The San Francisco call., 1897-07-22
EXPERTS NOT
ENTERT AIMING
A Session That Dragged
Along Wearily in the
Fair Craven Trial.
Keefe, the Printer, Admits He
Is to Be Paid for His
Evidence.
Judge Slack Again Denies the De-
Tense the Right to Test an Rx-
perts Ability.
Il maaadull and listIe,s session, was

II was dull and listess session. was
Yesterdays of the Fair-Craven trial.
Expert testimony never is interesting,
and the kind that consumed this particu-
lar day was less SO than any that had pre-
ceded it. Daniel Keeie, foreman OF the
job-printing groom of the H. S. Crocker
Company, was in the chair from morning
until evening.
During the forenoon session he went
slowly from letter TO letter of the acknowl-
edgment of Mrs. Craven's deeds to the
property claimed by the Fair heirs, pick
ing out flaws in the type and then COM
pairing them with Crocker blanks, with
the view of demonstrating that the blanks
Cooney used were not in existence at the
time the notary saws Senator Fair ap-
peared before him and acknowledged the
deeds. It was tedious and tiring; so much
so that even the crowd of idlers which has
attended the trial so steadiastly since the
beginning shuttied out and lett the court
room practically deserted of all save those
who had to stay.
In the afternoon Keefe elucidated on
the mysterious art of taking proofs" in
a printshop. This task was not so deli
cate but that the office ''deviP' could pro-
duce the required proof quite as well as
the foreman of the place himself.
Now, a proof, according 10 keefe, Is a
rough impression taken from form OF
type before the latter is consigned either
TO the press or the stereotyping room. 1t
Is accom- plished by means of placing a
sheet of dampened paper over the linked
type and then tapping 1t with mallet.
The object OF taking proofs is TO give the
printers an opportunity to search for
errors and, discovering them, make cor
rections before the type or form goes to
the press.
Keefe acknowledged that it was some
what beneath his dignity, considering his
pos ton down al Crocker's, to take proofs,
but Just the same he knew all about the
process of their production. He learned
that when he was kid. Therefore Keefe
did not turn out the particular proof that
was in court, and 10 which the attorneys
for the heirs attach so much importance
as being a link of evidence showing that
the Cooney acknowledgements were bogus.
Keefe confessed that he not only did not
make this proof him self, but did not see
it made. and did not know of his own
knowledge VINO made it. On this showing
Mr.. Delmas objected 10 his evidence, and
the court ruled with him.
Then, in order to get around the diff
Guilty, miniature printing establishment
was brought into court-a form of type,
lUk-rOIlcI, III alleL anu pIdDeT-anO Aee10
was directed by Attorney Mitchell 10 go
through the actual performance of taking
proof He was compelled TO limit him.
self to pantomime, however, for whoever
had provided the printing outfit for him for
got to include the ink. But keefe got
along fairly well without it-well enough
to enlighten the jury on the proof taking
oct.
This over Keefe returned to the en-
nh nd ND daA
TO point out the similarities between the
proof and the Cooney blanks.
On cross-exam m ination by Mr.. Delmas
Keefe said he was not subpenaed to attend
court as an expert. He came at the re-
quest of Mr.. Mitchell. The latter called
at the Crocker establishment last week,
and asked the witness to make a thorough
examination of photographs of the ac.
knowledgments ana the alleged corre-
spending blanks, and prepare himself to
go on the stand.
chow much time did you spend in that
examinatlon?" asked Mr.. Delmas.
''Oh, several evenings and nearly all of
last Sunday"
"And are you to be compensated for
Yes; Mr.. Mitchell said I would be
paid
How much?"
We'll, he didn't say. He simply said
would be paid"
"And you let it 20 at that?"
''Yes, did"
Keefe said he did not know who the
compositor was who set up the form from
which it is alleged the Cooney blanks
were produced. Neither did he know posi-
lively who prepared the sam pie printing
outfit that was brought into court in order
to enable him to illustrate the art of TAX
ing proofs. He had an idea about it,
however. He believed that the outfit was
prepared in the CrocKer establishment,
under the direction OF Superin ndent
Wade. The witness had seen Kytka, the
expert, ana several others Interested ir
the plaintiffs side of the case chasing"
about the shop, he said, and he was un-
der the impression that they had some
thing to do with getting the exhibit
ready.
Mr.. Delmas desired to test Keefes abil-
ity TO distinguish one issue of blanks from
another but the other side objected 30
strenuously that the court decided TO spare
Keefe the ordeal. With this ruling Mr..
Delmas closed the cross-examina tion of
the printing expert. and that individual
was permitted TO leave the stand. This
also closed the days proceedings.