The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-18
quay CONSPIRACY TRIAL.
Expert Accountant GoIdsmttns E''-
dense Damaging 10 Defense.

Expert Accountant Soioe"N"
dense Damaging 10 Dete"e
PHILADELPHIA, April IL = Meyer uo'u-
ninth. the commemorative expert ac-
cotntant was 90 the stand all day ia wv
trial Of senator Quay, making statements
~ sac.e very damaging to the deienonhl
s,as Of the case. Goldsmith is the nam
witness OF the prosecution, and II is
,nro,eh him that all the documentary evil
dence is to be presented. This witness mas
sxsmined the banks books thoroughly,
and he came into court this morning WIN
a number OF typewriter sheets containing
figures that he gathered from the various
hooks relating 10 the deposit OF the st"'e
treasurer and the account of Senator quay
ua swore to the correctness OF his work
and then the district attorney formally
offered the paper in evidence rms ""s
affected to by the defense on the gFounu
tina, such paper is not testimony. II Was
insisted that the books themselves nao
haen nlaced before the witness ana ms
statements uttered from what ne ga" GU
tered in them The Judge decided IN laNvr
of the defense, thus giving that siue 'ns
first piece OF comfort IL mas eNPVi'S N'NN
since the trial begun. -
Although the defense has apparently
gained this point. the paper was pracuVAi-
" in evidence, Witness Goldsmith hslhh
lis coltents IN framing his answers % ne
district attorneys questions Nhen tht
QUAY lawyers objected 10 this, they Were
met BY the Judges explanations that WINE
the paper could not be used as sworn CYL
denes the witness might use II to retre'h
his memory.
One eject Of all this was TO make II
certain that the case Will now so 10 me
Jury there having been some doubt GA inis
point.
Iust before the close of the days pro-
cee6ines there vas another ruling In favor
OF the defendant which may have an I'M
portant bearing on the future NJ the case
The statute OF limitations has been plead
ed time and again by Senator Quays law
yers as q bar TO much az the testimony
presented BY the commonwealth AS Mr.
Quay was indicted on November u, lS9s
two years allowed by the statute for pros
ecution would extend back only % No
vember II, 1896 On this basis Mr. Watson
has frequently urged Judge Biddle 10 eN-
clude mention OF the transactions dating
back TO 1856, when Mr. Quay was state
treasurer, The court has uniformly heir
In effect that the statute OF Limitation
does not affect the evidence, but does af'
feet the crime
The district attorney pointed out that b'
alleges the defendants guilt during lh'
two years the Law confines him to, and Il
prove this the confederation Of the pre-
vious years should certainly be admitted
Judge Biddle decided against the common
wealth aud the Quay lawyers were YER
happy. He ruled that the evidence shout
be confined to the conspiracy alleged an
not relate 10 some other conspiracy, II d
interesting ia note there Was every in
dcation that the judge was inclined /
rule against Mr.. Quay. when Mr.. Watson
who has a suaye, persuasive style got u
and made little speech. similar 10 severa
he had made during the day and hegge
the court to consider the point that ID
prosecution has so far failed TO show
specific conspiracy, dSths should b,
done before II went intps tho, general ques
tion Of conspiracy. ThsWiHdgc took hi
view and ruled accordingly The lawyer
for the defense claim that The decision
practically rules out the hgurcs prior I
November II. 1886
Mr.. Rothermel says is effect will he {
prevent him from introducing much Of Oh
evidence he hoped 10 present
All day long Mr.. Goldsmith read on
figures taken from the bank hooks, en-
bracing the various settlement periods
six months each. dating back to Ootob,
81, 1898, showing the amount OF the sta
deposit. the amount loaned to Senate
Quay during eaca six months. the amour
of interest allowed the state treasurer (,
that portion of the State deposit appli
emily not SGT aside for Senator Quay
use the amount Of interest II any. II
senator paid on his looms, aud the amour
cf money used to purchase stocks for hin
The deposit during he years mentons
ranged from sl2OO,0er TO $500, O0O, Ser
aior Quay's loans were shown IN be 4
great as ss66.ooO in one period of 81
months Occasionally, the witness say
smaller and inadequate payment of interes
by Senator Quay was shown. but general
there was nothing 10 indicate that he pal
for the use OF the banks money.
There is no doubt that nearly all OF III
EXPERTS deductions and figures were oil
tanned from the 'red book, about Will,
so much has been said and against n
Introduction OF which the Quay couns
made such aNebement but unsvailng, OF
lection