Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-21
SOME AFF|DAV|TS
Alleged Coaching witnesses
in the Postal Case.
TO BE ANSW Erred
ATTEMPTS TO TRACE MONEY
FROM CROFT TO MACHEN.
Bank Checks and Drafts Figure Large
ly in Trial Today-Scenes
81 in Court.
TO BE ANSW Erred


The government made a ten-str1ke thls
afternoon when it was successful In plac-
ing in evidence. through records OK lhe
Union National Bank of Westminster, No.
which were identified by Mr.. ]. w. Herring
the banks cashier, that August W. Machen'
August s, 1900. drew upon George f.
Lorenz, on a Toledo bank, $1.51O.37 1t nav
Ing been shown previously by another VIII
ness. that s3,O2O.74 had been deposited In
the Toledo bank, August 8, two days De-
fore. to the credit of Lorenzo by the Groffs
1t will be seen that the amount Machen
drew on Lorenz for is just one-half of the
amount deposited by draft by the GroHs to
the credit of Lorenz.
1t was also shown that Lorenz. January
27, 1900, deposited in a Toledo bank w.
O6274, while Machen, January %, drew on
Lorenz through the Union National BANK
Of Westminster S1OS13l, just one-nan.
With this draft Machen wrote that the
party" evidently referring to Loren1' was
out of town, and to withhold the COLLECTION
until his return.
Cashier Herring is the most important
witness the government has yet called 10
the stand He is an elderly man with gray
almost white, hair and beard Of the
on the witness and craned his neck to
catch every word. Attorney Douglass maoe
numerous objections.
From Croft to Machen.
The government today in the trial OF Au-
gust W. Machen. the Groffs and the Lo-
renzes In Criminal Court No. 1. conducted
its examinati ation of witnesses very much on
the line of yesterday. Checks. drafts and
dnDOSit
troduced evidence
The tracing of checks and drafts from the
Groffs to> the Lorenzes, and finally to the
bank account Of Mr.. Machen at Westmin-
ster, Nd was tedious process. The jury
men, however, gave earnest attention, as
did the spectators. Assistant District At
torney Taggart conducted the examination
of witnesses on the part of the government
An interesting feature brought out IN
the testimony this forenoon was the fact'
on which the government lays much
stress that almost invariably the accounts
of the Lorenzes in the Toledo banks were
less than 800, sometimes as low as s2o,
before the receipt of drafts from the
Groffs and that large amounts were at
once made payable to the order OF August
Machen. The contention Of the govern
ment will be that the drafts thus made
PAYABLE to Machen must nave oeen on
money originally deposited by the Groffs
to the account OF the Lorenzes-eitheF
George E. or Martha j., his WIFE,
Immediately following the opening OF
court today in the trial of the alleged Post
office Department conspirators Judge Kun
ler who represents the Lorenzes, announced
that he was ready to substantiate by afii-
davits the charge made last Thursday that
Post Office Inspectors Mayer and Gregory
had been coaching witnesses
Judge Kumler had proceeded with few
words of the affidavit of Diller F. Grof, son
of Diller B. Croft, one of the defendants,
when he was interrupted by United States
District Attorney Beach.
'Do I understand 1t to be your Idea to
read the affidavit to the court?" Mr. Beach
asked.
Yes: that's what am doing now." Judge
Kumler replied.
II object to the reading of the aff1davits
before the jury" said the district attorney.
"They should be submitted to the court"
That's what I am trying to do said
Judge kumler, sarcasticalIy.
Justice Pritchard interrupted the colloquy
between counsel.
Il will hear the aff1davits in the absence
of the jury" he said ''or will explain to
the jury that 1t Is not to consider the af-
ddaY!ts.'
Inspectors Interested.
While this was taking place Inspector
Mayer sat leaning back in a chair to the
left Of the reporters table. His eyes were
riveted on Justice Pritchard. Mayer held
In his hand a paper which he fondled nerv-
ously. Inspector Gregory got at his table,
where are kept all the papers of the govern
ment that are to be placed in evidence, and
made notes with pencil IN a small blank
book.
What do you mean to accomplish by
this action?" asked Attorney Holmes Con-
rad who had been attentive listener,
TO a.
fore the latter could reply. Inspector Mayer
arose and. addressing the court. said;
Your honor. may l be heard? l don't
want to take the time of the court"
Judge Kumler was by this time on his
feet and Justice Pritchard apparently paid
no attention to the request of Inspector
Mayer.
II have very little to say in addition to
these affidavits' said the Ohio lawyer.
witnesses for the defense came to a
number of times since this trial began and
asked:
why can't we go into the court room?
'"rhey said that the government inspec-
tors, who are witnesses. came into the wit
ness room from the court room and talked
with witnesses and they couldn't see why
they. Witnesses shouldn't have the
privilege of coming in here I told them
that they were excluded by order Of the
court ard that they would have to remain
without"
To Furnish Justice.
"I announced several days ago." said
Justice Pritchard. when the charge was
made here that inspectors had been talking
to witnesses that such conduct was repre-
hensible and that / wouldn't stand for 1t.
I asked that the matter be brought to an
issue by counsel for defense submitting the
charge in form OF affidavits. II Is only
proper that the gentlemen representing the
government meet the charge. II they so
desire In the same manner-by affidavits.
want justice on both sides"
The Affidavits.
Diller F. Croft. in his affidavit, declared
that Monday, January IS. he standing
In the corridor Of the city hall near the
witness room when Inspector Gregory ap-
preached William Sapp assistant superin-
tendent Of free delivery In the Toledo post
office. who Is witness in the trial. and
showed the latter a paper. Croft also de-
oIared in his affidavit that Inspector Mayer
talked with some of the witnesses present,
Continued on Twelfth PagaJ