The record-union., 1899-04-11

the experts will come in. Three OF
them-Daniel T. Ames, Carl Edsen-
schimmel and T. Kytka have been
here week preparing Photographic ex-
hibits and noting the characteristics OF
Williams penmanship.
In the line of defense it is also in
tended to be shown that the note held
! by Mrs. Murdock first came to light IN
1888, about a year prior to the death
/ OF its alleged signer, when San iran
cisco man named Megginson tried to
sell it to Senator Stewart OF Nevada
! Megginson claimed That Mrs. Murdock
/ had told him she had an uncle who was
very rich and about to die, and that
the note would be payable on its nlatur-
ity from his estate. which was more
than ample to meet its demand The
i Senator wanted an explanation as to
the value received" mentioned in the
note and Megginson was unable to give
it. II the consideration was valid. the
! Senator said he would cheerfully buy
+. the note for the price asked, S3.OOO IN
/ cash, but he must be satisfied on that
point AS a result of this interview
| Mrs. Murdoch went to Nevada and saw
| Senator Stewart who in the presence
of his attorney, asked her what the con-
sfderation for the note had been. She
replied that her uncle" desired that
she should inherit all his riches, but
did not want to mention that fact in
his will, so he gave her the note in
stead of making her his sole legatee.
The attorney opined that such a con-
sideration was absolutely void and the
negotiation was declared off right there.
| After that it is claimed, Megginson
took the note to Toledo, o., and there
| tried to dispose of it to his brother, a
wealthy man. 1t had been indorsed by
Mrs. Murdock, and the Ohio Megginson
advanced $500 on it, pending his inves
! tigation of its validity AS a result of
his inquiries he indorsed it back TO Mrs.
Murdock and it bears both indorse-
ments now
| 1t is the evident theory of the defense
that the note is the outcome of
scheme concoCted by Megginson and
Mrs. Murdoch to raise money by selling
it, and that, failing in that object, they
deemed it safer to assert it's genuine
ness than to destroy it, because its ex
istence had become known to several
people who might prove troublesome if
| they suspected forgery. So it was pre-
sented for collection to the executors,
and when they repudiated it Meggin-
son became scared and fed the coun-
try. Attorneys for the estate say that
he cannot be found.
| Attorney Lusk states that an intima-
tion of the note being in existence came
! to him while William Murdock was
nigh to death, and that he asked Ire
Old man if he had ever signed such an
obligation The answer was a. flat neg
ative. supplemented with a desire that
the claim be protested by the heirs
| Mrs. Murdoch is not mentioned in
Williams will, but her husband was
| bequeathed $1,000. The remainder of
the big estate, consisting of lands. live
stock, bonds, stocks and cash, was di-
vided in varying proportions between
| Mary Compton, sister Of the deceased,
who lives near Chico, and her children,
| Adam, Henry, Ira, Mary and Lizzie;
| GAVIN Murdock, brother of the de-
| ceased, of Lake County, and his three
children; Hanse Murdock. another
brother, and GAVIN Murdock, a cousin
of deceased.
READY FOR THE FRAY.
Taking everything into consideration,
| it appears remarkable that an impair.
tial and intelligent jury to try this case
was impaneled within a week. Every
man in the county knew the Murdocks,
or some of them, and for five years the
note has been standard topic for the
gossips. The case in all it's bearings
has been discussed in general merchan-
disc stores and sewing circles and at
church sociableS and district reunions
and other places where men or women
lcongregated and every man capab of
forming an opinion was believed to be
harboring one. 1t was with this belief
that Sheriff Stanton had hundred
taleSmen on hand when the case was
called, and was ready to produce a
hundred more when the first batch was
excused. Superior Judge Pirkey had
made arrangements to spend the sum-
mer, if necessary, in securing twelve
good men and true, and the contending
attorneys were prepared to talk each
|other into imbecility before they would
yield point of possible vantage in that
jury box. Yet before forty of the first
venire had been examined the panel
was completed. In weeks time twelve
men were found who could read and
write, understand the nature Of an
oath and respected it, and had consid-
cred the Murdock note case without
forming an opinion anent if that could
not be nullified by the testimony of
witnesses, the pleadings of counsel and
the courts instructions.
They will have no easy time of it,
these marvels of conscientious citizen
ship. Their latent prejudices will be
appe aled to and their emotions played
upon like SO many violins in the hands
of virtuosos. Not one of them is a rich
man. and they will frequently be re-
minded that this is a case wherein a
con paratively poor woman-a woman.
mind you, gentlemen who We're born of
won. an-is seeking her rights from a
crowd of capitalists. On the other
hand, every one Of the jurymen has a
little property, and he will be told with
emphasis and at brief intervals that if
the preposterous claim = putting it
milGly-of this plaintiff is upheld by his
vote, he cannot consistently expect his
own last will and testament to be pro-
tected by the law which he has out
ragged.
The defense is ef.camped for a pro-
tracted siege. Grove l.. Johnson, how
ever, is responsible for the assertion
that the fight will be over within
couple of weeks. His first witness, he
declares. will sweep the wind complete
ly out of the enemys sails and leave
their case a helpless wreck. General
Barnes and his confreres say nothing
about what their collective sleeve con-
tains, but their corps of. photographers |
and handwriting sharpS are kept stead |
lily at work.