The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-04

The prosecution rested yesterday in
the trial of o. S. Deringer, publisher
Of the Saturday evening News, who is
accused of criminal libel by Harvey
D. Cline, and the defense succeeded in
getting in the greater part of it's testi
mOny so that the case will probably go
to the jury this forenoon.
When County Auditor w. d. John
son was called to the stand to tell what
he knew of the grating" as applied
to politics, he gave what was conceded,
at least by the politicians present, to
be a comprehensive and accurate def
milton, even If it cannot be found in
Noah Websters collection of defini-
tons.
"A CRATER" said Auditor Johnson,
sis mean, contemplate cur who goes
about preying upon whomsoever he
may meet, obtaining money from one
candidate for services which he can
not render and has no intention of
rendering, and then goes to the oppo
nent Of the same candidate and gets
more money under the same worthless
representations"
In the alleged lbelous article Derin-
ger insinuated that Cline tried to work
political graft on DR.. Wirth, a can
didate at the primaries for the legisla-
ture in the Fifth precinct Of the Eighth
ward. In his defense he is endeavor-
ing to prove the truth Of the published
article
When the consideration of Cline's
application to the police force, which,
since the first trial of the action
against Deringer has been favorably
acted upon by Mayor Kiefer, entered
the case as evidence, it developed that
there are now two applications instead
of one, as was the case at the former
trial. The original application stated
that Cline had been a resident of ST.
Paul fourteen years. 1t developed,
however, that, as a matter of fact,
Cline had resided continuously in the
city but a little over two years. This
point was urged at the first trial to
show that Cline had made false en-
tries in the blanks, when, as a. matter
of fact, he was not legally qualified to
become member of the police force.
Cline explained that, when he filed in
the words fourteen years." 1t was in
answer to question from County Au-
ditOr Johnson, who was making out
the application for him relative to his
time of residence, and that he thought
that the period of his residence in Min
nesota was meant. The original appli-
cation was dated Aug. 10 and con-
tanned the Endorsement of several
Eighth ward residents.
The second application that came to
light yesterday, it was admitted by
Cline and Auditor Johnson, had been
prepared since the first trial. 1t pur-
ported to be a copy of the original,
save for the number Of years indicat-
ing Clines residence in st. Paul, which
in this application read two years
and four months" An applicant for
appointment On the police force. must
have lived in the city two years. On
the bottom Of the second application
was pasted the names which had been
signed to the original document, hav-
ing been cut off and pasted over the
blank on the second form.
Both Cline and County Auditor John
son testified that, after attention had
been called to the error in the orig
inal application regarding Cline's time
of residence in the city, Mayor Kiefer
had desired that, if Cline was to be
appointed to the force, an application
without error should be on file, and,
consequently, the amended application
was filed.
The other testimony Of Cline and
County Auditor Johnson was practi-.
cally the same as that given at the
first trial.
DR.. Charles Wirth retold the story of
his conversation with Cline, upon
which Deringer alleges the alleged Ii
belous articles were based, relating
how Cline had offered to aid him in
his campaign, but had remarked that