The San Francisco call., 1897-05-13
suit the Marriott libel case slipped along
to the closing hours as if oiled.


to the closing hours as if oiled.
The afternoon saw the delivery OF the
opening argument by Assistant District At
tornev Hinkle. 1t was marked by rather
sensational incident. Hinkle abused court
room courtesy to such an extent as to cast
insinuations on the professional character
of the defendants counsel, which the
lawyer resented indignantly and with
withering contempt
As soon as the court opened in the
morning Mr.. Shortridge made a request
for the hereabouIs OF John Carnage, who
was Hebbard's private detective during
the last campaign. He learned that the
detective had disappeared.
Police Officer Flint, who had attem pied
to serve the subpoena, reported that his
game had "gone to Sacramento" and his
return was matter of doubt. Mr.. Short
ridge thought this rather singular, mas
much as The detective had been in daily
attendance on the trial until the word
went out that he was to be called as a
witness. Hebbard had promised to have
Ganage in court.
do not wish to delay matters, we rest
our case" said Mr.. Shortridge.
1t was now the turn of Judge Hebbard
70 cover himself with glory in rebuttal,
and court and jury prepared for the or
deal. Attorney Kahn held a consultation
with his client and then District Attorney
Hinkle was taken into the deliberations.
Receiver Sheehan and James Aiva Watt
soon joined the circle. but still the ex-
pected did not happen. No intimation oi
the sudden climax that was at hand was
given as Sheehan was asked to take the
stand and pay tribute to his brilliant
record as receiver of the Peoples Home
Savings Bank. Attorney Kahn tried to
make the way easy by asking questions
that covered pretty nearly everything in
the encyclopedia.
First Kahn was for having him tell of
his acquaintance with Marriott and of his
dealings with Percy Golds,one, an adver-
tislng solicitor of the News Letter. Gold
stone had once called upon Sheehan to
solicit write up of some kind or other
and things were progressing very nicely.
Where this line of inquiry would have
stopped Is matter of conjecture had not
Mr.. Shortridge protested against it as
very rem ote from the case. Judge DANGER
field ordered it stricken from the record,
and new start was made.
Kahn had Sheehan relate how courteous
he had been to the depositors, and every
body else for that matter. The details of
his discharge were not touched upon.
Sheehan declared he had turned over
every bit of the banks property to the
directors before he asked for his walking
card, though for some reason he forgot to
recall the protests of Attorneys Spelling
and Bartnett against his release by Judge
Hebbard until he had made proper ac-
counting.
Kahn piloted him safely also around
more rocks. There was the famous chapter
related by Edward Livernash of the
Examiner. who, as attorney for r.
II. Mcdonald, was not allowed to
vote 21O0 shares of stock at the stock
holders meeting of the bank in July,
1894. Livernash had related on the stand
that it was through Sheehan and Watts
manipulations that the stock that had
been tran nsferred to him in behalf of the
depositors was tied up and juggled into
temporary uselessness. Livernash's story
had been one of the sensational incidents
of the case, yet not word did Sheehan
have to say in reference to it. Evidently
it was a bad apple which he decided to
leave severely alone.
The reading of Sheehan's list of assets.
which he turned over to the bank after his
receivership, followed, and Sheehan took
his seat.
Then it was that the announcement
was made by Attorney Kahn that he
''rested his case" much to everybody's
surprise.
Judge Hebbard had declined to take the
stand!
The jury then went to lunch in order to
prepare itself for the arguments of the
lawyers.
Assistant District Attorney Hinkle had
the afternoon 10 himself to explain to
the jury what q vicious thing IL was to
criticize political candidate, and espe-