The San Francisco call., 1904-04-22

dence is said to be in reserve, but the
outlines of the Federal position are
now clear. Dimond's knowledge Of
Hyde's Irregularities was so exactly de-
fined on cross-eXamination for the pur-
pose of Identifying the defendant with
these anonymous letters, which Heney
was carefully keeping back and which
had not been mentioned in the court
room until yesterday. The prosecution
questioned Dimond until he admitted
his acquaintance with all the facts set
forth in these letters.
These facts were not public property
when the letters were written. The
writer of them, as will be seen when
they are read below, had a precise and
extensive knowledge of Hyde's meth
DDS and business relations of his deal
ings with his agents, of his failure to
make good his defective titles at Di-
mond's demand and of the Interior De-
partments investigation of the land
frauds. 1t is in evidence that Hyde
had learned of the investigation
through corrupted agents of the land
office, and his letters to Dimond showed
that he had communicated this infor-
nation to Dimond. But it was infor-
nation the alleged conspirators had
every reason to conceal and were try
ing to conceal. 1t is said that Dimond,
Hyde and Benson alone knew many of
the things in these letters, and as they
were written against Hyde and Benson
chiefly against Hyde-the writer
says Heney, was undoubtedly Dimond.
Dimond's testimony shows series of
mistakes in names and facts. Hyde's
stenographer, Susan Dickinson, was
called "Anne Dickinson" Colonel "a
briskie, the Tucson agent of the Gov
ernment, was misnamed "Brohaski."
The Governments detective, Steece,
was referred to as Mr. STAGE" Every
one of these errors committed by Di-
mond is found in the anonymous let
tiers written to the Secretary at WASH
ington last year.
IF Dimond did not write the letters"
asked Heney yesterday. who could
have written them? Their author must
have been some one possessing this
exact information about Hydes acts
Who except Dimond could have had
this information and made the same
mistakes we have heard him make
here in this courtroom"
1t is evident that the Hyde-Benson-
Dimond land fraud case is going to be
one of the most celebrated criminal ac-
tions in the legal history of the coun-
try, and one of its most difficult mys-
teries will be the question, who wrote
the anonymous letters?'
SURPRISE FOR HENEY.
On returning to the, witness stand
Dimond corrected his testimony of the
day before, saying:
/ said yesterday that Hyde's first promise TO
me of compensation in the Aztec land matter
was at interview In my office in December
1908. My recollection was at fault When
informed him in February of that year that /
would longer act his attorney he said
1 also omitted his statement, made during
the December interview in my office that he
intended seeing Benson for an accounting Of
profits in the Aztec transaction. He then said
he would retain me to bring that action but
/ declined TO take case either against Benson
for him.
! mentioned Senator c. N FELTON, Yesterday
and said that ! consulted him before l sent
for Hyde. Now 1 recall that I talked with
the Senator about certain anonymous letters
that had been sent to me. These letters had
referred to BensonS Indictment. Hence the
Interview with Hyde must have taken place
late in December last, after that indictment
had been reported in the newspapers
On Senator Felton's advice j read one of
the anonymous letters to Hyde during that in
terview, telling him at the same time that I
did not want him TO think / was taking ad-
vantage of the difficulties confronting him to
press for payment. or that the anonymous let
ter had anything TO do with my demand.
81 will state now said Dimond's at
torney, Wheeler, that the witness has
in his possession a series of anonymous