entered the court room, and
all was rs quiet as a death chamber.
Her peroxide hair, her rose tinted
cheeks and her graceful bearing monop-
oliZed the attention of every person in
the court room. AS her testimony
proceeded they became more and more
interested. She testified that her
home was In New Corydon, Ind, but
that she was employed in "a restaur-
in July and August, 1896. She became
acquainted with Simpson Craig in
August, 1896 She did not see him on
September 3 of that year, but she did
receive letter from him dated and
postmarked at that place and on that
day. September Craig bad called on
her at her home. The letter was
shown and identified. 1t was dated
and postmarked September 3 at 4:30
o'clock in the afternoon.
Another letter dated at Belding,
September s, was also offered and ad-
mitted by the judge. Both letters
were then read by Assistant District
Attorney NEWMAN. The letter con
tanned only matters of "love," ended
with "love and kisses, and was signed
"Simpsey
The other was written and p0stmark-
ed Belding, September ), 1896, and
stated that Craig would leave there in
the morning for Jackson, remain there
two or three days, then go to Geneva.
1t concluded, "Mollie, you don't know
how hated to leave you that night,
but we can't be together all the time.
| hope after while we can be together
more than we are now. By-by, Mollie,
with love and kisses. Simpsy.
Miss Yost blushed as the letters were
read, and so did Respondent Craig, as
an occasional outburst of laughter in
terrupted. Miss Yost was not cross
examined. The letter is important
because it DESTROYS the alibi OF Craig.
He and two witnesses swore that he
was in Durand attending his sick
father from September | to 10, and
came from there to Grand Rapids to
attend the state fair. This was at
tempted to be shown in order to break
down the testimony Of Mrs. Kingston
regarding an discriminating letter
claimed to have been written Septem-
Der 3 from Geneva to Frank Kingston
by Craig. Mrs. Kingston opened the
letter. 1t said that Craig had found a
man that he thought would buy some
of "that,o but he did not know how
much to charge 81 do not know how
much money he has" IL said, "but let's
get what he has"
Ferd Hauck's testimony was that he
had lived in Belding 10 years, and also
told where he had lived all his life.
He had been acquainted with Wetzel
three or four years. He became ac-
quainted with Frank Kingston at the
time of the show in Relding. He first
became acquainted with DE Pree in
Simon La Grou's Office after their ar.
rest. There was stranger there and
De Pree said it was himself. He did
not know Mrs. Kingston and had never
known Hiram Packer. He first re-
ceived his information about counter
feiting when Wetzel telephoned him