The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-13
DEFENSE IN THE
DIETRICH CASE
Postmaster Fisher Denies
Hahn's Story.
DEPUTY ALSO TEsTIFIES
DISTRICT ATTORNEY SUMMERS
YET TO BE HEARD.

Washington, March 12.--Jacob Fish
er, the present postmaster at Hastings
Neb., resumed his statement today be-
fore the special senate committee APP
pointed 10 investigate the charges
against Senator Dietrich Senator
SpoOner attended tOday's meeting, but
Senator Cockreu was absent
Mr. Fisher said that at the time
he was appointed postmaster his reia-
tons with Hahn had been rather I'M
friendly; that previous TO that time
Hahn made daily visits to his (b1Sh-
ers) place Of business, but that these
visits stopped when he received news
OF his appointment. He did not re-
call any visit by Hahn on April -,
and he was sure that under the CIR
culnstances that he would not have
asked Hahn what he thought or ms
(Fisber's) appointment as his (Hahn's)
successor as Hahn testified.
THAT statement ] absolutely deny,
said the witness. He also said that
he had not asked Hahn what the Of
flee paid and fatty contradicted Hahn's
statement that he had asked Hahn TO
consult a lawyer for him to ascertain
whether ne would have to pay note
he might give to Dietrich to secure
the appointment.
20 never asked him." he said, and
no note was given"
Denied Hahn's Story.
Edwin G. Francis. deputy postmaster
at Hastings under Fisher. was the
mex witness. Replying TO questions
by Mr.. Platt, he said that he had
agreed 70 pay half the rental of the
back room of the Dietrich building,
and had done SO FOR five months, the
total being $41. The arrangement was
that ne would have half of any pro-
cceds derived from the room. They
had made an effort to rent the room
70 the Western Union Telegraph COM
pany but had failed, He said these
arrangements on account OF the room
had nothing to do with his salary. He
contradicted the statement of Mr.
Hahn that he had assenJed to a state
ment that he Francis) had TO pay 500
70 Nh Dietrich or that he had told
Hahn tEat Fisher had paid $500 to Mr.
Dietrich.
Talk With U. S. Attorney.
Mr.. Francis testified that he had had
a conversation with District Attorney
Summers relative TO testifying before
the grand jury I'm the case OF Dietrich.
ar. Beatty then asked for the particu-
lars Of that conversation, but before
ne could reply Mr.. Hoar interposed
with an inquiry as TO the purpose Of
the examination.
we want" Air. Beatty replied. "tO
show the pressure that the district at
Jorney puts upon witnesses in these
cases; that he told the witness that
if he did not testify he was himself
liable to prosecution and imprisOn-
ment.
Mr.. Hoar suggested that such a line
or inqUiry wOuli broaden the inquiry
To an undesirable extent and after con-
versatiol with Senator Dietrich the at
torney temporarily withdrew the Ques-
ton.
Money Arrangements.
Hardy Gregory, a postofIce inspec-
tor. testified TO conversations he said
he had last December with Fisher and
Francis relative to moneys paid to
Dietrich on account of the back room
partitioned off from the pOstoffice.
Fishers statement, he said. was that
the original lease was to be knocked
IN the head because of the reduction
OF the rent from S1.S00 20 1890: that
Dietrich said he (Fisher) and the citi-
zens Of tie place should take the fix
tTlrcs of the G.. A. l.. post off his
h@nds. but that Fisher had said that
he would not ask the people but would
do SO himself. After this Dietrich had
sold Fisher that when he went to
crs appointment as postmaster. al
though IL was understood the appoint
nient was in no way dependent upon
che payment for the furniture. The
witness also said that Fisher and Fran
els told him about the rental of the
back room. but their statements. as
related by Gregory, did not differ ma
terially from their statements 20 the
committee. He said that Francis had
told him that Fisher. in returning the
reno money FOR the room. had said
thai Dietrich had refunded the mon
ey. saying that there had been some
comment about the transaction and he
did not want to continue the arrange
meut. These conversations, Gregory
said. occurred at Omaha. AT the time
the grand jury investigation into tho
Dietrich case was in progress.
Dietrich Asks Questions.
Senator Dietrich elected statements
from the witness that voucher which
he carried 30 Hastings was for pay
ment for certain fixtures. and also