The Saint Paul globe., 1898-03-23

IF there is pine thief In the state
Of Minnesota. the state auditor is the
thief" quoted Attorney Durment in the
Paradis criminal libel suit yesterday.
reading from the Midway News Of
Nov. 20, 1897.
Now, Mr. Paradis, what did you
intend to convey when you wrote that
in your paper? What did you mean
by pine thief?'"
From the use Of the term pine
thief" replied Mr.. Paradis, who was
stand, II have never understood that
1t meant that a man has actually
stolen pine. The term pine thief
have always understood to mean, Is a
combination Of contractors and state
officials, and by means Of low apprais-
ais and underscaling the state has not
received all that was due 1t for it's pine
timber. l did not mean that Mr.. Dunn
was thief. l did not believe he was
thief awhen l wrote that article, and
l don't believe now that he is a thief.
l don't believe he was ever a thief
And that is what you understand
is meant by the term pine thief?' -
asked Mr.. Durment.
Yes, sir" replied Mr.. Parad.s.
Il don't believe the witness could re-
peat that definition" remarked Pierce
Butler.
The making of this statement by
the defendant seemed to surprise every
one In court except his attorney, and
was the feature of the trial yesterday.
From the time court opened until after
o'clock, Mr.. Durment had occupied
the time reading editorials and other
articles from copies Of the Princeton
Union, issued in 1898, and, while no one
went to sleep during the infiiction, 1t
was not from want of inclination to do
SO. After O'Clock in the afternoon
however, the direct examination of Mr..
Paradis was resumed and he was asked
to state what inquiries he had made
relative to the sale of state pine on
Oct. 21, 1897, prior to its date, to justly
his attack on the state auditor
II called on Mr.. Dunn at his office
and asked for copy of the list of
lands to be offered and he said the list
was not completed. Mr.. Dunn asked
IL he should send me copy through
my blind-pig FRIEND and I told him
1t would probably reach me in that
way. But as he told me the list would
be published in a st. Paul newspaper
1 said that 1 would see it there and he
need not send it,
Did you make any other inquiries 2"
asked Mr.. Durment.
Yes, 1 saw State Treasurer Koer-
ner, who is a member of the state tim
ber commission, and asked him about
the sale. He said he knew very little
about 1t. They bring me the papers
to sign, and I sign them he said.
and that is all 1 know about it,
spoke with Mr.. Koerner at the door
Of the Merriam Park drug store, but
have spoken with him on the same sub
ject score of times inside that store"
Being questioned further as to his
state of mind when he wrote the al
1orr hal I
to convey, Mr.. Paradis said he held
the opinion that the pine sale was held
because Of the demands of lumbermen,
and also that it was thought advisa BILE
to sell pine on lands surrounded by old
cuttings in order to protect it from
waste. He also said he had asked
State Senator H. F. Stevens to explain
the law regarding the sale of state pine
The witness was then asked what he
meant by combination" and as Mr.
Butler objected to the question an
argument ensued as to the advisability
Of the answer, Mr.. Durment being ac-
cused Of leading the witness. The
states attorney tried to pin the wit
ness down to statement that such a
combination as described was neces-
sarily corrupt, but the witness declined
to commit himself to that extent. The
objection to the question was sustain
ed.
Now what did you mean when you
wrote that Bob Dunn was playing
crooked?'" asked Mr.. Durnent
II meant that Mr.. Dunn was now
throwing large amounts of the states
pine on the market, and that previous
ly his policy had been that it was to
the best interests of the state to hold
back the pine from sale and not to
offer it for sale.''
you meant that 1t was reversal
Of his former policy" suggested Mr..
Durment.
Mr.. Butler objected to this as being
a leading question, but it was asked
in another way and answered in the
affirmative by the witness.
Court then adjourned to this morning
at 10 o'clock. 1t is expected that the
proceedings will be livelier today as
the cross examination of Mr.. Paradis
will be reached, and 1t is possible the
case will go to the jury this evening.