Evening star., 1901-06-28

Robert A. AbeII and James A. SeweII
the stand.

The case of Stephen A. Abel, the ST.
Mary's county census enumerator charged
with padding the schedule of population
in the LeOnardtown district, was not con-
cluded yesterday in Baltimore, Mr.. VIM.
l. Marbury. for the defense, and District
Attorney John c. Rose, for the govern
ment. having yet to address the jury
Robert A. Abel, deputy clerk of the cir
cult court for St Mary's county, was called
yesterday as witness for the defense. He
said that he knew the traverser and had
assisted him all the way through in pre-
parlng the original census returns. He
further said that Abel showed him the
fraudulent schedules, and that he advised
Abel not TO send them in. whereupon Abel
threw them on the table in the court house.
ana ne tthe wltneSS) never them
again jim Seweu colored messenger
about the court house. was said to have
been present when Abel threw the papers
on the table Witness was positive that
neither Abel. Sewell nor himself removed
the papers from the table. The court
house was said to be open to any one
1t appeared that the witness had admit
ted that he had written four names upon
one of the fraudulent sheets at AbeITs re-
quest, and in the middle Of the sheet and
ne was asked who wrote the preceding
and succeeding names on the same sheet
Mr.. Marbury objected to the question
but was overruled by Judge Morris where
upon the witness answered that he could
4Aet tflI !" NO wrote Jne1n, Dllt admitted he
had said at first that the writing looked
Ike Mr. Chtng's- Witness. who was a gov
ernment witness before the grand jury, ad-
m1tted that he did not tell the jury that
Stephen Abel had thrown down the fraud
ulent lists on the table and declared he
them.
There is no use" said he .'in mans
telling all he knows" He might have
signed Abell's name to some of the suDnle-
mental sheets, ne said. in blank but
wouldn't say that he had done So Mr..
Abell's memory did not appear to be good
on some points
James a. Sewen. colored. said that he
Knows Stephen A Abel and Robert Aben
ana remembered having seen them to-
sether at the court house last JULY He
had gone there to get Mr.. Abel to write a
letter for him He heard Mr. Stephen Abel
say, D-n those papers / don't know
anything about them and won't have any-
thing more to do with them," and threw a
bundle of papers on the table
MI Marbury closed the case of the de-
tense by Offering so much of the record
OF the former trial as related to any colIu-
sion or conspiracy between Abel and
CHING. as he was acquitted by the jury in
the former case, the record being offered.
he said to prevent its being argued TO the
Jury that, even If Abel did not himself
send In the fraudulent schedules they were
sent In by his authority etc
The government. in rebuttal, placed on
the witness stand two members of the
grand jury who indicted AbeIl-Messrs
Daniel c. Ammidon and William H Stew
enson-both of whom said that the wit
ness. Robert A. Abell stated to the furv
mat he wrote the four names In the mid
uie OF one OF the fraudulent schedules:
that stephen A Abel had asked him to
write in some names and he wrote the
tour' When, finding there were a lot more
TO be written in-about $50 or 2OO-he de-
cIlned to write any more, as he did not
nave the time. Stephen A. Abel had the
names desired to be copied on slips.
Mr. Frederick w. Story as an expert on
handwriting. said that the name of A X
Love on one OF the fraudulent schedules
was in the handwriting of the trayerser