Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-16

February 1893. at which time it was gem
orally known that the Pest Office Depart
ment Investigation was in progress. D. b.
Croft made no further remittances to Lo-
REM No reasonable explanation of this
stoppage. said Mr.. Purdy. had been given.
The speaker next paid his respects to
Lorenz in terms far from complimentary,
going over again the trip on Lake Huron,
and once more bringing to the front the
famous mutilated letter.
so many remarkable things happened IN
connection with this trans action MT.
Purdy said, that it is impossible to keep
tab on them"
Counsel referred sarcastically to the story
of the origin of the mutilated letter. de-
claring that it was remarkable that the i'm
portant parts of the letter happened to be
recovered from a furnace, and that the date
was not found.
The Transactions in Oil.
Let us go back few years in the life
story of Lorenz," suggested Assistant At
torney General Purdy. Let us go back to
the time he and Machen were associated at
Toledo. There is no question about the
bona fdes of those oil transactions. There
is no question about them. Machen and
Lorenz bought oil nds and engaged in the
business. We do not DOUBT it. But what
happened in 1852 and 1873? The Oil COM
panies feared rece-vership. Mr.. Lorenz
was solvent. He went down into his pocket
a II
his two brothers and Ferdinand w. Machen
had each put s.. 900.
Uncle Ferd went to his nephew, August
W. Machen, and sold out for $7GO Not
only were these companies pressed to the
wall. but one of the partners sold out. And
we find. on the eve of the greatest financial
crisis this country ever knew, that Machen
made an assignment of his interests to Lo-
REM. The latter had contributed more than
four times much as had Machen, but
Lorenz. in return for the assignment, obi
gated himself to pay Machen $4,000
Mr.. Purdy thought it peculiar that the
assignment referred to had not been pro-
duced.
From all the circumstances and facts.
gentlemen of the jury" Mr.. Purdy declared,
YOU are warranted in concluding that
note for $4,000 was ever given. Had one
been given it would nave been produced
when Machen was asked about his transac-
TONS
Continuing the speaker stated the only
persons who knew of the existence of the
S2o.O0 note prior TO the trial were Lorenz
Ferdinand w. Machen and August w.
Machen
1T was a sort of family alibi,'' AR. Purdy
The Checks and Drafts.
Papers that defendants wanted to find,
according to Mr.. Purdy, they had no dill
Guilty In locating.
The assistant attorney general went into
details regarding the checks and drafts
that have figured so prominently in the
trial of the case, and showed that seven
teen checks from the Groffs to LOrenz COW
ereG 30 per cent Of the amount of eighteen
treasury warrants received by tie Groffs
in payment for fasteners.
The complicated method pursued by Lo-
REM in making remittances to Machen Of
one-haR of the amount of tine checks re-
ceived by Lorenz from the Groffs was s.
cuSsed at length.
in making remittance TO his friend
Machen?' remarked Mr.. Purdy. why?
So that no bank ledger could show on one
side OF page deposit by check from
Washington of 81 401.J0. for instance, and
on the other side of the page a charge
of exactly one-haif that anioEnf-$ 500 10
sent TO Washington
Mr.. furdy took the view that it should
be inferred from the record evidence that
LOrerz was not in this city al the time
Machea dew ON him for S1031. no with
standing Lorenz testified that he was here
Mr.: Purdy continued to speak of what he
considered significant regularity in the
series of remittances, both as regadsa time
and amounts. He was addressing the jury
at a late hour this afternoon.
The court adjourned to meet tomorrow at
1:30 ?. n. to give opportunity for members
of the court and the bar to attend the
funeral OF Senator Hanna
Instruction Opposed by Government.
In the consideration Of the prayers i1afes
yesterday the court decided. notwithstand-.:
ing objection on the part sof the governl
ment. to Instruct the jury that II they be-
leve that Machen voluntarily, and without
suggestion order from any superior off,
Ger. in the year 1859, reduced the price of
the Croft fastener from so to 81. %. they
may consider that fact. together with all
other facts and circumstances in the case
as bearing upon his good faith In fixing the 8
price of the Croft fastener as tending 10
disproye the existence of any unlawful
agreement or arrangement on his part to
defraud the, government of the, United
States.