The sun., 1898-12-14
KENNEY'S STATEMENTS FALSE

NVvVAhAlCuO 0AlOW0 1sCCCAvCN
E Retainer From Bay State Gas
"A Company--.stirring Scene
as the Case Drew to
Close.
All that remains in the case Of the
4 United States against Richard K. Kenney
is the argument of counsel and the
charge to the jury.
The last hour OF taking testimony
bristled with sensational features. Lew
D. Bird, of counsel for the defense, in.
ulted the Court and disgraced himself
pd offered an insult to District Attorney
" andegrift. !.
Aside from this startling occurrence
# he Government produced undeniable
s Documentary evidence which showed
hat Senator Kenney had testified falsely
hen he said in giving mis- story that he
ad never received q retainer from the
& Day State Gas Company, of Delaware,
~ br legal services rendered.
XII District Attorney Vandegrift sprung
I bis evidence in the way Of surprise ia
7 he defense. Its startling disclosure that
Kenney had fslsified his statements on
he witness stand, proved such fatal
blow to Senator Kenney's defense that
one of his counsel, Mr.. Bird, became
angry, lost his self-control and entered
bn a TRADE of abuse directed to Mr..
yandegrift and finally eliminated in an
Insulting remark 10 the Court.
In his testimony given on Friday Sen.
ator Kenney said that he never received
4 from the Bay State Gas Company oil
! Delaware retainer for legal services rem.
dered.
During the calling of Government
vandegrift called to the stand Mr.. Viii.
liam H. Miller, treasurer Of the Bay
State Gas Company. In reply to Mr..
Vandegrift's question Mr.. Miller pro-
duced voucher OF the Bay State Gas
Company.
He handed it to Mr.. Vandegrift, who,
by the witness showed it to be bill
rendered by Richard II. Kenney to the
Bay State Gas Company for legal SER
4 ICES. Attached to the bill was the re-
Il ,ceipt, signed by Richard r. Kenney on
Nly1, 1896, for 800 shares of the Bay
State Gas stock, amounting in all to
5000. The bill made out by Mr.. Ken
ney stated that the period over which
his services extended was one year.
The bill was marked approved by the
executive committee of the company.
The voucher was admitted in evidence.
In view of the fact that Senator Ken
ney had stated in his testimony under
oath that he had never been counsel for
the Bay State Gas Company and had
never received retainer from the CON-
pany, this evidence created quite stir
in the court room.
In answer to the damaging document,
Mr.. Kenney went on the stand and Mr..
Bird asked him to explain of what the
! legal services which his bill rendered the
Bay State Gas Company, consisted.
District Attorney Vandegrift there
\ with objected and 1t was at this point
that Mr.. Bird created the scene in court.
Mr.. Vandegrift held that the bill and
receipt for the retainer from the COM
pany made out and signed by Mr.. Ken
ir,ey himself needed no explanation.
That it was utterly impossible for Mr..
Kenney to contradict the document, and
it was evidently for that purpose that he
was placed on the stand.
Levi G. Bird then arose and demanded
that he be given the right to ask Mr..
Kenney the question. Mr.. Bird said
the legal services had been rendered the
president Of the Bay State Gas Company.
"The objection to this question said
Mr.. Bird, sis the baldest attempt on the
part Of this man (meaning Mr.. Vande-
gritty to misrepresent man, that ever
"What do you mean?'s asked Mr..
Vsndegrift of Mr.. Bird.
II mean you," replied Mr.. Bird, ''you
yourself know that in representing that
the legal services were rendered this
company, you are not representing what
is true. You know that it was other
wise" E
With this insulting remark, Mr.. Bird,
red in the face and glaring wildly, sat
Gown.
District Attorney Vandegr;ft with the
GOODNESS and deliberation which char
acterizes the man, arose and addressing
the Court, said:
III the Court please, this gentleman
(meaning Bird) and / hope always to be
6Ulc W bpCly UuoV oPPo"ssS w ''SASt
has accused me of trying to niisrepresent
the defendant in this case. The bill and
receipt given by Mr.. Kenney OF which |
knew nothing until yesterday. / have
produced here to contradict the state
ment made by Mr.. Kenney that he never
received retainer from the Bay State
Gas Company for legal services. I knew
nothing of which the counsel says,
only knew that what the document Ger.
tifes.
II am not aware that the legal services
were not rendered to the company, and
vet one of the counsel for this defendant
has the temerity to say that know that
which I have produced as evidence
against the defendant is otherwise. Let
me saw that have been fair and honest
IN this case. have no interest in the
decision of the jury. am here to do
my duty and my duty avill be done. -
At the close OF Mr.. Vandegrift's re.
marks there was stir in the large crowd
present and muffled applause, such as
stamping of feet and clapping of hands
AA-cnAnc;cr m syrnxu 1oudar Onov fnr tho