Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-10-07

L
that"
| "What is that worth2"
"That is impossible to say"
"YOu have some idea?"
eff it should prove to contain gold
it would be a very valuable piece of
land. If it contains no precious met
ais 1 should not think it was worth
a song"
els it worth $1O,OOO,OOO?" asked the
lawyer, quietly.
| 'Why, sir, I could not place any
valuation on piece of land have
never seen and that has never been
mined
"Well, I'll put the question in an
other way. IF you could show clear
title to that mining tract could you
not sell it at once for $5,OOO,O00
| cash?"
| Franklin looked at his questioner
keenly for a moment, but the latter
was casually examining the contents
of letter as if he were preparing
to PROFOUND another query from
| something he found therein. The wit
ness answered somewhat savagely:
eyes"
Couldn't you easily get s1O,OoO,OoO
for that property?'
81 suppose | could"
There was tremendous sensation
in court when Franklin, WITH evident
| reluctance, made this admission.
"You have recently, believe, been
in correspondence with capitalists re-
garding the Colorado tract?"
eyes"
81 believe that is all want to know
on that branch of the subject, but
there is another point on which I wish
| to question you"
Franklin was evidently aware of
what this point was. and he put on
a staggering air of victory.
"When all the Wright estate was
turned over to you 20 years ago, was
not a secret agreement drawn up be-
tween you and John I. Wright speci-
flying that no consideration was ever
paid by you, and that the transfer
was made in order to protect Wright
from damage suits that might be
brought by the family of Jeremiah
Baxter?' s.
"No."
! "And did not this paper state that
you pledged your honor to take steps
/ to re-vest the property in Wright
| whenever he desired it?v
| NO e,% e es-
| And did not thu agreement spec
ify the Wright homestead, several
pieces of city property, plantations
in Louisiana, Arkansas and Missis-
sippi, and tracts in Colorado and
! Texas?"
/ NO." said Franklin, with increas-
| ing vehemence. There was no agree
ment of the kind between US. 1t was
a bona fide sale"
| ''You were at my residence few
weeks ago."
| "Yes," reluctantly.
II received you in my ibrary?"
eyes" ~
volver compel me to sell you copy
of this very agreement, which had
been in the possession of Wright, for
the sum of $10,O0O?"
s'The idea is preposterous. You are
evidently losing your wits, sir. Such
a betrayal of trust on your part could
not be to your credit. I deny it in
toto.'
''You also deny in toto that there
was any such agreement?"
| sMost emphatically."
| Lawyer Everett now took from his
pocket a yellow paper which he light
| ly shook at the witness as he pro-
| pounded the next question:
/ ''When you came to my house that
evening, Colonel, [ had just had the
| agreement, whose existence you de-
ny, copied on an old piece of paper and
dried thoroughly before the fire to
conceal its age. When you were an
nounced [ threw the original in the
| back Of one of my bookcases, and the
copy placed in my safe. At the point
OF your pistol. [ was more than willing
to sell you the copy for SIC, 900. Now
you can refresh your memory suf-
ficientiy to tell whether this is your
isignatnre appended to this paper,
and to reconsider your denial of its
| existence
Franklin cIutched the paper which
the lawyer politely extended to him,
and then pitiable appearance of de-
feat seemed to shrivel him up.
He glanced at the lawyer and pre-
served logged silence.
| ''You have not answered my ques-
tion,'' said the lawyer blandly.
sit is mot my writing said
Franklin, savagely. 'The whole thing.
is clever, manufactured lie."
81 desire to introduce this paper
in the case and have it read to the.
jury" said Mr.. Everett. .Subse-
quently I shall prove how it came
into my possession, and the jury can
| judge of its genuineness."
This was done, and Mr.. Everett re-
sumed: II presume, Col. Franklin,
that you remember that about year