The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-12-03
HITS ORDEAL.
Made to Write a $4,000
Note Like One Which Is
Declared a Forgery.
LATTER VREDEsBERG PROBES HIN
Interesting Developments in
the Famous Suit Brought .
to Set Aside the Inven-
tors Claims.
LAWYER YREDEHBERG PROBES HIN

( Everyone in Vice-C Chancellor Steven
sons Court in Chancery Chambers this
morning had his watch out while wit
ness wrote out promissory note for
S32 900. The witness was Adrian Hits,
Of Palisade avenue, who holds note
.purported to have been signed by the
late Mrs. A. A. Thompson, of Palisade
avenue, for that amount, and which note
is disputed. The. case is one which
Vice-C Chancellor Stevenson has had be-
fore him for some time, and handwriting
experts for and against have sworn that
the signature was Mrs. Thompson's and
it was not.
Hit himself was on the stand this
morning and he was being examined by
Lawyer james B. Vreedenburgh, who
with Mr.. Isaac S. Taylor, represents DR..
w. w. Varick administrator of the es-
tate which is fighting the validity of the
$50. 900 vote; when Mr.. vredenburgh
suddenly laid before the witness pen ana
ink and paper and blandly asked Hit
to write the signature of Mrs. A. A.
Thompson. Hit did SO. and then Mr..
Vredenburgh, in his smoothest and most
dangerous tones, said
WROTE THE $32, 900 NOTE.
Mr.. Hit, now write out promis-
sorry note for $685. 4as near as you
can and as rapidly as you can. 1t is
now one minute past eleven o'clock"
Hit hesitated, and Mr.. Andrew Gill
hooley who, with Mr.. Robert Lawrence,
is Hits counsel, was at once on his
feet asking whether his client was to
make fac-simile of Mrs. Thompson's
handwriting or not.
Hit understands this interposed the
Vice Chancellor. HE is to write as he
recollects the note"
It Is now three minutes past eleven, y
sfia Mr. yredeabargh, consulting his
watch.
Hit hasn't started yet to write; put
that down" interrupted Mr.. Gilhooley,
very much put out by the proceeding.
And the reason is that counsel will
interrupt" was the imperturbable reply
of Mr.. Vredenburgh. and amid silence
only broken BY the scratching of Hits
pen, the witness made the. note. When
it was finished it was; marked for identi-
ficatioIf and handed to the Vice Chancel-
lor, who examined 1T minutely. Hand
writing experts will take, hold of it and
their views will be made known next
week.
Hit then admitted on cross-examhla-
tion by Mr.. Vredenburgh that shortly
after the death of Mrs. Thompson, DR..
Varick. administrator; Mr.. Isaac S.
Taylor, his counsel, and two others called
at the house of Mrs. Thompson to take
charge of her estate. Mr.. Taylor de-
manded to see the notes held by Hit
against Mrs Thompson and they were
given to him. after a great deal of
trouble
Mr.. TAYLOR'S DANGER.
You reached for heavy stick 2"
asked Mr.. Vredenburghy
well, no, / leaned towards the handle
Of a hand car, said Hit angrily.
'.You meant to kill Mr.. Taylor if he
didn't give you the notes?' thundered
Mr.. Vredenbargh.
mo, I--I-meant to defend myself
and make him give up my property"
stamnlered Hit nervously, running his
fingers through his unkempt head.
"Yon reached for that stick, and if
Mr.. Taylor hadn't returned the notes
you meant to have killed him, DIR. yarick
and the others" pursued Mr.. Vreden-
burgh, and Hit muttered something
about defending his property. Mr.. Vre-
denburgh pushed him further relentless
" by asking:
TURNED WOMEN OUT OF DOORS
"A week after the death Of Mrs.
Thompson you turned her sister, Mrs.
Langwirth, and her daughter out of
Mrs. Thompson's house, No. 2S3 Pali-
SADIE avenue; why did you do that?''
'SThey were carrying things away
said Hit.
What right had you to do that
fercely demanded Mr. Vredenburgh.
Il had some property there, and /
thought had a right, but no legal one. .
Who told you that yon had no legal
one? e?' asked Mr.. yredenburgh
"My counsel, O'Sullivan,'' said Hit.
Hit, closely questioned by Mr.. Vre-
donburgh, said that the S32 900 note
and the $4,000 Kingsford note, also
held BY him, were kept by him in tin
box behind the gas metre in Mrs.
Thompson's house and then he kept
them in an envelope on the mantelpiece
and latterly put them in his pocket and
forgot all about them until afterwards.
The case was still in. progress this af-