The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-22
BEFORE THE JURY
ATTORNEYS PRESENT THEIR ARGU-
MENT IN TIE BEEN CASE.

Argument This Morning For the Do.
fense-District Attorney Lambert Will
Close the Argument-The Case Will
Probably Go to the Jury This Afternoon
at Four O'clocIs-Miss BEEN Was Re-
called to the Witness Stand Yesterday
Morning-UsuaI Large Crowd.
The BEEN case will go to the jury to
day. Like the preceding days the trial
OF Miss BEEN for embezzlement attract
ed another large crowd yesterday This
trial has been the attraction for more
ladies than any other case ever held in
the federal court. Those that attended
the first day have been regular With
one accord the ladies have declared that
Miss BEEN is innocent and with woman
ly logic District Attorney Lambert has
been arraigned by them for the perform
ance Of MS duty in prosecuting the case.
The case has been free from any malici-
Gus remarks upon the part Of the at
iorneys which has assisted materially in
finishing the trial in wonderfully short
time. The evidence was all heard yes
terday and the attorneys began TO ar
que the case. The case will come up
again this morning at 10 o'clock when
either Mr.. z. L. Wise or the Hon j. G.
Waters Of Topeka will address the jury.
When they have finished Mr.. Lambert
will close the argument.
There was never probably a more diff
fcult case 10 decide than the one before
the present jury. 1t seems to be the gem
eral impression Of those who have heard
the case from beginning to end, that
the jury viii be hung and that it will
necessitate another trial. Laying preju-
dice aside and looking at the case from
purely a disinterested standpoint there
are few points that would bother most
any one The government has shown
that in October Miss BEEN had received
advices amounting in round numbers to
the amount of 5000 On the other hand,
sne drew drafts 10 the amount Of up
ward OF $1,000. Miss BEEN claims that
a. this time she had due bills outstand-
ing and that she drew the drafts in or
der 10 pay the orders as they were pre-
scented. The government has establish
ed beyond the question Of a doubt that
ii was not necessary 10 draw the drafts
as the money received and the money
paid out III the money order department
nearly balanced. They have presented
their side OF thefcase in most logical
manner yet they have not proven that
Miss BEEN hypocated any Of the money
that is missing. She was in charge Of
I'D FOL
there were two or three other parties
who had the combination Of the safe and
Miss BEEN did not. There were wit
nessas who testified that Mr. Will Mead
had on more than one occasion counted
the cash after Miss BEEN had left the
office. Also that the safe was frequent
ly open at the time when she left the
cff1ce-at night to go home and that IL
had been open two hours before she ar
rived in the morning. That the office
was conducted in a most shift-shod
manner all acknowledge. This being the
case with those in authority il is not to
be wondered at that the employees did as |
they saw their superiors DO.
Miss BEEN, while on the stand, ans
wered al the questions propounded to |
her in Straightforward manner, MAX |
ing no equivocation and answering with !
ont rcservati ton even though the answer /
might have been evaded and had ii been, |
wodld nave probably strengthened her |
side Of the case. 1t was the wonder |
ment OF all present how she witnssood /
the innumerable questions and the rigor-
Gus cross-examination instituted by Mr. |
Lam bert. While always courteous he /
realized that ne was trying lady for a |
most serious crime. and as she was ac-
cused by The grand jury ne performed |
his duty 10 the commonwealth Every
one who was in the court room at the
time that Miss BEEN was undergoing
the cross-eXamination noted that at 10
time did she display those character
istics which are preceptible in one who
is really gully. Miss BEEN acknowledge
ed many OF the points presented on the
part OF the government and also eX-
planned away many seemingly convict
ing statements which had been brought
out by some Of the witnesses Her
friends were jubilent over the showing
made oy her and well they might be. a.
there IS not one man in a hundred who
could have made such defense as she
did while she was undergoing such
severe questioning as Mr.. Lambert con-
Quoted. The case will undoubtedly go
to tie jury some time this afternoon.
When court was called to order yes
,erday morning there was : the usual
arge crowd present though il did not
crowd the court room as on the preced-
ng days. The ladies out numbered the
gentlemen again yesterday in attend
ince and though al times the trial was
ediouS the spectators waited in the
nope that some sensation would come
With the next word. They were disap-
pointed. however, and when the noon adj
ournment came all were apparently
ylad that the end Of the trial was in
ight.
Miss BEEN was recalled ana she took
he stand. AR c. Vi. Williams. her al
orney, interrogating her.
You made remittances TO Kansas
lily. Please tell the jury how il was
lone" {
BY registered letter. The money vas
o be sent in currency and every number
cries and the denomination Was 70 be
described"
WHAT was your object in sending cur
ency instead OF seniing a draec?"
POSTMASTER Mead was obliged 10 pay
10 the bank for the drafts and
e lad requested me 10 send currency 20
he Kansas City office"
Mr.. Lambert then asked Miss BEEN a !
CIV questions. !
Il will ask you again about the unpaid
lv.ces. VIII you please explain why
gu reported 50 much larger amount o.