Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-03
RATHER A DULL DAY
Little Excitement in the Post
Office Trials.
DET'ENSE'S WITNESSES
DILLER B. GRoFF'S CRoSS-EX-
ANIMATION CONCLUDED.
His Failing Memory Continues - An
Attorney Testifies as to the Box
Fastener Patent.
DEFENSE'S WITNESSES

There was little out of the ordinary to
awaken interest in the trial of the alleged
Post Office Department cohspirators today.
The fact that Diller B. Croft. who was
called to the witness stand yesterday, was
to be cross examined, brought larger
crowd to the court room than usual Mr.
Grcff's cross-examination was not complet-
ed until IL: 80 am.
The most interesting feature of this az
ternoon's proceedings occurred just petore
recess Mr.. ]. Nota McGill, the patent
lawyer. had been called to the stand to
testify as to the relative merits OF the
Miller fastner which was introduced at
the time the inventor was examined py
the government earlier in the trial
Attorney E. Scott Dougless began the ex-
animation of Mr.. McGill, who testified that
Samuel A. Croft was what is known In the
n.r,ance of patent law as pioneer Mr.:
Dougless held in his hand a wooden mooel
of the Miller device and was ABOUT 10 pass
1t to Mr.. McGill, when Assistant Attofnes
General Purdy objected to the line OF tes-
timony. ,.,, .. ,,,,t
on the witness stand to show that ne neo
brought to the attention of August w. Ma
chen a letter box and fastener which ne
desired the Post Office Department 10
adopt: that Machen had said to Miller tnh. M
1t was not worth while 10 coHsiuei ~
whereas at the time the conversation toon
place more than 10000 worth OF the HIpia .'sa
fasteners had been purchased under lhe
recommendation of Machen ,.oa
Attorney Charles A. Douglass insisted
that the defense had perfect right to con,
time the examination of Mr. McCiill as hao
been commenced. Attorhe! hoiiieS ~
rad sprung to his feet. ~ i,
"If Machen had said that the Miller ue
vice was no good, was of no use IL wouiu .
be all right" he said with enlpnai,a ;n.
when Machen had an opportunity 20 w t
spect another device in the interest Oh tne
Government his reply was that there were
too few in to make it worth Whlle.
Both of the Attorneys Douglass persist
ed that they were within the rules OF eVl,
dence to continue the examination or MI
McGill They argued that they desired to
show by the witness that the Miller device
was an infringement on the GroH pa'ent'
While the arguments were gong On MI
Conrad had gone to the bench ana, select-
ing from the books of typewriter eVioehce
the one containing the testimony OF Miller'
pored the pages over hurriedly.
When Mr.. c. A. Douglass was throush
Mr.. Conrad arose, and turning his race
to the court, read verbatim the testimony
of Miller, which bore out the contention oI
the governments counsel. Al one tlhe'
when Mr. Douglass interrupted Mr. Con
rad, while he was reading. he stopped ana,
turning his eyes toward the counsei 1or
Machen, said:
I'm sticking to the recoro' ain hoe ioA-
lowing your fancy.
Justice Pritchard listened attentively- IN
one place, where Mr.. Conrad READ an IN
Perfection of the court that he would see
that the defense was not hurt, there was
much laughter. Justice Pritchard himseH
Joined in the laughter.
When Mr.. Conrad was through reading
Attorney c. A. Douglass again sought per-
mission to pursue the examination OF Mr.
McGill on the line indicated in the begin
ming But Justice Pritchard ruled against
him, explaining that the testimony mleht
ha Machen
amined.
Machen a Busy Man.
Assistant Attorney General Purdy got
right down to business in the cross-eXaml-
nation of Diller B. Croft this morning
Machen sat between Judge Kumler and
Attorney c. A. Douglass and took many
notes He was, if anything, the busiest
man in the court room. He frequently con-
ferred with Mr.. Douglass, and occasionally
turned around to whisper in the ear OF
George Z. Lorenzo, who also made nu-
merous notes which he submitted to his
counsel.
Mrs Phillips. Machen's sister and Mrs.
Machen were nearly an hour late in reach
ing the court room. The former bowed to
Machen as she took her seat, and he re-
turned the salutation.
Mr.. Purdy devoted considerable time try
ing to ascertain just what LorenZ did for
the firm to earn the 40 per cent of the net
profits that was paid to him with such reg
received from the government treasury war
rants for the fasteners furnished the Post
Office Department. In this he was unsuc-
cessful.
LorenZ did in 1895 to earn the amount that
was paid him. but the answers were all
very much the same.
II don't know what he did when he was
not in my presence" the witness replied to
question.
well, do you know what he did when he
was in your presence Mr. Purdy asked
with directness.
well tell the jury what Lorenz did do
when in your presence"
''Of course, when visit to he
didn't do anything"
Ibid he ever tell you what he did for the
firm?'
ceiling, and was in deep thought for min
ute. Then he replied:
'I believe he said he went to Chicago and
saw the postmaster. and that he thought
he would get a big order"
NOW" asked Mr.. Purdy. rising in his
seat and walking toward the witness,
don't you know that Washington Hessing
was postmaster of Chicago at that time.
and don't you know that Hessing is dead?''
Mr.. Groff said ne might have heard that
Hessing was dead Mr. Purdy called at
tention to the fact that this was the third
dead man of whom the witness had some
recollection bordering on distinctness This
brought forth sally from Attorney c. A
DOuSlSSS tldl MI GufQy should take the
stand a witness.
Some idea of the proceedings this after
noon may be gained from the above Incl
dent. Mr.. Croft didn't remember of ever
having received any written reports from
Mr.. Lorenz as to anything that he had
done. In fact. there was very little of any-
thing that had ever transpired during his
connection with Lorenz that he could be
induced to say that he remembered dis
tinctly.
When Mr.. Purdy asked him If he didn't
know that 1892 he received about S4OOOO
from the government for fasteners he said
he would have to refer to the records
what records?" asked Mr.. Purdy
1.-The government records"
''None that you have?" the assistant at
torney general suggested.
mo
While he read to Croft the warrants from
the treasury and the checks of 40 per cent
of the profits that We're sent almost invari-
ably within a few days or a week to Lor-
eng he moved to within a few feet of the
CONTINUED on Eighth Page.)