The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-26
NEARING THE END
Calvin Heck Case Is Practically
Completed.
Accused Tells His Story on the
Stand.
NOT A GOOD WITNESS.
Becomes Confused Under Fire
Of Cross Examination.
Claims He Did Not Know Of
Assault for a Day.
7OT A GOOD WITNESS.

was the principal witness. The court
reconvened at 1870 and at o'clock
the accused, cal Heck, took his place
in the witness box to try and tell a
story which would convince the jurors
of his innocence. It was a sorry effort
that he made. for while he did fairly
well while the friendly hand of his
attorney, Ga1en Nichols, guided him.
when he found himself in the hands
of the prosecuting attorney then he
began to founder. There was a
marked contrast between the testi-
mony which he gave and the testimony
of the self-confessed accomplish.
Croft told his story in a straightfof-
ward way after the manner of one who
had been through with all of the ex-
periences which he was narfating.
His demeanor on the stand viii do
much to convince the jurors of the
truthfulness Of his statements. On
the other hand, the testimony of the
defendant, Cal Heck, was given in a
hating, drawing manner. There
were numerous times during the cross
examination of the prosecuting attor-
ney when it appeared as though ne
must break down under the pitilesS
cross examination. He gained time at
these critical moments by repeating
the questions asked Of him or by fall
ing to remember the incident referred
to. Heck started his testimony by an
swefing a question as to the length of
time that he had lived in the city by
replying about four years. He then
said: IT have been working for the
Bell Telephone company for the past
year, with the exception of a few
months when I was laid off on account
of a burn. During this time my salary
has been about S65 q month; that is,
when I worked. I knew Croft, but
we we're not what could be termed
chums. We knew each other and
spoke when we passed, but that was
all.
Il heard all of John Grons testi-
mony on the witness stand yesterday
and this morning and I deny that I
ever told him that We could make
some easy money by sticking up
some one, and never had any such
conversation with him. I never told
him must have money and that I
would do anything to get it as I owed
bill of $40 at the hospital, though
may have told others that owed this
amount at the hospital. never was
in North Topeka with John Croft at
any time and all Of the stories which
he told about the different plans
which he says that we laid to rob
Kuntz are false. never saw him on
any of the nights he claims 7 was with
him excepting one and that time met
him by accident and we went into
Lakes drug store and L bought q
good there. I was in the basement of
the Bell Telephone building once
when he came in. I went there fire.
quently as the building was steam
heated. I never asked Grof to tele-
phone to Kuntzs store to find out
when he would leave for home. I did
meet Tom Watson one night but this
was on the 2Sth Of December and was
not the night that Croft claims we
were together waiting to Waylay Mr..
Kuntz. Yes, the hammer which was
introduced in evidence belonged to me,
but it had been missing for several
weeks and I did not know what be-
came of it until it was shown to me at
noon the day before was arrested by
Sheriff Lucas.
mo, sir, I never met Calvin Kuntz
the son Of the man who was assaulted,
as he and John Heck have testified,
and they are mistaken in what they
swore to. The story that Sheriff Lucas
| told about my getting the blood on
my trousers IS q mistake and / never
told him any such thing. I was put
ting a hinge on box for Pearl
Sheridan and cut my hand with a new
knife which I had bought and was
using at the time. I did not wash my
hand and went on working and when
the blood became too much in the way
1 Tipped it off and it must have fallen
on my trOuser leg. The night that the
robbery was committed I was in the
room until nearly midnight and then
y -
| there until morning. When I went
into the room occupied by the boys 7
rolled my overcoat into the form of a
person and placed 1t in one of the beds
to have some fun with one of the boys
named Johnson. When he came in I
changed it to one of the other beds
and it was there when it was found by
Sheriff Lucas the next night.
Attorney Nichols here asked, Did
you get out Of bed during the night
and make an attack on Mr.. Kuntz?''
To which the witness answered in a
positive manner, mo, sir, I did not"
when did you first hear of the as
sault2' asked his attorney.
1t was not until about noon on the
following Monday when I came IN
from work with a bunch Of the boys
and of them said. There must be some
thing doing in that alley, cause I saw
the bulls in the alley with the red
lights +"
Upon being questioned by his attor-
ney, Heck said that the latter part OF
his sentence meant that the police were
in the alley.
Heck then said: ct worked all day
Monday and while Sheriff Lucas came
to me at noon and asked me about my
hammer I had no idea that there was
anything wrong. The first time that
knew that there was anything wrong
was when Sheriff Lucas and several
other officers came into my room and
told me to get up and go with them
as John Gron had implicated me in a
confession which he had made. They
took me over to the Jail and read me
the confession Of John Croft in which
he implicated me and I told the officers
that I would never believe it until I
heard it from the lips of GFafe himself
The officers then took me to the cell
where he was confined and asked him
If he had made that confession and he
said that he had.
It supposed that he was drunk and
stOODed down over him and smelled Of
act a for l-~- to-
what he meant was then locked up
in q cell in the county jail and talked
to and abused By the sheriff. county at
tOrney and q man known as Doc Davis.
They came into the cell where I was
confined and called me names ana
ahuaaa ne. Some Li-ra- they wrnIz III