The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-17

lent Another letter was from Mai.
Sears, written in February Of this year,
who made inquiry on behalf of a Du-
luth banker. who proposed to invest.
The major was Informed that there
were no checks out that were not
fraudulent.
The witness was very calm, very
cool. and answered in g most convinc-
ing way. He amplified every categori-
cal answer and his manner and Ian
guage left no sort of doubt as to what
he meant.
do you mean to tell US that your
office had no knowledge of this time
check business prior to your coming
to ST. Paul?"
mo, I do not"
When did you have such knowledge
frst?"
well, we had some suspicion of
something wrong in November, 1896.
We found later that the information
was based only on suspicion, which
proved to be correct"
Did you make any arrangement
when you were here in April, 1897, TO
allow Southall to retain q desk in the
government Officer"
well, / believe that some arrange
ment was made so that we could have
Southall in sight and under our con-
troll. as we desired to see these obligs-
tions taken up
How long did he stay in the Office %
About five months"
Why did he leave then?"
sOUTHALL FIRED OUT.
I'VE thought that we could just as
well control Southall on the outside,
and about October 1897, Mr.. Du Shane,
acting under orders from Col. King,
told Southall to remove his desk"
Did you in April. 1897, or at any
other time say anything as 10 the
validity Of this paper?'
i don't think 1 did. il was granted
that IL was all fraudulent"
Did you state TO Southall that any
one who took the paper ought TO know
II was fraudulent"
Il believe / did"
ANOTHER GOVERNMENT CLERK.
That's ALL" said Mr. Nelson.
That's all. lieutenant" added Mr.
Anderson, and then he called "Comy-
ges." and gentleman with very gray
chin whiskers and mustache came for
ward and gave his full name as
Cornelius Comyges.
The witness said he was chief clerk
Of the United States engineers Office at
Rock Island. covering the district in
which St Paul is located He had
charge OF all the records OF his office
and the pay rolls. He knew SOuthall
since 1884.
Have you examined the pay rolls
OF your department for June, 1872
Il have"
He was then asked If he had COM
pared the pay rolls with the list of
names on the time checks and whether
the names on the alleged bogus checks
were those of men on the pay rolls.
He said no before the objection could
be gotten in. but there was some con-
tention. Mr. Nelson got what he want
ed by asking the witness whether the
pay roll contained any names other
than those who were paid for work
done The witness answered no and
Mr. Nelson made 1t clear to the court
and jury that men who had received
only promises for their work could not
we'll be on the pay rolls. After a
Wrangle the pay rolls We're produced
AZ the best evidence. and the evidence
got In. form Of time check used in
1898 was put in evidence, but the de-
Tense treated it as immaterial.
MAI. DU SHANE CALLED.
]. d. Du Shane. Vandyked as to
beard and mil tary IN bearing. was call
ed TO the stand. He said he was as
sistant engineer Of the district and that
SouthaH worked under him in the en-
gineer's office until April. 1897.
What sort OF work did he do?''
oh making out vouchers and
forms"
who paid the men employed by the
government In your district
Il did, myself, or somebody directed
by me-"
Did Southall have anything to do
with paying the men?"
He did not"
The witness was asked II he was
present at the first conversation be-
tween SCuthall and Keller but was
present at the second meeting. He was
asked TO give the conversation between
Keller and Southall
The Witness-WelI, Southall admitted
his guilt
Object
The objection was good. but the wit
ness could not remember the exact
CONVEX satiOn. He said that while South
all was in the Office still he was pres
ent when the defendant destroyed some
OF the redeemed time checks. All OF
the questions as 10 the checks destroy
ed were objected to, and the objection
cVerruled.
HOW much would the destroyed
checks represent"
About $25. 900 or $40 600"
Are there any other man employed
on the river between here and Winona
except those paid through your office ?'
Were there any time checks issued
by your office In 1872
No"
When were the last time checks is
SUEDE"
I'm 1892"
DO YOU know whether all the men
were paid promptly in 1872"
They were"
Was there any work being done in
your district in 1872"
Some work was done on informal
contract. The men working on these
contracts are not paid by the govern
ment."
DESTRUCTION OF CHECKS.
The witness said that as the time
checks were destroyed by himself and
S9uthau he sent a list OF those de-
suoyed TO Lieut.. Keller The destruc-
ton OF the checks under his supervision
continued until January or February
% this year
Mr.. Nelson took the witness. Like the
preceding witnesses for the state. Mr..
Du Shane took an ANTAGONISTS attltud
on the first question and from being
a0ahly communicative ne became
sharply concise and limited in his
answers. The first question OF i'm
l,crt ance vas:
How long did ycu know OF these
tiUe checks prior 10 the time you COM
muricated with Col King?"
About four days"
Where did you get your Informal
tion?"
Prom 4. O. C0wan."
Who is hep"
An engineer In the army. lie had