The San Francisco call., 1897-09-03
THE END SEEMS
CLOSE AT HAND
The Fair Case May Go to
the Jury in a Very
Few Days.
Judge Slack Has Decided to Put
a Time Limit on the
Closing 0ratory.
Another Session Consumed in Weary
ing Talk About Those Irrepres-
sible Notarial Blanks.

Statements were made to Judge Slack
yesterday, by the attorneys engaged in the
Fair trial, which furnish grounds for the
hope that the Drotracted lltigat ation will
come to an end within the next few days.
Attorney Mitchell proclaimed on be-
half of the plaintiffs side that this FORE
noon would see the close OF the rebuttal,
and Mr.. Delmas added to this the happy
information that the sur-rebuttal would
be blisstully brief. Now if they only keep
their promises.
the arguments which will follow the
close of tie evidence will consume four
days. Ii the attorneys were given their
way these arguments would doubtless go
on for a month or more, but Judge Slack
has announced that he proposes to have
something to say about that matter him.
self. He has notified the opposing sides
that they can have two days each and n O
more.
The session of yesterday was sleepy and
uninteresting. 1t was devoted for the
greater part to hearing what the en-
ployes OF the Crocker stationery establish
ment had 10 say about the manner in
which notarial blanks are made, slowed
away and disposed of down at their store.
L ucu II. DdElOs d printer, was put upon
the STAND as an expert to rebut the evil
dence given fortnight ago for the de-
fense by Printer Woodward. The latter
said that the notariaI blank found in Gen.
eral Dickinson's office early In 1896 was
identical with the blanks which Cooney
used in acknowledging the disputed
deeds. This had the effect of putting a
damper on the plaintiffs claim that the
Cooney blanks were not IN existence at
that time.
Barto, with the aid of one OF Max Gum
pePs spyglasses squinted at all the blanks
and said that Wood ard was off color as
an expert He talked at length about
stone proofs, plaIer proofs, briars, shoot
ing-sticks, quoins and even the print-shop
towel-all, except probably the towel. fur
nishing nothing but awe anu mystery for
the Jury and yawning lobby.
BartO was cross-examined by Delmas
but nobody woke up. The attorney found
that a little. retiring comma, which ap-
peared In the printers proof of one of the
blanks did not show itself in the fms he'd
blank, which Barto had said was Identical
with the proof. An explanation of this
discrepancy was demanded, and Barto
said he guessed that the evasive comma
must have dropped out"
The expert was then excused and that
happily ended the talk about notarial
blanks.
Attorney Mitchell now offered certain
parts of Mrs. Craven's original deposition
in evidence for tie purpose of disputing
some of the defense's testimony regarding
the alleged delivery of the deeds.
According to the deposition, Mrs.
Craven last saw Senator Fair alive at
| noon on the 22d of Dece m Der, 1894 That
was on Saturday. Hennesey, the jani-
tor, who says he got the package contain
ing the deeds from Fair, told on the stand
| that he did not get the package until
after the 22d-at least he said he thoug ht
so-and he was quite sure he did not see
the Senator on the Sabbath.
Herbert Clarke, the millionaire's valet,
was then put on the stand. He testified
that the Senator was taken ill on Satur-
day night, the 23d of Decem Der, and never
left his bed again, dying on the 9th.