Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-29
The Alleged Erasure.

The defense next called Emanuel Speich,
auditing clerk of the free delivery system,
who had appeared witness for the
government. He told of the duties he per-
formed and of how routine papers pass
through the office.
After Miss Liebhardt had been recalled to
identify certain contract and the hand
writing thereon as that of Mr.. Marche,
deceased. Attorney Maddox was sworn as
witness, for the purpose of testifying re-
garding the erasure where the name Ma
chen first appeared in the statement sign
ed by Diller B. Croft, last April, and Of
fered in evidence by the government. Mr..
Maddox first saw the paper on the occasion
of visit to the Post Office Department
last October. and then noticed that an era
sure had been made. The defendant con-
tends that where the name "Machen' ap-
pears in the statement it should be
"Marche"
On cross-examination, conducted by At
torney COnard, Mr.. Maddox admitted that
notwithSta nding the eraSure the word had
originally been written "Machen"
Attorney Charles A. Douglass followed
Mr.. Maddox as witness. He also testified
regarding the visit of counsel for the de-
Tense to the Post Office Department last
October. His remembrance of the discov-
cry of the erasure on the statement agreed
with that of Mr.. Maddox.
Diller F. Croft Testifies.
Diller f. Croft, son of Dller B. Croft, was
called to the witness stand by the defense
He resides with his father at 11O1 1 street,
The early history of the Croft fastener was.
related by the witness. The government
objected to the line of inquiry, and Attor-
ney Maddox explained that he wanted to
show that Samuel A. Croft worked on the
fastener for six years before it was per-
fected.
The first order for Croft fasteners, Accord
ing to the witness, was in the form of a
memorandum, addressed to Croft Brothers
and signed by Mr.. Marche. A search had
it could not be found According to the
witness. it was business habit with his
father to destroy all papers relating to a
transaction when such had been closed
The government has dwelt at length on
the fact that no record is to be found at
the department of the first order ever
given for Croft fasteners
1t was next sought by the defense to show
by the witness that Croft Brothers endeay-
ored to secure somebody to interest post
masters in the fastener. and that they were
willing to pay such agent commission of
25 per cent. The government objected and
a long argument followed. The usual mid
day recess was taken before the point was
decided.
AT the opening of the afternoon session
the defense urged that it should be per-
mitted to show by the witness that ten
years before there was any suspicion
against the Groffs of committing a crime
they made proposition to Attorney Mad
dox that he should aid them in endeavoring
to have the fastener introduced and receive
p per cent of the proceeds In payment for
his services.
After the issue had been argued for half
an hour. the court intimated that he was
inclined to sustain the objection entered by
the government The defense thereupon
Withdrew the question for the time being
Agreement With Lorenz.
Young Mr.. Croft stated that he was pres
ent the latter part of July. 1895, when his
father first met George E. Lorenz. The
merits of the fastener was discussed on that
occasion.