Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-24
Proceedings in Crawford Trial
Likely to Be Tedious.
EVIDENCE SUBMITTED
PROOF OF A. w. MACHEN'S AP
PoINTMENT TO POSITIONS
Belief Strengthened That George +
Lorenz Will Testify as Witness
for Government.

ford accused of conspiriug with August
w. Machen and George L. Lorenz to de-
fraud the United States in connection with
the furnishing of letter carriers satcheis
to the Post Office Department. was resum-
ed this morning in Criminal Court No. l. 1t
was demonstrated that the announcement
made yesterday by United States Attorney
Reach In his opening statement to the jury
that the hearing would be tedious
based on fact. The proceedings yesterday
were full OF surprises and interest. due
largely to the unexpected action of MaChen
in pleading guilty The opposite holds true
today. What transpired was extremely
dull and absolutely devoid of general in
tereSt. The attendance in the court room
which large at the beginning. rapidly
diminished. until rows of vacant benches
were the rule. Standing room at pre-
MUM yesterday.
The prosecution started in today by prov
ing the appointment of Machen to positions
in the Post Office Department; of his sub
scribiHg to the oaths of Office the APP
pointmeut and resignation of Crawford as
deputy auditor for the Post Office Depart
ment; of the advertising for bids for fur
nishing carriers satchels- to the department
and of the awarding of the contract. The
only testimony not strictly routine given
during the entire morning session of the
court was assertion that while Craw
ford was deputy auditor and Machen
an official of the Post Office Department.
the latter visited Crawford in his office.
Plan of Government Counsel.
The governments plan to prove
everything connected with its case. and to
that end the attesting witnesses to the sig
natures on contracts and other papers Of
fered In evidence were called. The defense
repeatedly admitted the genuineness OF the
papers and the signatures. and finally the
court directed the prosecution to desist
needesSly consuming time by calling ad-
ditional attestng witnesses to signatures
Advertisements contracts, appointments to
office and oaths of office were read to the
jury. all of which consumed time. and at
the time the usual midday was
taken many of those who braved 1t out and
remained in the court room were yawning.
The main point in the case, 1t seems Is
did Crawford know that Lorenz was send
ing part of the money realized on the
satchel contract to Machen? The defend
ant denies that he possessed such knowl-
edge. 1t is asserted that the only way
the government can prove such knOwl-
edge on the part of Crawford is by put
ting Iorenz on the stand as witness for
the government and have him testify to
that effect. In his opening statement to
the jury yesterday afternoon Attorney
WOrthington of counsel for the defense
remarked that should the government
produce witness to testify that Craw-
ford was aware that Lorenz was to send
part of the money to Machen that wit
ness would be proved TO be a tlar DefOre
he left the stand. Therefore 1t is believed
that the trial will not prove to be more
than ordinarily Interesting until an at
tempt is made to prove guilty knowledge
on the part of Crawford
Lorenz Remains in Witness Room.
The fact that George e. Lorenz was not
in the court rom today, but remained In
the witness room. all witnesses having
been excluded until needed to testify. was
bet tot
ton that the prosecution intends to use
him as a witness In it's behalf against
Crawford
Crawford and Attorneys Worthington.
Frailey and John G.. Carlisle today moved
10 the place occupied yesterday by Ma
chen and his legal representatives. and
the newspaper men promptly took pos
session of the table which is nearer the
witness stand, vacated by the defendant.
AS stated. Lorenz vas not in the court
room but his brother was an interested
listener to all that was said.
In tho midst of the proceedings four
ladies VINO seemed to be deeply concerned
in the case were usl cred into the room
and given good seats They remained not
more than fifteen minutes however, hay-
fng learned that nothing was occurring
TO hold their attention
The Taking of Testimony.
When the hearing was resumed this
morning the prosecution called as the first
witness Appointment Clerk ". S. Nichol-
son of the Post Office Department. who tes-
titled regarding the appointment of August
W. Machen to positions in the department.
Next to take the stand a witness was
William A. MCNulty. lie explained that
lie Is a notary public and administered the
oath OF office to August W. Machen.
Thomas E. Roach, also notary public.
was called for the purpose of testifying
that he. too, had administered an oath of
office to Machcn.
The prosecution also called as a witness
George G. Thompson. acting chief clerk OF
the Post Ofice Department. lie told of the
advertising for bids in 1902 for furnishing
carriers satchels. and of the Issuing of an
order for tho appointment Of a committee
10 receive the bids The witness Identified
copy of the book of regulations of the
Post Office Department. Assistant United
States Attorney keigwln read In evidence
from sections II, 10 and Is Of the book of
regulations.
Post Office Inspector Walter S. Mayer
took the stand sufficiently long to produce
copies of two New York papers OF May 13.
1892, IN which were published the adver-
tisement for bids for supplying carriers
satchels.
The appointment of the defendant. Will
Ham G.. Crawford. deputy sixth auditor
of the treasury for the Post Office Depart
1nent in 1891. and his resignation early in
May 1897. were proved by the testimony
OF James Fitzpatrick.
John h. Sleman. chief clerk in the Office
OF the auditor for the Post Office Depart
ment. was called for the purpise of testify
auditor. and while so serving had been Wis
ited by August w. Machen. then an official
of the Post ONCE Department.
Signature Identified.
Travers Ross. usher and custodian of the
seal. Post Office Department, identified the
signature of the late Postmaster General
Payne to the contract Of June %, 1902, with
Crawford.
Then. in the order given. the prosecution
produced L. A. Goerich James *. Polk
Lewis b. Franklin and William r. Braden
attesting witnesses to the signatures of
Crawford. George Il. Lorenz. Wade Chance
president of the Postal Device and Lock
Company and others various papers
The defense reiterated that the genuine
ness of the signatures admitted, and
finally the court declined to permit the In
production OF additional testimony relating
10 proving these signatures.
Thereupon, Assistant United States Attor-
ney keigwin proceeded to read the several
contracts. reports and other papers to the
Jury, and simultaneously there was a thin