Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-28
DEFENSE OPENS.
Addresses to Jury and Other Proceed.
iugs Today.

Addresses to Jury and Other Proceed
ings Today.
"At this point the government rests"
nounced Mr.. Morgan II. Beach, United
States attorney for the District OF Column
bia, immedia tely after court was opened
this morning, thereby repeating his state
ment made just prior to the hour of add
journment yesterday afternoon.
IF for no other purpose than to keep the
record straight" explained Attorney c. A.
Douglass Il now move the court to strike
out of the record all testimony relating to
payments by the Groffs to Lorenz and pay
| ments by Lorenz to Machen. on the ground
that under no circumstances could either of
the acts be proved in furtherance of or in
pursuance of a conspiracy. We also con-
tend that overt acts cannot be proved until
a prima facie conspiracy is established.
I'VE also move to strike out, added At
torney Douglass, the alleged written state
ments by Diller b. Croft and Samuel A.
Croft as well their alleged oral state
ments and the alleged oral statements OF
Martha ]. Lorenz and George b. Lorenz
The government. through Assistant
United States Attorney Keigwin. objected,
and the objection sustained Each of
the attorneys for the defendants noted an
exception.
Attorney Kumler then renewed his motion
that the government elect as to which of
the twelve counts Of the indictments 1t
stood .
The government STANDS on all tle couHtS'
said United States Attorney Beach.
The motion was denied and the opening
statements by counsel for the defense to
the jury were then in order
Defense Opens.
The first address was in behalf of the de-
PENDANTS Croft, and was made by Attorney
Maddox. The transaction was purely
business one. so far as the Groffs were
concerned said Attorney Maddox. They
had a good thing, they wanted to sell 1t
and employed man to see to it for them
Attorney Maddox first reviewed the bust
ness career of Diller B. Croft and then
dwelt upon his mertorious record during
the civil war. The life of Samuel A. Croft
was also reviewed. He was appointed q
member of the police force of the District
of Columbia because of his army record.
Counsel read from a slip list of devices
invented by Samuel a. Croft, in addition to
the letter box fastener. One was an ord
nance shell called The Worlds Peace
maker another was trap crab and an
other Every Man His Own Broom
maker
Continuing, Attorney Maddox explained
just how Samuel a. Croft happened to in
vent his letter-box fastener. When the
government adopted the Croft fastener, de-
clared counsel, the government got just
what it needed and wanted. Samuel a.
Croft worked with his friend. Post
Willett; his friend, Maj Bell: his friend
Mr.. Marche. and his many friends among
the letter carriers, with the view OF int
ducing the fastener. Finally Mr.. Marche.
now deceased, who was an official of the
Post Office Department, agreed to recon-
mend the adoption of the fas .ener, the price
for the same TO be 81. 30 for each complete
fastener. 1t stipulated, however that
requests for supplying the fastener must
come from below in other words the in
ventor would have to interest the postmas-
tiers throughout the country. and induce
them TO make acquisitions for the fasten-
ers. if the several postmasters should de-
eide they wanted them.
Met Lorenz
One hot day in July. 1895 Attorney Mad
dox went TO say, Samuel A. Croft Wis
tied the city post office then on G street
between 9th and eth streets, where, in the
Swing ROOM recreation room for letter
carriers. his fastener was on exhibition. A
number of gentlemen were present. One of
them introduced himself to Samuel \. Croft
George E. LorenZ The latter remarked
that he had been postmaster at Toledo was
interested in such things considered the
Groff fastener good invention and asked
If il was possible for him TO secure an in
terest in the device. Samuel a. Croft stated
that the business affairs connected with the
fastener We're looked after by his brother
Dillcr y. Croft.
Can we 20 10 see him noW?' asked Mr.
Iorenz.
NO" replied S. A Croft: Il have my du-
ties to perform. but will take YOU to see
him tomorrow.
Samuel A. Croft that day according to
his attorney. visited Postmaster Willett
and made an inquiry regarding Mr. LorenZ
and his standing. Postmaster Willett said
he knew Mr. Lorenz, and that the latter
was lust the man the Groffs needed to helm
them in securing the adoption of the fast
ener by the government. The next day
Samuel y. Croft and George L. Lorenz
called to see Diler h. Croft
Groff-Lorenz Agreement
After long conference it was agreed
that if Mr. LorenZ should succeed in hay-
ing the fastener adopted by the govern
ment he should receive half the profits.
At first, when the price received for the
fastener was S1.50 each Mr.. Lorenz re-
ceived 62Ia cents. but later when the price
for each complete fastener was reduced to
S12J, Mr.. 1orenZ received 80 cents, which,
by mere chance. happened to be 40 per cent
of the price paid by the government for
each fastener
The jury was further Informed that Diller
+. Grof. son of Diller b, Groff, was en-
ployed as clerk in connection with the
fastener. In order TO pay the clerks sal
airy, and not affect the payments to his
brother and Mr.. LorenZ. Dil!er b. Croft
succeeded in having the cost of manufac-
ture of each complete fastener reduced
from 20 to 20 cents.
Machen's Introduction.
In 1899. Attorney Maddox proceeded TO
say, a letter received from August W.
Machen asking that one of the Groffs call
to see him. This was the very first time
Machens name figured in the matter. Diller