The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-19
Expert Meyer GOldsmith'S Testimony is
Shaken by DISCRIMINATION.
SHIELDS sKILLFUL QUESTIONING
Compelled Witness to admit much of
His Evidence was Only His Opin-
ion as to Entries in the
Red Book"

Phfiadelphia, April lS-1ne uelehse h't
its INNINGS today in the trial of Senator
Quay, and it made the most of its oppor-
tunity Expert Accountant Meyer Gold
smith, the commemorative witness, was
uader soorching fire of cross-examination
all day, and the result of it justifes the
opinion that the network of evidence
wrought by the prosecution from the books
OF. the broken bank tending to show Sena-
tor Quays guilty participation In the un-
lawful use of the banks money was very
much shaken by the admissions the wit
ness was compelled to make under the
skillful Questioning of Attorney Shields, adj
niittedly the best cross-examiner practicing
in the Philadelphia bar
Nearly all apparently damaging entries
attached to Senator Quay's name or ac-
count in the bank testified to yesterday
were explained away or greatly modified by
statements Of the witness. Judge Bidde s
ruling of yesterday had the effect of con-
flrming testimony tending to show the ex-
istence of a conspiracy between Quay,
Haywood and Hopkins, as charged in the
indictment, to the two years ending No
vember IL, 1898.
Owed only $236.
Lawyer Shields got from the witness the
admission that ii 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 II, 1885, the
senator owed the bank only 1926, instead of
over $4,000, as is alleged.
Taking up the allegation that Senator
Quay had borrowed $1s5,O0O during the
u COZ
the last settlement before the bank closed
Mr.. Shields forced from Goldsmith piece by
piece, facts tending to show in nearly in
stance the amounts charged to Senator
Quay Were really loans to others, politi-
clans mostly, for whom Quay ipdorsed
Where there was a definite l5an to Quay
the repayment was clearly proven In this
connection it might be well to say that
District Attorney Rothermel claims that he
has clearly established the fact he started
out to prove, namely, that the 5000, 900 of
the state deposit in the bank was set aside
for the use of Senator Quay, and whether
he used it himself or loaned it to others Is
not material in proving the conspiracy
Toward the close of the days proceedings
Mr.. Shields asked Goldsmith some questions
which indicate that the defense is about
to attempt to prove its contention that
Senator Quay was the victim of Cashier
Hopkins, who, they assert, used the name
and account of the senator without the
latter's knowledge to cover his own Juggling
with the banks funds.
Used Fictitious Names.
Hopkins, they say, appears to have issued
fictitious names for loans, presumably to
himself as well as the name of Senator
Quay. He had the reputation of being a
heavy Spectator in stocks, and the infer
enee is that the defense will attempt TO
prove that Senator Quay had no knowledge
whatever of the alleged loans on his ac-
count.
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 te
his guesses at the meaning of certain un-
ineligible words written in the red Look.
Goldsmith was still on the stand when
court adjourned for the day and tho ques-
lons put to him near the close were full
of promise of Interesting developments to-
morrow.
Much of the sting was taken out of the
"shake plum tree" telegram by the state
ment that the purchase of of Metropolitan
stock contemplated thereby was made with
$40, 900 of Quay's own money, his deposit at
that time exceeding $4,000.
While Senator Quay was listening in
tently a the crosS-eXamination of the eX-
pert a telegram was thrust into his hand
containing information OF the break in his
ranks at Harrisburg. The senator care
fully adjusted his glasses and read it.
iAen half frown came over his face
and he turned to the window on the OPP
posite side of the court room, out of which
he gazed for some time. He had no COM