The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-14
NORBECK
IS NERVOUS
Some Startling Developments
Expected in Connection
." With His Case.
Edwards Tells of the Of
ficer's Intimacy With
the "Mitts.

'mething is going to drop in the Nor
beck case and when the drop comes it will
provide the biggest sensation yet fur
nished in connection with the present in
vestigation into police department meth
DDS. ..
Assistant Couty Attorney AL J. Smith
has not yet shown his hand. He has
''big mitt" concealed on his side OF the
table, and when he brings it into play
Norbeck is expected to wilt. Both the
defendant and his attorneys realize that
an important move is to be made shortly,
but they do not know and cannot guess
what it is to be. Since the bribery cases
began the state has surprised the de-
tense at every turn seemingly, and the
biggest surprise of the lot is believed to
be still in store.
Norbeck himself, as he listens to the
testimony of the states witnesses, is the
picture of detection. AS he enters the
court room every morning he sees, en-
blazoned over the door, the legend: "All
hope abandon. ye who. enter here The
strain is telling upon him. He appeared
to be suffering more acutely to-day than
was Gardener when the latter was SEN
tenced to six years under his conviction
OF Tuesday. This morning he sat moving
about restlessly, and drawing miniature
pictures upon his left thumb nail AS one
sketch was finished he would blot it out
with grimy finger and begin anew upon
another.
NOrbeck'S Nerve Ia Come
His attitudeis that of man who real
ICES that he must face the worst and Is
frylng to bear it with stoicism But his
nerve is gone. He may go to pieces at
any moment. He breads the ordeal of
going upon the stand, and yet he knows
that he must again subject himself to
the states cross examination. The fact
OF Gardners conviction has had much to
DO with his pitiable condition. But there
is something back of even that.
Norbeck has lived dissipated life He
has been heavy drinker and alcohol has
weakened him. The whole story is told in
his appearance. He is broken man and
he has lived years in the last few days
Billy Edwards resumed his testimony
.AiS
mucn or his evidence was a repetition of
that already given in the Gardner case, 1t
was embellished by additional details re-
garding Norbecks connection with ~ the
"big mtters." $780,
Edwards RacOnteur. -
Edwards has missed his calling. The
king of Grafters,' he might easily have
become the prince of Comedians" The
latter job pays better and is not, to use
an insurance phrase, an extra hazardous
sisk Edwards imperturbability alone
would have made him successful upon the
stage. AS the king in LA Mascotte" he
would have been. excruciatingly funny.
AS one of the Johnson family in Gillettes
TOO Much Johnson he would have sur
passed Gillette himself
A man of unique personality, he has a
keen appreciation of humor and a drollery
OF expression that might have won him
fame in night. Had he gone upon the
vaudeville stage he might we'll have ap-
propriated Marshall Wilder's title
"Prince of Entertainers and Entertainer
Of Princes."-,
In the tragic comedy now being pre-
Eented at the courthouse Edwards is play
Ing the star part. He is hero with a
past A reformed villain whose business
1t Is to see that the unreformed villains
are put out of the way where they can nc
longer annoy the prosecuted heroine, Miss
Minneapolis The drama is an interestine
one, and Edwards plays his role excel
lently II, . I ..
A New Point. ...- :.
One new point of interest was brought
out during Edwards examination. The
witness told of giving A. P. Loomis, his
attorney, letetr sent by Roman MEX tc
Norbeck, which Norbeck had turned over
to him. MEX is one of the men who was
swindled by the gang, and whom Norbecl
attempted to manage" After he had
left town MEX wrote to Norbeck to tel
hin that he had compromised the case
The letter itself has been lost, but Mr.
Loomis will testify that such letter wa:
given to him, although he does not re:
member from whom he received it. How.
ever he was the attorney for the big init
ters and even If Norbeck himself gave hin
the letter the action would appear in
z criminatory