The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-02
STARTLING SESSION HELD
Sensational Testimony and Dramatic incidents
Crowded Each Other in the StahI Trial.

piioeIy lIldl yesterday dIleIuOoh INT hShb-
ming in thunderstorm. Witness denied
witness, lawyer thundered at lawyer; the
air was electrical with sensation The aud
itors leaned forward in their seats in hope.
fear. disappointment, exultation. under a
strain nearly as great as that of the prin-
cipals-fearful of missing a word
James w. Noel, the principal witness Of
the afternoon. was subjected to searching
examination by Henry n. Spaan for the
prosecution, and, with the same thorough
ness, cross-examined by John S. Duncan.
for the defense. DR.. George Edwin Hunt
was called to the stand again by Spaan.
Augustus l.. Mason told what he knew of
the connection of the Citizens League with
the bribery plot. I. +. Griffith, treasurer
of the league. was on the stand. Thomas
A. Wynne, chairman of the Council COM
mittee investigating the conduct of Edwin
ID. Logsdon in letting street-sweeping and
sprinkling contracts, testified, and his fiat
refutal of Noel's previous testimony fur
nished the sensation of the afternoon. De-
tective Thomas Colbert, Detective Lancas-
ter, Captain of Detectives Gerber and Sup
erintendent Of Police Taffe, who played
parts in this municipal melodrama, appear
ing before the footlights in the final act.
rehearsed their lines.
FAST PACE WAS SET.
The session was productive and was, ap-
parently. to the gain of the prosecution.
The attorneys, while indulging in spirited
play with each other. wasted no time with
the witnesses. Their examination was fast
and furious Question trod upon the heels
of question. Witnesses were spurred to
r1nr oil al In inc xxyifh ha
sweep of the inquisition. The pace was
heart-breaking. Records were smashed for
the distance.
The most dramatic development of the
day was the antagonism that sprang up
between James w. Noel and Thomas A.
Wynne. antagonism carefully, formally,
politely yelled, but marked surely by the
set jaw and flushed face of the latter: the
close smile, keen glance and nervousness
of the former. Reluctantly. always quail
flying and explaining his answers to
Spans probing questions. Noel has sworn
that when he told the members of the
Council investigating committee he believed
Edwin D. Logsdon was an honest man,
he referred to his belief at the time the
investigation commenced. He denied he
intended to convey the impression that in
his belief Logsdon was straight at the time
of Detective Stahl's arrest Then Mr..
Wynne came to the stand, swore that Noel
when called before the committee to ex-
plain his connection with hiring the de-
tective and the matters that followed rap
idly afterward. told him then he had no
evidence against Logsdon and that he be-
lieved Logsdon was an honest man.
DYNAMIC DIALOGUE.
The conflict In testimony was so remark
able that everybody sat up straight and
stared. Wynne had hardly finished when
Noel leaned forward and engaged in whis-
pered consultation with Attorneys Duncan
and Smith. The three smiled. Duncan and
Smith then whispered little, and the fol-
lowing dynamic dialogue between Duncan
and Wynne followed:
Mr.. Wynne," said Duncan, lis it not true
that you had a talk with Mr. Noel one day
In the Columbia Club. and that you said
to him, in speaking of Fred Heller (the sa-
loon keeper and gambler), If / had taken
as much money from Fred Heller as some
of these people have, would be ashamed
to look him in the face?"
Mr.. Wynne's face set like a rock He
looked Mr.. Duncan in the eye and replied,
slowly: "I remember no. such conversa-
ton between Mr.. Noel and myself"
Duncan pursued his questioning, until
Wynne. with his face considerably flushed,
a conversation, 1 am positive. never oc-
cured
SPAAN CALLED ON STAHL
True to his policy of forcing the hand
of the Defense" Attorney Spaan. toward
f1o clo of
Duncan II the reports of alleged conversa-
tions about slot machines between Logs
don and Stahl, made to DR.. Hunt daily by
Stahl, were in court. Mr. Duncan replied
that he had them. Spaan, glancing them
| over with deliberation. suddenly turned to
the court and said: 81 will ask, your
honor. that Arthur Stahl be placed on the
stand to swear to the truth or these re-
| ports
The fall of a pin would have made a noise
like a thunderclap when Spaan shot out
his demand. Every eye in the courtroom
searched the heavy face of the detective as
| he sat impassively near his counsel At
| torney Duncan hardly raised his voice. He
| pointed finger at Stahl and remarked, in
| drawing-room tones: Mr.. Stahl. you sit
right where you are
| Then Spans nonchalance slipped from
him like cloak. Half talking to Judge
| Whallon and half to Duncan. he began to
pour out a fiery denunciation of the re-
ports. He paused and Duncan addressed
| the court.
81 have tried many cases. your honor,
! and / have seen many remarkable things
happen, but never in all my experience
was ever such an unprecedented demand
made as the one Mr. Spaan is unblushingly
asking. Spaan is exceeding even himself
in this. His stock of trade is pure and un-
adulterated gall. He is violating every rule
| of law and courts and custom. He knows
that his demand is simply foolishness; that
| ii is a grand-stand play"
INSISTED ON DEMAND.
Spaan said shortly: 'I know my business
as well as any other lawyer. What we are
doing in this case is to try and get at the
| facts. We are fighting, your Honor. to get
these facts and We will get them. no matter
how carefully they are hidden. There shall
| be no hiding behind others in this matter
| These reports mean nothing. Unsworn to
they are not worth the paper on which they
are written. The defense brings them in
clever fabrications, TO injure the character
of Logsdon. i demand that the defense go
a step farther and swear To their truth"
Judge Whallon did not take long 10 rule
| He simply signified to Attorney Duncan
that Stahl need not testify against the con.
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