The true northerner., 1900-03-28
TRIAL OF GEN. MARSH.
Progress of the Case Against the In
dicted Ex-OhiciaI-Gov. PIN
gree a Witness.


general, for alleged completely in the
state military clothing frauds. Two
deputy attorney generals swore to
communications between the indicted
ex-officer and the attorney generals
Office, in reference TO disposal of the
clothing in question. Witnesses testi-
fled that the now indicted military
officers did not follow the attorney
generals advice, which was to turn
over such clothing as the state mil
itary board desired to dispose of to
the board of state auditors. Records
of The military boards proceedings
were introduced in evidence.
Adjt. Gen. Case testified as to the
authenticity of the record of the
boards meeting, held in Grand Rap
ids, at which it was voted to trans
act the alleged fraudulent clothing
deal. Gen. Case stated that he was
not present at said meeting, and
knew nothing of the deal in question
until several weeks later.
Gov. Pingree was sworn as wit
ness and letter, which had not hith-
erto figured in the case, was pro-
duced in evidence. 1t was signed by
the governor and addressed to Quar-
termaster General White, directing
White to enter two contracts for
equipping the national guard and to
advertise for bids. Gov. Pingree said the
letter was genuine. He could not re-
member the circumstances under
which il was written. nor could he
remember anything about it, nor re-
call that anyone ever asked him &c
sign the letter. He said, however, that
he would sign such letter to-day il
the quartermaster general asked him
to. He did not know that such guam
tity of clothing was on hand, nor that
the board contemplated purchasing
100000 worth of goods. The prose
cutor produced letter head of the
Detroit corporation counsefs Office,
which is the Office in which Col. SUIT
ton, one of the indicted men, is en-
ployed, and had the governor compare
it with the paper on which the order
TO White was written. The paper ap-
having been torn from the order. The
governor stated that he never dreamed
that any improper use was TO be
made of the money received from the
sale of state clothing, and Judge Ca
hill stated on behalf of the prosecu.
tion that no one ever entertained the
slightest idea that the governor had
any knowledge of the affair.
Lansing, March 23.-Col. Hal NJ.
Smith, formerly assistant quartermas-
ter general of the state troops, was
on the witness stand most Of Thurs
day in the trial of eX-Inspector Gen
eral Marsh. Smith testified that, un-
der directions of Quartermaster Gen
eral White, he wrote the letters which
resulted in the sale of the states
clothing to the "Illinois Supply COM
pany" for $1O,500. Smith acl<nuWl-
edged that White had told him that
this company had been organized to
bu the goods; that it's bid was TO be
accepted, and that he (White) had d
scheme afoot to buy the goods back
again. The $l0,5OO received from The
sale was turned into the state treas
ury as received for second hand mil.
itary stores and camp equipage.
Witness testified that he afterward
advertised for bids for furnishing the
state with similar military supplies,
and that by direction of Gen.
White he opened the bids received and
gave them 10 the agent of the ll,I-
derson-Ames company, Of Kalamazoo.
whC was thus enau'Cd to bid below all
competitors. This company then sold
to the state, at price approNimating
100000, what are alleged to be the
identical goods shipped away from
this city not long previously.
Lansing, Marcn 24.--The prosecu-
tion in the trial of eN-Inspector Gen
eral Marsh finishe taking the testi-
mony of eX-Assistant Adjt. Gen. Smitl,
Friday. When the witness was turned
over to the defense Marsh's ATTORNEYS
dismissed him. after asking only few
perfunctory questions about his Off
cial appointment. Smith testified TO
various conversations had with Gems.
White and Marsh and Col. Sutton. re-
lating to the alleged conspiracy of
these men to defraud the state Wit
ness said that he was presented with
a check for 5000 on the occasion of his
wedding, the donors being White.
Marsh and Sutton; that Sutton iGen-
tilted him at the bank in Detroit
where the check was cashed, and that
when he thanked him Sutton replied:
"That is all right. Don't say any
thing about it," The three, he said,
visited witness home later and eau
toned him not TO tell the grand jury
what he knew about the clothing
deal.
Samuel f. Bickerstaff, who conduct
ed the negotiations for the Kalamazoo
concern which bought and resold the
goods in question, testified that Gen.
White first offered the Henderson,
Ames company $4,000 to handle the
deal. Bickerstaff said he submitted
the proposition TO his superiors, who
decided that they could not handle
the transaction for less than $4,000.
This he reported TO White, who re-