The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-19
THE DEFENSE
in QUAY TRIAL
HAS ITS INNINGS.
Accountant Goldsmith has a Hard
Day OF it Under a Fierce
Cross.Examination.
THE NET WORK OF EVIDENCE
Wrought by Prosecution Tending
To Unlawful Use of Money
Very Much Shaken.

PHILADELPHIA, April 1S.-The de-
fense had Its innings to-day in the trial
OF Senator Quay. and 1t made the most
Of its opportunity. Expert Accountant
Meyer Goldsmith, the commemorative
witness. was under scorching fire OF
cross-examinatlon all day. and the re-
suit thereof justifles the opinion that
the net work of evidence wrought by the
prosecution from the books OF the bro
ken bank tending to show Senator
Quay's guilty participation In the un-
lawful use OF the banks money was
very much shaken by the admission the
witness was compelled to make under
the skillful questioning Of Attorney A.
s. L. Shields, admittedly, the best cross
examiner practlcing at the Philadelphia
bar. Nearly all Of the apparently dam
ging entries attached to Senator Quay's
name or account In the bank as testified
to yesterday were explained away. or
greatly modified by the statements of
the commemorative own witness.
Judge Riddles ruling Of yesterday had
the effect OF confining testimony tend
Ing to show the existence OF q .conspira-
cy between Quay, Haywood and Hop
klns. as charged in the Indictment, to
the two years ending November II, 1888,
Lawyer Shields got from the witness the
admission that il Hopkins had properly
credited Senator Quay's account with
amounts that belonged there, the books
would show that at the beginning of the
alleged conspiracy November l7.1S 9S,
1a,, ,1r al
stead Of the senator owing the bank
over $4,000. as Is alleged. Taking up
the allegation that Senator Quay had
borrowed SlS5,000 during the settle
ment PERIOD" ending October 81, 1887,
the last settlement before the bank
closed, Mr.. Shields forced from Gold
smith, piece by piece facts tending 10
show that In nearly every instance the
amounts charged to Senator Quay were
really loans 10 other persons, politicians
mostly for whom Quay endorsed.
Where there was definite. loan to Sem
ator Quay the repayment was clearly
proven. In this connection, 1t might be
well to say that District Attorney Roth,
ermel claims that he has clearly cstab-
lishcd the fact he started out to prove.
namely. that 100000 OF the state deposit
In the bank was set aside for the use
Va SShhhoi Stdus anu W uSeu
himself or loaned 1t to others. is not
material in proving the conspiracy.
Will Try to Prove Quay n Victim.
Toward the close of the days proceed
ings, Mr.. Shields asked Goldsmith
some questions which indicate that the
defense is about to attempt to prove
Its contention that Senator Quay was the
N.icfirr1 nf n o1, ~ .l..
assert, used the name and account of
the senator without the latter's knowl-
edge. to cover his own Juggling with
the banks funds.
Hopkins. they say, appears 10 have
used fictitious names for loans, presum-
ably to himself as well as the name OF
Senator Quay. He had the reputation
OF being heavy speculator In the stock
market, and the inference Is that the
defense will attempt to prove that Sena-
tor Quay had no knowledge OF the al
legged loans on his account.
Mr.. Shields put different complexion
on the entries In the red book" by
compelling the witness to admit that
many of his figures were not proven by
entries in the regular bank books. but
were the result OF what he practically
acknowledged to be his ''guesses" at
the meaning of certain figures written
In the "red book" Goldsmith was still
on the stand when court adjourned for
the day, and the questions put TO him
near the close were full of promises of
interesting developments tomorrow.
Much of the sting was taken out of
the famous "shake the plum tree" tele-
gram by the statement that the pur-
chase Of Metropolitan stock contemplate
ed thereby was made with $4,000 of
Senator Quny's own money. his deposit
at that period exceeding 100000.
While Senator Quay was listening In
tently to the cross-cxamlnation of the
expert. n telegram was thrust into his
hand containing the announcement OF
the break in his ranks at Harrisburg.
The senator carefully adjusted his
glasses and read the dispatch. Then n
half frown came over his features, and
his face turned from the witness to
the court room window. ont of which
he gazed In contcmplative manner
for several minutes He made no COM
mcnt to any Of those seated near him
on the news the telegram conveyed to
him.