The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-28
BAD DAY FOR DEFENSE.
Witness KnceIand's Testimony in
Haskell Libel Suit Doesn't Please

Haskell Libel Suit Doesn't Please
Jackson.
In the case of the state against w. E.
Haskell yesterday morning, Witness Knee
land was on the stand in direct examination,
Mr.. Flannery seeking to show the condit on
of West Pullman at about the time the bond
sale was made. The witness was asked re-
garding the letter about the releases, which
Mr.. Jackson had made much of, arguing
to the jury that the trust company had re-
fused to accept payment from lot holders
who were anxious to pay. Mr.. Jackson OBJ
jected, and, though his various objections
were not sustained, he kept up the argu-
ment for some time in effort to keep the
matter from the jury.
Il think the evidence is MATERIAL said
the court, and this opened the danger line
for the key to the situation of the defense,
for the lot release business had been Mr..
Jackson's trump card all the way through.
The witness explained that there were a
number Of factories in operation for which
land had been donated by the association,
but they had been so hard up that they could
not raise the money to secure releases to
give the factories and thus live up to the
contract with the factories. He told Hambl n
Of this fact in Chicago and they had ar
ranged to have a letter written to show the
proprietors of the factories, and the letter
served the purpose, for it prevented the pro-
prietors from beginning any legal proceed
ings and showed that the association was
making an effort to arrange the matter
Further details of the deal, largely as told
by other witnesses, were given. Then Mr..
Jackson took the witness for cross exam ma
ton
The witness admitted that he had refused
to appear to give testimony at Chicago when
subpOenaed. The state had sent after him,
and he had refused to come until the latter
part Of the week, when he discovered that
the defense were casting reflections upon the
West Pullman association and its officers, and
then he decided to come himself without
any solicitation.
4 statement made to the Dunn commercial
agency, was shown the witness and he ad-
mitted having made it SO far as the figures
were concerned, and he believed them to be
true they were taken from the association
ledger. portion Of it that he did not make
he struck out with the consent of the de-
Tense. The report was dated Jan. 3, 1885. It
was offered in evidence with no objections,
showing a credit balance of $733, 925 There
were 800 lots unsold, at sale price of
been sold for. This report was secured by
the Minneapolis Trust company when 1t made
its investigations Of the standing Of the
company.
The witness exploded another Of Mr.. Jack
sons theories. He had claimed that there
were $500 lots subject to the mortgage, but
the explanation was that under the terms
OF the mortgage, 1t was necessary to release
ten acres at once, and so when they wanted
to release one lot only, a whole ten-acre tract
had to be released. That necessarily released
q large number Of lots that were not even
sold
1T was the clause that worked US ruin, ~
said the witness.
lie WPtlISSs was d5heu regarding the most
valuable plants, that of the Plano manufac-
turing company, and said 1t was not subject
to the second mortgage.
How do you arrive at that?" asked Mr..
Jackson.
Because they were too good business men
TO put SO large an amount Of money into a
building when the property was incumbered, -
was the reply.
In response to Mr.. Jacksons question re-
garding the releases demanded the witness
explained that some lot holders had paid in
money and wanted releases, but the system
of doing business did not fix any payment OF
paid the association the money and held II
responsible for the releases. The company
was in great need at that time, and could af-
ford no money for release purchases
Regarding the 10-cent sale the witness as
serted that he thought he became aware of II
In the early part of February. He admitted
that the West Pullman association had been
able to buy the first mortgage and the spe-
cial assessments they could have done better
than thye did under the new mortgage plan
but they had not the money.
Mr.. Jackson went over the list of stock
holders and asked If there were not plenty Of
and who could easily have shouldered heavy
responsibility. He denied that there were
and said that he himself was not strong fnan
cially.
You were able to buy some of those bonds
yourself?"
81 did so, by borrowing money and putting
up tn bonds collateral, and subsequently,
lost them ALL replied the witness. ''If ii
had been possible for us to have raised the
money to follow out the proposition that YOU
propose the shares that l held in the asso-