The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-11-14
Schmidt Perjury Case Is
Submitted.
His FATE IN HANDS OF TWELVE MEN
akins OF Testimony Concluded This
Morning in the United States
Court.

The fate of John Adam Schmidt,
"harged with perjury, is now in the
hands of the jury in the federal court.
The testimony was in at II o'clock this
morning and from that time until
$3.50 p. m. the attorneys were engaged
in addressing the jury. The judges
instructions We're concluded at a late
hOur and the case given to the jury.
At o'clock yesterday Schmidt was
placed on the stand to testify in his
own behalf. He was allowed to tell
his story in his own way and it took
aim fully an hour to detail his ac-
count of the affair. He said that he
had been frequently approached by
the Russians and requested to assist
them in securing their second papers.
After much solicitation he decided to
,omply, and arranged with the court
officers to be at the court house on
the evening of June 20. He denied that
he had instructed the men as to what
they We're to testify to before the
judge. He had said to them he had
been informed that a person who had
taken out his first papers three years
before could be made a citizen. This
he believed and did not know any bet
ter until after he had been arrested.
He did not accompany the Russians
to Judge Brents chambers but met
them there. When questioned by the
judge as to his knowledge as to the
length of the residence of the appli-
cants in the United States he said: Il
have known them ever since they have
5een here, and did not say that | had
known them for five years" In some
Of the cases where he was not positive
as to their residence in America, the
judge refused 20 take him as a wit
ness. He said that all the applicants
We're questioned by the judge in Eng
li&h and they had all replied in Eng
iish. in fact they We're all able to un-
darstand a great deal better than they
had at the present trial. When asked
If he knew who caused his arrest the
defendant replied that it was Emil
Sanderson, being the result of a row
he had with SandersOn. He denied
that he had visited the applicants at
their residences and said that the
statement that he had induced them to
apply for their second papers were
untrue. Upon cross examination AS
sistant United States Attorney Cush-
man asked the question: 1T is not a
fact that you have been very active In
politics, and have been called the
mayor Of Little st. Petersburg?"
No, sir" replied Schmidt, the States
man is the only one that has given me
that title: no one else" He admitted
that he had signed his name to the
affidayits. but did not know at the time
that he was swearing that he had
known the applicants for five years.
He simply wrote his name as directed
to do so by Clerk Hauerbach.
This morning when the court recon-
vened Schmidt was called for cross
examination. The main points gone
over was regarding the fights that
Schmidt had with Emil Sanderson and
Guy Bridges last July The defense
then put R. F. Smitten, George Bar
her. A. S. LeGrow and J. ]. Kaufman
on the stand, who testified that
Schmidt's reputation as to truth and
yeracity was good. For the govern
ment Rev. Reike said that as far as he
new Schmidt's reputation was the re-
verse. After Guy Bridges and o. P.
Jaycox had related the details OF the
two fights last July the case was
closed. as far as the evidence waA
concerned.