The San Francisco call., 1897-01-29
FORMS Of BLANKS
USED BY COONEY
Lees Succeeds in Introduc-
ing a Big Batch of
Deeds.
The Notary's Name Appears in
Print on All of the Ac-
know edgments.
Detectives Assert That Only in the
Craven Documents Wa, the
Croker Cert ficate Used.

The prosecution in the Cooney case
scored a point Yesterday, when it was
opened for the introduction of some forty
documents acknowledged by Cooney.
which the detectives have gathered dur
ing the past four months. These docu-
ments were dragged into court to prove
that the young notary was in the habit of
using a notarlal form with his printed
name, instead of the general acknowledge
ments on the printed deeds.
These papers and deeds cover the period
| between August, 1893. and December, 1894.
They have been gathered from the four
corners of the State, and if of no relevancy
in the case, as Cooney's attorneys con-
tend, are at least evidence that the police
have bestirred themselves TO a consider
able extent in making the collection.
These instruments include two made on
the day preceding the date of the pencil
deeds, while one of them, a conveyance
by Joseph EnrIght of some property in
the Mission to his wife, was acknowledged
on the same day as the forms of the deeds
would seem to have been signed. Now,
in the case of the Enright deed Cooney
used blank about the size and shape of
printed on it.
In the majority OF the Acknowledgements
attac he'd to the batch of instruments
brought in by Lees and the District Attor-
ney this particular form of blank was
used. In the remainder form somewhat
! larger in size was adopted. Cooney's
name, however, appears on it in type,
and 1t was this very fact that caused the
District Attorney to drag the documents
into court. Arguing by inference the
logic of the prosecution ran in this wise:
On all deeds, with the exception of the
documents of Mrs. Craven, Cooney used
notarial blank with his name printed on
it. Ergo, is this not strange and pecu-
liar array o. factsP
The fact that they have deeds bearing a
date later than that of the pencil will that
Cooney acknowledged with forms contain
ing his printed name the detectives cite
as proof that he was not out of that par
ticular style of blanks on SEPTEMBER %,
1894. They would go step farther and
say that Cooney never used the general
form of blanks on the Craven deeds in the
course of his regular business. They say
they have ransacked the State, from
Shasta TO Indio and can find no deeds or
other documents acknowledged by Cooney
with a general notarial blank. This
might or might not be SO. but the defen-
dant maintained it could be of no earthly
significance in his case.
What more natural, asked Reddy, than
that Cooney used two sets of blanks, as is
the custom of every notary, and that
when James G. Fair called on him TO
have the pencil deeds witnessed the
notarial form that was first at hand
was used? Cooney had admitted, said
Reddy, that he had blanks with his name
printed upon them.
District Attorney Hosmer was tooth
and nail for getting the result of the
detectives work in the way of collecting
Cooney Acknowledgements into court and
have them duly scheduled as "exhibits'
or something else in the famous case. 1t
was a theory of the prosecution, argued
Hosmer, that Cooney never used such
blanks as appear on the pencil deeds, but
was accustomed to use what is known as
an individual form.
Attorney Reddy came back with his
famous metaphor of the beefsteak and the
turkey. Because Cooney had blanks with
his name printed apon them was no
reason why he had not the general form
of acknowledgment. Because he was in
the habit of using the individual form in
some instances was no proof that he did
not also at times use the other form. On
these lines the opposing attorneys fought
it out, with result that Magistrate Cook
finally allowed the documents to come
into court for what they were worth"
1t took Detective Seymour half a day to
formally identity each deed or instrument
as they were presented to him. They
were from all parts of the State, and
when finally piled up in court made
formidable array of real estate exhibits.
The Enright deeds had first place, prob