Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-25
Few More Government Wit
nesses in Post Office Case.
MACHEN'S SIGNATURE
ITS GENUINENESS ON CERTAIN
PAPERS MUCH DISCUSSED.
Mr.. Douglass Wants All the Cores
pondence Over Croft Fasteners
The Days Testimony.

Two days of rest seemed to have had a
salutary effect. with exception, on
court counsel and jury who are trying the
case of the alleged Post Office Department
consoirators
Justice Pritchard was III Friday, as was
also Mr.. Holmes Conrad. the special coun-
sci appointed to assist the government
Justice Pritchard was apparently in good
fettle this morning.
Mr.. Conrad occupied chair at the trial
table adjoining that of Judge Kumler, the
Toledo lawyer, who represents the Lo-
renzes. He has been suffering from an at
tack of the grip, and the pallor on his face
today suggested that he had not entirely
recovered. At the forenoon session he sat
for the most part with his hands folded on
his breast and watched the proceedings
without taking part.
To Mr.. Conrad has been delegated the
task Of king the closing argument to the
jury on the part of the government. He Is
not regainng his strength as rapidly as he
wishes. 1t may be possible that some other
member of the counsel for the government
will make the closing argument if Mr.. Con-
rad does not feel better soon.
Defendants Active.
When court convened this morning In
spector Gregory had piled up about his
table several score of letter books of the
were referred to by Assistant District At
torney Taggart for the purpose of deter
mining the signature of August w. Ma
chen. The proceedings were dull and un-
interesting. Some of the signatures and
initiating were admitted by Attoreny Doug
lass
Machen was the busiest man at the trial
table. When a letter book was passed
down the table to his counsel. and Mr..
Taggart indicated the page that was under
consideration. Machen examined the text
of the letter carefully and upon his state
ment to Mr.. Douglass depended the matter
of admitting the genuineness of signature
or initials.
At times Machen arose and bent over his
counsel. He looked more like prosperous
lawyer than a defendant charged with
serious offense against his government.
The Groffs sat side by side, Immediately
In front of the reporters table, as on Fri
day. Diller B. Croft was late in arriving.
Samuel A. Croft, the inventor of the fast
ener that figures so conspicuously in the
trial, was in his accustomed place, fully
twenty minutes before court convened he
has watched the proceedings apparently
with greater interest than any other per-
son in the court room.
Mrs. Lorenz and Mrs. Machen sat to-
gether this forenoon. There were a score
more Of women In the court room,
larger number than at any other time since
the trial began. George E. Lorenz sat next
to his wife. He twirled his spectacles in
his hands. and seemed to be anything but
interested in the proceedings.
To Go on Stand.
While Mr.. Masten, former chief clerk to
the first assistant postmaster general. was
on the stand this forenoon, and Mr.. Tag
gart was reading from letter books, Ma
chen leaned forward in his chair and chat
ted with Attorney Douglass. Several times
broad smile enlightened his face
Machen has openly told his friends and
newspaper men that he purposes going on
the witness stand in his own behalf. With
an air of confidence he is reported to have
declared that he will tear the records and
papers submitted as evidence by the gov
ernment to pieces"
Machen has apparently regained the self
composure that characterized his manner
throughout the early part of the Post Of
fce Department investigation last sum-
mer. and up to within few weeks of his
removal from office 1t is doubtful If any
person ever connected with the Post Of
fce Department has hrmer grasp of all
the details than Machen. This is fully
ognized by the attorneys who are conduct
ing the prosecution
Claim Partnership.
It is understood that the defense will
meet the proposition of the government
that Machen received money from the
Groffs through the Lorenzes by the claim
that George E. Lorenz and Machen were
business partners, as we'll as friends of
many years standing, and that the drafts
maze Dy MaCnen upon the DdnR account or
George E. Lorenz his wife. Martha j.
Lorenz, were perfectly proper; that Ma
chen was drawing money that was
rightfully due him 1t reported today
that the defense would try to show that
Machen and LorenZ were in reality engaged
IN number OF enterprises together. 1t is
further understood that the defense will
show that the Groffs and George E. Lorenz
are financially interested together in the
manufacture of perfumes. under the name
Of the George Lorenz Company, at Toledo.
Length Of Trial.
United States District Attorney Beach
said shortly after court reconvened this
afternoon that the government would likely
get the last of its evidence before the jury
by tomorrow. There will then probably be
. wrangle among counsel as to the admis-
sion of certain testimony and over points
of law which have arisen since the begin
ming of the trial. The defense. 1t is under
stood will contest many of these points
at issue Justice Pritchard will be called
upon to decide these questions before the
defense begins. There is no way of even
estimating how much time may be occu-
pied in these arguments.
Judge kumler said this afternoon that he
believed the defense would be able to put
in all it's evidence in three days, barring
any unusual cross-examination. 1t is
derstood that comparatively few witnesses
will be brought to the stand by the de-