Evening star., 1898-12-22
UNDER FALSE PRETENSES
joel Height Arraigned for Obtaining Money
Without Furnishing Equivalent
FOrty-Three Witnesses Summoned
Eight of Them Testify in Sup
port of the Charges.

A lesson was given in Judge Kimballs s
police court today the wisdom of home
people patronizing home industries and
home enterprises. Joel Height, young and
goOd-loOking mulatto, whose hair displayed
long and sedulous attention and whose dan
dified appearance was heightened by a
bright red necktie decorated with hugh
scarfpin with opal setting, was ar
raigned on numerous charges of larceny
Forty-three witnesses had been summoned
by the government. Mr. Mullowney ap-
peared for the United States and Messrs
Frisbie and Hunt for the prisoner
The latter demanded jury trial, and the
jury being impaneled the hearing was pro-
ceeded with.
Eight witnesses of both sexes all colored,
were examined. They testified that Height
had secured from them sums of money
ranging in amount from 81 to s. under the
representation that he would secure them
suits of wearing apparel from the Chicago
WOolen Company" of which he asserted
he the agent
The clothing. according to the testimony
was represented by Height to be worth
actually $40 suit. but would be sold to
his customers at $40 or IS. They gave up
the money, as stated, but none of them
had received the coveted "cloeS."
After the octet had testified to this effect
the defendants attorneys said the test-
mony as far as given would be admitted,
and thereupon Mr.. Mullowney stated that
the governments case was closed.
Mr.. Frisbie, before calling any witnesses
for the defense, claimed that no case of
larceny had been made out, and pro-
ceedng to quote copious authorities in be.
half of his contention. when Judge kimball
interrupted.
That is the common law" remarked his
honor, but there is another laW-the law
which defines the securing of money by
s,ic 1ar inS |
money from you by a trick a scheme l
am guilty of larceny.
Mr.. Frisbie was inclined to argue other
phases of the case. but the recess hour ar
rived. and there was an intermission of
three-quarters of an hour
Defendant TestiHes.
After recess the defendant was put on
the stand and read letter. dated October
% from the American Woclen Mills Com
pany of Chicago, the firm he represented,
announcing that they could not make five
suits of clothes ordered in a letter from
defendant, because the measurements he
had sent were not properly stated. Witness
WeEs to one customer who had ordered one
of the suits and asked to remeasure him,
but the customer, Mr.. Shepherd, barber,
declined. saying he had concluded not to
take the clothes. Witness then told Mr..
Shepherd he would try to get the money
back that had been paid witness by Shep-
herd.
Witness went to explain his relations
with the American Woolen Mills Company
and said it was his custom to get as many
orders as possible and send them to the
company az regular intervals. He presented
Il book of instructions to agents of the COM
pany and had been furnished a rubber
stamp containing his name and address.
Numerous letters and postal cards were
offered in evidence by the defendants coun-
sell which Mr. MullOwny allowed to be ad-
mitted.
The eXamina ton of Height was continued
at great length by his attorneys, and was
still in progress when The Stars report
closed.