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

l
ming, and might even have been con-
sioered wise, but he wrote letters. He
| knew something of policy, but he over
looked the precedents of history where
In men were destroyed by what they
had written. He forgot the injunction
of the Marquis de Talleyrand, who
knew something of the world and said
that true wisdom consisted in never
writing a letter and never DESTROYING
| ore. 1t escaped his memory that Job
OF ancient times once remarked that
he would be even with his comforters If
they would but write what they said.
Southalt wrote letters that may be
the cause of his undofng. The letters
rose up against him in evidence yes
terday. They were the one black mark
against him in q case that was Subtly
handled and put before the jury in
such a way as to leave some doubt in
their minds as to the actual and per-
sonal guilt of a man who seemed to
| have been protected by powers that
were great, If underlined. Behind ev-
cry question asked by Mr.. Nelson on
| cross-examination there was something
| to convey to the minds of the jurors
the fact that Southall had not been
exposed, though his wrong doing was
known, and In spite of the explanations
made by the army officers that the OK
posure was not made because they
thought that the innocent might be the
better protected by the concealment OF
the evil that had been done. there was
an indefnable impression that perhaps
Southall was not altogether to blame.
The subtlety of the n-z4n was Machia
vellian, If 1t went to the indicated
length of using the forbearance Of the
government officials to promote the
sale of the time checks, and 1t was
made to appear that they had been tol-
Grant 1t was shown that after he
had been found out and had confessed
his guilt he had been permitted to
hold a place in the government build
ing. and that one OF the government Of
hcers had been present at the destruc-
ton of the time checks which he re-
deemed from time to time by the float
ing of others.
AFTER THE GOVERNMENT.
And behind it all was the building up
Of a record which may presently be
used to make the government respon-
sible for the outstanding time checks
issued by Southall. That this latter
was the object OF some of the lawyers
present has been evident from the FIRST
and the knowledge that Southall has
OF the attitude of the government Of
! fcials towards himself made possible
leading inquiries from which theIe e
would be no escape.
HI of -,7a,y Sc &rioT
to show that the fight that will have to
be made in order to convict Southall will
be one in which the winner will gain
glory. The defendant sat behind coun-
sci constantly alert to take advantage
of every opportunity and make the
most of it. The presence in the court
| room of many lawyers Of prominence
was proof that any Of them had more
| than a disinterested professional inter-
| est in the proceedings. Mr.. SouthalPs
personal and social connection was evil
dent in the presence of people without
the railing who know and like him
socially. There were a couple of min
listers in the assemblage, and one high
churchman who has never been known
to show himself in court among the
curious was a greatly interested lis
tener during the afternoon. 1t has been
shown that Southall was generous to
degree; that it was always easy to
go to him and get a hearing for a tale
of woe, and he has many stanch
friends in his hour of trial.
INCRIAIINATING LETTERS.
The only progress made during the
day by the prosecution was in the in
..e5,,o+so- 30 .La fpcrir,4p a t{n0 la+tarS
which had been written and by the
testimony OF witnesses as to the ad-
missions of guilt made by the defend
ant. For the rest, and particularly for
the legal record, there was evidence
introduced that may be valuable for
| the defense. The Introduction Of the
letters affected the imperturbable de-
fendant His face turned an ashy
| gray, though not a muscle quivered
while they were being read. He bit
his lips and occasionally looked about
The court room. He knew that the
letters were In existence. but ne did
not appreciate how far he had gone in
the effort to exculpate himself and
get protection In the first hours of his
discovery.
One of the witnesses against him
was a hard-headed man with army
training who considered evidently that
he was doing his whole duty in as
sisting in the prosecution of the man
who had been in the employ Of the
government and who abused his trust
It was Lieut. Keller. OF the engineer
service.
He is a youthful looking man with a
big prominent nose. a very hard head
not inclined to be the least ratified un-
der any circumstances, and having an
admirable grasp OF the language. He
wears glasses and he used them 10 ad-
vantage in fencing with Mr. Nelson
He was very explicit in his replies to
questions, knew just the value OF what
he had TO say and refused to say it
in any other way than just as he want
ed 1t understood. He was a dangerous
and damaging witness, for he spoke
from the high position OF a man who
considered that the service in which
he is engaged had somehow been
made to suffer In this trouble. His