The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-17
POST OFFICE CASE
TAKES WHOLE DAY
Defendants Take Stand in
Own Behalf
WILL BE FINISHED TODAY
Judge Pollock Appears Weary
of Proceedings.


court at the adjournment Tuesday after
noon bid fair to last for several hours the
space inside the railing, usually taken up
by attorneys, was not so crowded, the
lawyers knowing that they had small
chance of presenting their pleas at bar
until after the case in hand was disposed
Of
At the opening of court the case of the
United States VS.. Frank st. Clair and
George Gallagher was taken up with the
further examination of witnesses. The
attorneys for the defense seated a stenog-
rapher to note the testimony in fun.
Before commencing on the st. Clair case
application was made for the dismissal Of
the case of Herbst vs.. Stanton County
Board. same having been settled out of
court Application granted.
The first witness called in the postOffice
case was w. D. Freeland. a railway man
who testified as to the running time OF
the different trains on the Rock Island
through Galva and Inman. He also stat
ed that he saw three men get off a freight
train at the railroad crossing in Inman
early in the mornig of the day the rob-
berry was committed.
d G. Croker. OF Inman. was next call
ed by the prosecution and stated that he
noticed two suspicious looking strangers
in the town on the morning of the day
after the robbery was committed He
says he caused the men to he arrested by
the city marshal and identified the de-
PENDANTS as being the same persons now
on trial
Fred Weigand of Inman. a coal and
grain dealer, testified that he saw the
defendants in Inman on the morning after
the robbery. He further stated that they
attempted TO leave town on the blind"
of a baggage car, but were put off by the
train crew, and were afterward arrested
by the marshal of that place.
Henry Weigand OF Mcpherson stated
that he had seen the defendants the
morning in question at Imam where he
lived at that time. Before he proceeded
further attorneys for the defense OBJ
jected to the witness as they had not
been legally notified Of his appearance.
The witness was excused.
Marshal Carter was then called to the
stand and stated that at the time of the
and had arrested the defendants on 4
suspicion of their having committed the
robbery Witness described the location
of the depot and the buildings about
which the men were lettering ana pointed
out the exact spot where the arrest oc-
Cured During the examination of the
witness Mr.. Dean and Kos Harris came
together in wordy war and had to be
reprimanded by the judge before they
would calm down. Harris insinuated that
Dean was asking leading questions and
the latter cautioned him to mot use such
language about me
Witness testified as to the various arti-
cles taken from the men when arrested
and said they had been given to the sher-
iff of the county when he arrived to take
the men TO Mcpherson TO BE- placed in
jail, He admitted expecting reward in
the event Of the conviction of defendants
but said that would not influence his tes-
timony. He further stated that the time
table in question which contained a post
office slip. was taken from St. Clair.
ID. c. Emmett Of Inmau testified that
he saw the defendants in that town on
the morning in question and that they ap-
peared to be very anxious to get away
from town. asking witness about trains.
etc
Jerry Seitz. eN-sheriff of Mcpherson
county. testified as to hearing of the post.
Office robbery. ! eaving Mcpherson for
Galva Immediately after. and &pon reach
ing the latter place stated that he had
examined the tracks about the Dostoffice
EtHrn
given orders to have all trains at that
place searched for possible suspicious
characters ana prevent any such getting
away. Witness further stated that he
went TO inman on the morning of the 22d
Of November to get the defendants who
had been arrested at that place. and take
them To the county seat He also stated
that what was turned over to him as be-
longing To the prisoners he took with him
10 the county jail and kept there.
Mr.. SeitZ held the intense interest II
the entire court ny his description Of how
an expert in that line would proceed to
blow open "a safe He further Identified
the time table found on the person Of
st. Clair and stated that it contained the
slip OF paper with the postoaice mark
mat - NAaAAiita AN INC flNSetU ifGn To
have been used TO wrap up coins He de
scribed minutcly everything found on the
defendants and told ON making expert
ments with the shoes worn by the pris-
oners To find if they fitted the tracks
about the postoffiCe building in Galva and
along the railroad. He declared in n
positive maner that the shoes worn by
the men were the ones that made the
tracks.
The witness was turned over to the de-
fense exactly n twelve o'clock and Mr..
Eckstein suggested 20 the court shat
recess be taken for the noon hour before
the defense proceeded. as their questions
would consume some time. Judge Pollock
Instructed the hailih to announce a recess
until two o'clock.