The evening times., 1900-02-15

NEW YORK, Feb l5.-John =. Rink and
Edward Collins told remarkable stories
before Judge Fursman in the Criminal
Term Of the supreme Court. when the trial
OF Ernest NJ Welch, D lawyer. charged
with subornaJion of perjury. was resum-
ed. They declared that Welch had coach
ed them as witnesses. tcld them what TO
say, and put them through a severe cross
examination. in order that hey might be
well prepared 10 meet the questions OF op-
posing lawyers.
The prosecution grow out Of a suit for
civil damages. in which Wel,E figured as
attorney. Jacob Loes was run over By one
Of the Everard brewery wJCOas at Fifty
fourth Street and Third Avenue. in 1896
The boys father brought suit and obtained
a verdict for $4,000. N-aIch De,ns MS at
torney. Fink and Edward Collins were
Witnesses in the suit. and Ihay we're ar
rested on charge Of perjury They have
become witnesses FOR the S,3te in the
prosecution OF Welch. on 'he charge Of
suhOrnatiOn of perjury.
When Rink was called to the stand he
said he first became acquainted with
Welch through an advertisement for a
gripmau. He was told by WeIch that he
wanted a gripman to testify TO how soon
a car could De stopped This was in
suits against the Metropolitan Company.
The witness said WeIch finally told him
he could make big money by testifying
to certain things in other cases.
He was told what evidence he was to
give i'm the Everard case. He called
he said at Weich's Office and at his resi-
dence. and was schooled i'm what TO testi-
fy. He admitted that he had several
times been a witness in cases when he
had never been near the scene Of the ac-
cident and which in court he had testi-
fed having witnessed.
Assistant District Attorney Gray asked
Rink IL he had testified in several suits for
the defence. Rink admitted he had Il
| testified. he said, "as an expert mote man
I'm accident cases I had never seen.
You were coached them 'Ye-. we
used TO have dress rehearsals In WcIch's
private Office for several weeks previous
10 the trial. Firs, We were taken 10 the
scene Of the accident and instructed how
to testify on that part OF the case"
There we're other witnesses then -"
Yes; several. We would be placed in
chair in the corner Of the office. just as
If We were occupying the witness chair
One of Felch assistants would examine
us and this would be followed by a rigid
| cross examination by Welch him self We
we're well trained and coached. and We
made excellent Witnesses"
Rink admitted having been arrested On a
| charge Of perjury. but said he had rot
| understood the enormity Of the crime he
| was committing and that as soon as he
| appreciated it he Immediately turned
| States evidence.
Edward Collins. State witness. testI-
! hed that he saw the accident through
! which suit was brought against the Ever
! ard Brewing Company. He appeared in
| the Police Court when the driver was ar
| rested. II was chiefly on his testimony
| that the driver was discharged.
Collins testified that afterward Welch
sent FOR him and had four interviews with
him. He said WsIch offered him $500 if ne
| would testify i'm favor Of the child's side
| Collins said he explained that he had made
| a statement TO the counsel for the brewery
! and therefore could not chang, his story
lie said WeiCh pulled $50 out OF his DO .kei
| and offered IL 10 him. telling him TO go 10
| the lawyers and get the statement and
| tear on the signature Collins said he
| would not do that but he did muster up
| courage enough 10 testify at the trial lie
| admitted he had perjured himself for the
prosecution. and he said he had spent nine
months in prison.
Collins testified thar We.ch had s.hooIed
! all OF them. lie said he was told to swear
he saw Rink at the scene OF the accident