Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-28

| nient in response to the letter to him.
| Machen stated that the price for the fas-
| tener must be reduced from $50 to 81. %.
The reason for this demand. said Machen,
| was that thereafter a different system of
making payment would be followed, pay
ments would be made promptly. it would
| not be necessary to wait for acquisitions
from postmasters for fasteners, for every
box sent out would be equipped with a fas-
| teper. The Groffs protested against the re
| duction in price. but had to submit to the
| same.
Attorney Maddox further said that the
| defense would prove that the Groffs had
| never offered to sell the fastener for Is
| cents.
The Croft Statements.
Attention was next paid to the statement
| alleged to have been made last April by
| Diler B. Croft to two post Office inspectors.
| MIR. Croft was sick, and said he was in no
| condition to make a statement, but the
| inspectors insisted. They wrote down some
| things. Mr.. Croft did not read it over. 1t
| was read to him. When the inspector read
| in the statement something about Mr. Croft
| knowing Mr.. Machen. Mr.. Croft explained
that "Machen'' should be Marche The
| inspector stopped and apparently made an
| erasure.
| 1t was declared by Attorney Maddox that
i
! other inspector called to see Diller B. Croft
| what was said was overheard by Diller F.
| Croft. who had posted himself within hear
| ing distance. Diler F. Croft counsel as
serted. overheard Inspector Mayer offer to
| secure the payment of $4,000 owed the
! Groffs by the government if Mr.. Croft
| would get on the government band
wagon.
In conclusion, Attorney Maddox assured
| the jury that it would be clearly proved
that the Croft Brothers were entirely in
| nocent of the charges included in the in
dictment
Attorney Maddox said. in the course of
his address: I'm all of the conversations
between D. B. Croft and the inspectors
and in the statement that he made Mr.
Croft insisted from first to last that he
never paid any money to q government
official or knew that any was paid to Mr..
Machen out of the proceeds of the sale of
the letter box fastener. and he will reiter-
ate that statement on the stand as emphat-
ically as 1t is possible for a man to do"
Behalf Of Lorenzes.
Attorney Kumler next made an eloquent
opening address in behalf of Mr. and Mrs.
LOrenZ After making the promise that,
barring unusual cross-examinat ton, the de-
Tense would conclude the presentation of its
case IN three days, Attorney Kumler said
that the case on trial was an ordinary case
for the reason that it had two sides The
attorney told of Mr.. Loren2 holding office
Machen being his assistant Mr. Lorenz
was highly regarded He is national presi-
dent of the Perfumers' Associa ton and is
connected as officer or director with many
institutions. He was the board of
awards of the Paris exposition. 1t would
not be necessary, according to Attorney
Kumler, to have witnesses appear to test
! fly regarding the character reputation and
honesty of Mr.. Lorenz
Attorney Kumler next explained that in
| the year 1888 an oiltield was developed in
northwestern Ohio. Mr.. Lorenz and his
brother, August w. Machen and Arnold
Machen bought eighty acres of the oil
lands. their purchase producing 240O0O
barrels of oil year Later they erected
| tank holding 5000 barrels of oil, and
thereafter a refinery, both at great cost
The Standard Oil Company then stepped
in and sold refined oil at the lowest price
the Lorenzes and the Machens could sell
crude OIL This wrought havoc. The part
nerS owed the National Bank of Commerce
of Cleveland $1,000 and also owed debts
In connection with the construction of the
tank and the refinery. Mechanics liens
Were filed and judgments secured.
They tried to discharge the debt as best
Trey could. Real estate and other assets
were sold.
Later Mr.. Lorenz offered to pay Mr. Ma
cfen S2l,oDJ for Machen's interest in the
refinery. Machen agreed and gave his note
without interest 1t was this debt that
Lorenz was liquidating when he received
remittances from Mir. Croft.
Interested With Croft.
Mr.. Lorenz, prior to the adoption of the
Croft fastener. had been interested in gov
eminent contracts, said counsel.
He next told of how Mr. Lorenz became
interested in the Croft fastener, his explana-
ton agreeing with that of Attorney Mad
dox. Mr.. LorenZ took steps in legitimate
way to have the Croft fastener adopted.
The whole proceeding was an ordinary
honest Attorney knmer said ha
GREETED the deaths of two former govern
ment officials Mr.. Marche being one of
them, who. had they lived. could have
thrown much light on the case.
In conclusion. Attorney Kumler declared
that Mrs. LorenZ had been scandalized, for.
he said he could not see how indict-
ment was ever reported against her. as she
had absolutely nothing to do with the case.
Behalf of Machen.
Attorney Conrad Syme addressed the jury
| in behalf of August w. Machen. The at
torney referred to Mr.. Machen as possess
| ing the brains of one of the greatest of adj
| ministrators. Every cent paid Machen by
| George f. Lorenz was in discharge of an
honest debt. said counsel and it would be
proved that no conspiracy to defraud the
/ government. to which Mr.. Machen was a
| party. ever existed.
| Attorney Syme next reviewed Mr. Ma
| chens departmental career, the good work
| he performed and the money he saved the
/ government by the reforms he introduced.
| Continuing, Attorney Syme said:
'In so far as the statement made by Mr.
| Kumler shows the relations between Au-
| gust w. Machen and George E. Lorenz
| whether personal, business or financial, We
| here and now reiterate and restate every
word that he has said and we will on our
| part prove every fact he has stated. letter
| by letter, syllable by syllable, word by
| word, chapter and verse We will further
: prove to you that every dollar owed by
| Lorenz to Machen was an honest debt; that
| every dollar paid by Lorenz to Machen was
| the honest payment of an honest debt, and
| in so far it is possible for a human being
| to prove the non-existence of that which
| never did exist, we will prove that there
| was no understanding, agreement or collu-
| sion between George e. Lorenz and August
| w. Machen or between August w. Machen
| and any other person or persons on Gods
! green footstool. the purpose of which was
| to defraud the government of the United
| States of single red cent. We have ad-
| mitted without objection for your consid-
| Grafton every draft that ever passed be-
| tween Lorenz and Machen every bank rec
| ord by which any dealings whatever be-
| tween them could be shown by the govern
] ment, and il it is necessary to show 1t and