Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-11
SENSATION AT. TRIAL
UPTON, AND. McGRE0oR. ACCUSED
POINT BLANK.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE. Nd. June ia decided
sensation was created at the hearing to-
day before United States Commissioner
Rogers In the ease OF Thomas w. Nc
Gregor Of Washington. D. c.. and e. Els
worth Upton of Baltimore county. Nd.
charged with conspiracy to defraud the
United States government.
> When the case was called the court room
was crowded, among those present being
Representative wachter and other promi-
nent politicians.
The examination was conducted by Dis
trict Attorney Rose and his assistant. Nor
ris A. Soper.
Damaging Testimony.
The most important witness placed upon
the stand was Charles E, Smith, the trunk
manufacturer, who testified direct that he
had paid into the hands of McGregor in the
presence of Upton the sum OF 5000 since
March /. 1902.
Four warrants from the United States
Treasury for $4,000 were exhibited by the
district attorney and identified bye Smith
as having been delivered to, him by Nc
Gregor in this city.
Smith further testified that he had de-
posted these warrants In the Drovers' and
Mechanics National Bank. at eacn ume
drawing from the bank $1,000, which he
to McGregor In the presence of Upton. He
said that he had paid those amounts on
March %. 1902: October 80. 1902: December
4, 1902. and January 10, 1903.
Upton Sought Smith.
Asked how he came to get the contract
to furnish pouches. Smith testified:
81 think it was about two years ago when
Upton came into my store and asked me
what my figure would be on these pouches
I think l told him so cents. He then told
me that he would call again. This he ola
and advised me to put in bid for sup
plying the pouches and to charge 30 cents
for each pouch. as the firm that had been
furnishing them got that amount. Upton
then wrote out bid and letter for me to
copy and send on to w. Machen at the
post office in Washington"
The district attorney here produced the
copy furnished Smith by Upton. and the
witness Identified the document as the one
turned over by him to the post office in
spectors in Washington last week.
Asked Forty Per Cent.
Continuing, the witness testified that Nc
Gregor had told him that he must have 40
per cent of the amount paid. and that Up
ton had told him that he (Upton) got 10
per cent. A. Machen and his (Machen' 81
brother and McGregor the balance.
The first witnesses examined were II. b.
Salisbury and J. r. Tuelis. stenographers
in the Post Office Department, who stated
that they had made reports of the examina-
ton of Upton and McGregor by the post
office inspectors in the office of Fourth AS
sistant Postmaster General Bristow and
identified copies made by them of the ex-
animation.
Denials by Prisoners.
These copies were read by District Attor-
ney Rose. In these statements. which had
been made under oath. Upton and McGregor
both denied even having heard of such a
man as Charles E. Smith. trunk manufac-
turer in Baltimore; that they knew moth
ing whatever about the purchase of
pouches, and that they had never been in
the store of Smith and could not even define
It's location. Upton further stated that he
had never been in Baltimore with McGregor
save on one occasion and that when they
had gone on a fishing trip.