The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-05
Testimony Resumed.

L.
After some moments, Attorney Whit
temore called A. o. Robertson, cashier
for Wells, Fargo & Co., to have him
testify that the erasures on the note
made the signature look more like the
admitted signatures of Hedges.
That was the end of the government s
case.
Statement of Defense.
In his opening statement, Judge Pow
ers, for the defense, said to the jury:
I'VE shall show you that the note is
bona fde. and shall give the circum-
stances of its signature. We shall show
the transactions of MIR. Stout with the
bank in Ohio, that Charles SteeZ, IT'S
president, a friend of Mr.. Stout, held
his securities, and readily loaned him
money. We shall show that because
of complications with Spain he was not
lending money last year, and, there
fore, refused the $500 in question. We
shall show that there was nothing in
the Sieater business: that Mr.. Stoutts
salary was first 5000. and, because of
poor business of the bank, it was re-
duced to SO. 500, and then to $4,000 per
year; that he released the bank from
salary due him, and that the directors
said the bank would stand morally
bound to pay him when business I'M
proved.
1.-The Tempest matter should have
been charged in the July report, and
Stout believed it was. We shall snow
that he had good reputation here and
before coming here. and we shall go
into the Hedges matter and thoroughly
explain it,"
Defendants Character.
He then offered a number of deposi-
tons to prove Mr.. Stoutt's good char
acter before coming to Utah, to be FOL
lowed by like testimony concerning MS
here.
on Attorney Whittemore's objection,
the court ruled that the testimony was
of a period too remote, and refused 10
have il read, to all of which the at
torneys for the defense excepted. The
witnesses to prove the defendants for
mer good reputation were called:
Judge Merritt, eX-chief justice OF
Utah territory. was the first; he said
that Mr. Stoutt's reputation was good.
Assistant County Attorney Gunter
was asked If he had heard Wightman
cali Mr.. Stout ID old thief and
Id old - and liar at Mr..
store, but the court
would not permit him to answer.
w. T.. D. Barnett said that Hedges
had said to him in the Cullen hotel that
ne did not know whether or not the
note was forged.
C.P. Mason testified to Mr.. Stoutt's
good reputation, as did j. 5. Cameron,
president of the Rapid Transit Street
Railway company.
General Manager W. H. Bancroft or 1
he Oregon Short Line testified like
wise. as did the surveyor general, Judge
Blair.
Josiah Barnett, cashier for McCor-
lick & Cos. bank, said that the sigma
uTe on the famous note was written 4
~ the same person who wrote other
ignatures of Hedges.
Ex-Governor Thomas testified both .
o Stoutt's good character and the gen
iineness Of the signature
Frank L. McGUrrin. formerly court /
eporter, and Elias Smith, cashier for /
he Deseret Savings bank, said the sig
lature was genuine. James z. Jennings,
Who had been cashier of the Utah Com
nercial & Savings bank, testified like
wise.
John Dern, president of the Geyser-
farion Mining company, said Mr..
;toutts reputation was good.
NJ II. Walker of Walker Bros. bank,
AID the defendants reputation was
rood, and that the signature was the
anne as on other Hedges checks.
George W. L. Dorsey, mining man 4
# Utah and banker and ex-member of .
OnRItSS SetlA obOotN -
equation was good, and that the sig /
nature was genuine.
Fred ]. Leonard, eX-city assessor and
county clerk, and E. w. VIII
on both testified to Mr.. Stoutt's good /
equation and the genuineness of the
ignature.
Stout On the Stand.
There was a craning of necks and
agerness shown by every one in the
curt room when Attorney Powers an
bounced that the defendant would be
tut on the stand. Mr.. Stout walked
ID easily, without trace of nervous
ess. He was calm. and his voice was
rm. He made probably the best wit
ess heard so far in the trial. for he
alked to the jurors in a mild, conf
entail manner that seemed to hold
heir attention. In answer to Judge
overs he said:
II am 80 years old and was born in
hio where lived until coming here in
$50. l was in the dry goods business
here and we organized the Utah Ma
onal bank here in June, 1890. l brought
!. 3. Jones with ME and made him
asher. / was president of the bank
ntil l resigned on Oct. Is, 1898.
'"rhe bank first had an account with
H. Hedges in 1892 in connection with
Mercur mine of which he was one of
lree owners. Money was first loaned
, him with Geyser- Marion stock as