The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-01-15
PERRY S. HEATH
ON THE STAND
IN P. 0. TRIAL
Explains Routine of His
Former Office Under
Government.
DEFENSE SCORES POINT
Orders for Fasteners Can Be
Shown Only After Evil
dence of Conspiracy.
DEFENSE SCORES POINT

Perry S. Heath made his Iong-expect-
ed appearance on the witness stand this
morning in the trial OF A w Machen,
the GrOn brothers. and Mr.. and Mrs.
Lorenz. on the charge OF conspiring to
defraud the Government in tIle purchase
OF Croft letter box fasteners
Heath testimony was not Of popular
interest and was limited 10 the identifI-
cation Of papers and the explanation OF
routine in his former Office r J..
Wynne. the present. First Assistant
Postmaster General wss the only other
important witness this morning, and his
cross-eNani1ation wSs COMPLETED. He
save little Information that was new
A Technical Victory.
The appearance Of Mr.. Heath on the
stand was productive of a temporary
technical victory for the defense He
was asked to Identify orders for the
Croft fasteners signed with his name
and did So Then the prosecution tried
to have the orders put before the jury
as evidence. The defense claimed that
the casc was being tried backward. and
evidence Of the fruits of an alleged con-
spiracy was offered before the conspir-
acy itself had been even partially
proven.
Justice Pritchard said he did not see
how II was relevant in the trial for cor
spiracy at that stage to offer as e
dence orders for Gro1 fsSteners sig ed
by Machen, and wanted TO know Low
the evidence would affect the I.orenzes-
He then ruled that the papers could not
be given TO the jury until later.
Heath Not Disturbed.
Mr. Heath gave his answers IN n clear
firm tone. which could be heard through
oJt the courtroom. He was subjected
10 the closest scrutiny on the part of
-lGe spcctntgrs and an Of those engaged
n triaI but his equanimity was in 30
wis.s d.strs bed A narrow face. w13h
long. pro5ecting nose. rsther sunken
Jaws. a hrra chin. thin. con- i3resssa lips.
and eyes perfectly cold, are Mr.. Heath's
facial characteristics He has the aD-
pearance of the coId-biooded. self-con-
tanned. energetic man OF action
The line of testimony the Government
expects TO extract from Mr. Heath IS
leave the stand until some time tonor-
row
Machen at East
interest In the triaI continues unabat
ed and the courtroom was filed this
the attorneys We're in order every few
minutes and kept those in attendance
work ed up TO a high pitch. The tecnni-
cal and legal points which the Govern
ment has to combat at every turn make
each of the otherwise dry arguments
the subject OF the closest attention
upon the part of all those in the room.
fog it is known the attorneys for the
defense viii overlook no loophOle which
may exist
Machen took an active part in the
proceedings He whispered advice and
Information TO his attorneys every few
minutes and when Mr. Wynne was on
the stand practically conducted the lat
ter part of the cross-examination. sug-
gesting question after question which
was put by the lawyers
Interest URabated.
He seemed perfectly at ease and was
net in the least fiustered by the caustic
testimony of Mr.. Wynne. in which he
was referred TO as untrustwOrthy and
not TO be believed.
Mrs I.orenz was not seated at the
counsel table this morning. but was in
The extra jury box with zsrs. Phillips,
-lachen's sister. The Groffs and Major
Lorenz seemed as confident and sure OF
heir acquittal as they have been since
he trial opened. but made no effort TO
prompt the attorneys.