Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-06-03
BELDING, MICH, THURSDAY, JUNE g. 1897

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paper, and said that Frank Kingston
had stolen it out of the mint at 81.
Louis, and that they were going TO
make some counterfeit money, and all
they lacked was ink and press.
Craig and Hauck said they would
have nothing to do with it, and started
for the door The stranger said that
they would have something better to
show later and they might change
their minds. He next saw Kingston in
the place where the witness worked.
Craig came in later, and Wetzel show
ed them the bill printed on one side.
Craig said that it was not very good
bill, and they said that it was only a
hand impression and poor ink. Hauck
and Craig again said that they would
not have anything to do with it. Moth
ing was said about showing better
copy The only thing said about $3.50
was by Wetzel in the car, when he
said that he had put in that amount
and could not put in more. He never
had any other talk with Wetzel or
Kingston about counterfeit money. He
next saw Wetzel in front OF the Unger
house in Belding, and said: Hello,
old $40 Pete; how's business?
thought you were millionaire and
didn't suppose you had to work any
more" YES" answered Wetzel, Il
have TO work. Kingston has been
away with the press and the money"
At the first meeting in the car it was
stated that if Craig and Hauck did not
put in money they had somebody else
that would. Witness never said that
he would like to get hold of some Of
the money. Hauck also swore that he
was not with Craig at ball game and
a dance in Greenville. He did say to
Mr.. Burns that he expected to be ar
rested Attorney Mitchell came to
him and said that Kingston wanted
him 20 put up some money TO defend
the Kingstons, and he had seen the
statements in the paper that "a conduc-
tor and two others were tC be arrested.
He did see Wetzel in McGann's saloon
and asked him why he had brought
Hauck into the case. Wetzel said that
he knew that Hauck had nothing to do
with the matter, but he wanted TO do
something to let him out easy, and he
would not be hard on Hauck, but want
ed him to have Ellis and Hubbell ''go
easy" on him.
Assistant District Attorney Newn-
ham opened the talk for the govern
ment Tuesday morning, and made a
strong plea from the side of the prose-
cution. He dwelt upon the fact that
the gang had to have an engraver and
found him in DePree, and found him
at that in a low-down saloon on Sun
day, breaking the law again. If De-
Pree was innocent, the speaker argu-
ed, he would not have allowed himself
to be introduced and known for months
as Jack Morris. y He referred to
Elton as "Jekyll and Hyde" and
about as bad as any one could be.
His intimacy with Packer before and
after the latter's conviction for coun-
terfeiting was argued as showing his
guilt. He dealt some hard blows at
both Craig and Hauck, claiming that
If they are the reputable citizens they
claim to be they were in bad company,
at least. The attempt to prove for
gerry the letter Kingston is said TO have
written Craig the speaker said was un-
tenable.
Attorney Hubbell for Hauck and
Craig, said there was not particle of
evidence to connect the respondents
with the making OF the plate. They
were all completed before Hauck and
Craig were approached. There was
likewise no evidence to show that they
ever had paid u penny of money any
where, at any time. The jury was
asked to convict the respondent upon
the testimony of self-confessed coun-
terfeiters and thieves.
He occupied "A half hour trying to
convince the jury that Craig is good
man. He appealed to the jury not to
take him away from his loving wife
and his darling boy; not to break their
hearts by putting him out of the sun
shine of liberty and into the shadows
Of prospective disgrace.
The other attorneys for the defense
followed and made strong plea for
their clients.