The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-22
Thought He Saw a Way to Get
Rich in a Hurry.
BUT THEY. DID HIM UP
He Bought Some Freedom Gold Mining
Stock and During the Transaction
Got Very Handsomely
Gold Bricked.


taken till tomorrow to enable the pros
ecution TO procure the attendance of a
| material witness, whose testimony, il
was stated, will close the case for the
government The forenoon was con-
sumed. in a further examination of the
complaining witness, John Woods OF
Joliet, ILL.,. and the examination of his
daughter-in-law, Mrs. Asa Woods. In
the afternoon a number of witnesses
were put on the stand whose testimony
was much more favorable to the de-
PENDANT. very little evidence of dam
aging character being elected from
them.
At the opening Woods again detailed
his transaction with Evans. Fagen-
Bush and the man whose name was
said to be Baldwin, in which they had
apparently worked him for a good
thing"
on cross-examination. conducted by
Attorney Anderson of Denver. Woods
testified that his acquaintance with the
defendant began through correspond
ence. He received letter from the h.
c. w. Evans company informing him
that several blocks of Montana mining
stock were held in his vicinity. the
owners of which We're doubtless una
ware that their stock was appreciating
in value and 1t could probably be
bought cheap and big cleanup made,
which would be divided. if he cared to
go into the deal. Accompanying the
letter was list of current prices of
stock in which Freedom Gold Mining
was listed at 20 to "A cents and Bitter
Root Canal and Development at 10
cents Previous to this he did not
know if Montana stocks were held In
his community. but a few days later
man who introduced himself as c. NJ.
I ian
and said he had 1000 shares of Bitter
Root he wished to sell. Witness agreed
to sell the stock on commission and this
being agreeable, he forwarded the stock
to Evans and drew on him at sight. the
draft being honored and he paid Bush
$3.50, retaining $3.50 as his commits
sion.
Bush subsequently returned and said
he had learned of some other stock,
5000 shares of Freedom Gold Mining,
and the witness instructed him to nego-
tate for a 15-day option till he could
hear from Evans Bush departed and
a day or so later returned saying he
could not get an option but the holder
of the stock would sell for % cents,
which, in view of the quotations, wit
ness had received from Evans, of 10
cents looked like a snap.
Woods and Bush went to Lamont TO
see the holder Of the stock who proved
fact John Bull, we'll known in Butte.
Baldwin would not sell unless the cash
was forthcoming as he desired money
with which to leave the country. Woods
and Bush returned to Joliet, where
Woods paid over the cash, $3.50, for the
stock, which he forwarded 10 Evans
with a draft for Sc 600. Witness admit
ted telling Evans he had paid so cents
for the stock. which Attorney Anderson
construed as a violation of the agree
ment that profits were to be divided and
commented rather sarcastically upon.
The stock and draft were returned to
the witness. Woods subsequently wrote
to Evans saying that to avoid publicity
he would take $3.50 for the stock, but
Evans refused.
Mrs. Asa Woods corroborated her
father-in-law's testimony. but offered
nothing new.
Patrick d. Lynch. a collector for the
Silver Bow National bank, testified 70
being sent to Evans office by Cashier
Harrington. in March, 1896, to learn
the name of Evans Chicago corre-
spondent, and had been informed 1t was
C. Mitchell Fagen- Bush.
George Stevenson Of the First Ma
tional bank. identified drafts that had
been drawn on Evans by Woods,
through his bank.
City Clerk John c. Holland was called
and testified that while connected with
the First National bank in 1885, certain
drafts had been drawn on Evans which,
when presented to him. he professed to
know nothing about and the party had
no authority to draw on him. He iden-
titled the draft. The papers We're
returned TO the source from whence
they came by mail. On cross-exami-
nation the witness stated that he pre-
scented the draft to Evans upon its
arrival at the bank. was informed by
Evans that Woods had no authority to
draw on him. He saw nothing further
he was called in to listen to a CONVEX
sation between Cashier Davis of the
First National concerning the drafts
and witness put his initials on them for
purposes of Identification
w III. Nichols, a stockhroker. who
testified Friday, was recalled and testi-
fled that Evans had told him in 1895
that Freedom Gold Mining stock was
worth so cents.
Lewis 3. Ruhl one of the trustees of
the Freedom Gold Mining company.
a appeared and testified that he consider
ed the stock valuable, but he did not
know Of any stock being sold in Mon
tana at any price. He himself pur-
chased block of stock to keep it from
going on the market.
Attorney NJ l.. Wines was called TO
testify concerning John Bull, whose
name appears in the Indictment as John
Doe bur the evidence he was expected
to give was cut OFF by objection Of the
defense.
George r. Sherman, one of the incor-
poraters of the Freedom Gold Mining
was unable 10 state whether
or not the stock had any value In 1895
or not At the meetings of Tire direc-
tors he attended, which were IN 1891.
there was talk Of selling the treasury
stock for i or % cents. but he never
knew Of an agreement being reached
aud knew Of no sales Of stock He
could not remember whether he had
ever received his stock or NOT
G. L. Wayland postoffica inspector
for Montana and Washington. testified
To knowing John Bull. knew of his hay
ing been arrested under this Indictment
and was present when ne was examined
before a United states commissioner.
who held that he VAS under Indictment
there for attempted murder and could
not be taken from the state.
United States District Attorney Les
lie announced that he would close il
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