The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-01-06
EDWARDS
COMPANY IN COURT
First Case Against st. Paul
Brokers Comes to Trial
at Duluth.
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
DULUTH, Jan. 5.-In the trial today
of l.. A. Wood, r. H. Edwards, and
Forrest B. Wood, of the grain broker
age firm of Edwards, Wood & Co., of
ST. Paul, which concern is charged by
the state railroad and warehouse COM
mission with falsifying financial re-
ports made to customers, the defend
ants attorney, w. l.. Washburne, tried
to make Commissioner c. F. Staples
admit that the prosecution was in
spired by rival commission houses and
named the Coe Commission company
as one of the establishments that had
caused the charges to be instigated
During the cross examination of Mr..
Staples, who was the states first wit
ness, an attempt was made to make
him state that the Coe Commission
company started the investigation
which led to the arrest Of the three
grain men. City Attorney Mitchell,
who is conducting the case for the
state, objected to the cross -examina-
ton and Judge w. L. Window was
about to sustain the objection when
Mr.. Washburne asked that an adjourn
ment be taken until tomorrow.
The case now being tried in the
municipal court is that of Victor Carl
son. of Halleck, Mimi. Commissioner
Staples who is the complainant, al
leges that Edwards, Wood & Co. sold
a car load of flax to the Hall Elevator
company, acting in the transaction as
the agent for Carlson. He says that in
making the financial report to Carlson
the firm stated that the grain was sold
for $1.191a a bushel. when the price
really paid was $1.20.
Carlson, who is now in Duluth, will
be placed upon the stand and will pro-
duce the statement and check received
from the grain firm in payment for the
fax. The prosecution will also produce
the check, which the Hall Elevator
company paid to Edwards, Wood &
Co., together with the elevator COM
pany's record of the transaction.
In refutation of this evidence, it is
said, the accused commission men will
claim that the seeming irregularity was
but a clerical error.
Before further witnesses are exam
ined tomorrow, Judge Window will
rule on the objection of the states at
torney to the cross examination of the
defendants attorney. Judge Window
intimated before adjournment this
evening that the ruling will uphold the
objection which will prevent the Ed
wards-Wood people from placing be-
fore the jury any further evidence,
either directly or indirectly, that the
prosecution is the outcome of the ac-
tion of rival business concerns.
Twenty five venire men were exam
ined before the twelfth man was Sc
lected. Great interest Is being taken
in the case and when it was called
this morning the municipal court room
was packed with Duluth and Superior
grain commission men. No case that
las ever before been tried in the NUM-
cipal court has attracted more wide
spread attention. More than a dozen
farmers from Western Minnesota were
present.
Commissioners C. F. Staples, of the
railroad and warehouse commission,
was the first witness called by the
state. He produced documents to show
that the members Of the concern Of
Edwards, Wood & Co. are licensed COM
mission merchants.
The defendants admitted this and
the witness was then turned over to
the defendants attorney for cross-ex..
animation. After a series of questions
asked by Mr.. Washburne, City Attor-
ney Mitchell objected to the cross-ex-
animation. Mr.. Washburne said that
he was trying to show that the pros
ecution was not brought in good faith,
but was inspired by the rival business
firms of Edwards, Wood & Co.
Mr.. Mitchell then moved that all
testimony bearing on this question be
excluded, and the court was about to
rule in favor of the state when Mr..
Washburne asked for an adjournment.
In opening the case Attorney Nit
chell said that the state would prove
that the defendants have illegally with
held from customers money received
by them for grain sold for customers.
w. L. Washburne. who represented
the grain men, said that If the case
was decided against Edwards. Wood
& CO. it would be appealed to the
| highest court in the state.
There are nine other cases against
| the members of the grain firm.