Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-08-05
SENATOR FARRlS CAINSPOINT
oOur, Finally Excludes Evidence Relative
to Alleged BOOdlsr's Bank Account
DEFENDANT TEsTFts IN HIS OWN BEHlAE
He Denies Every Accusation made
Against Him by John A. Lee
VIII he Cross-Exam-
ined To-day.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo, Aug. A-UpoR
the resumption today Of the trial Of Senator
Frank II. Farris on the charge OF bribery
the point in controversy at the conclusion
of yesterdays session over the admission
OF the books Of the Steelvilie bank, a service
to show deposits made by Farris on March
q, 1901, was settled by Judge Davis who
ruled that the introduction OF the books as
evidence be allowed.
J. T. Coffey. cashier OF the bank OF Steel
Vile, who was on the stand when the
point In controversy arose today Identified
the books introduced.
Thomas A. Gibson who was cashier OF
the bank in 1901 and who kept the books
Of the bank. was placed on the stand TO
identify the handwriting as his own. At
torney General Hadley asked the witness
to say OF his own personal knowledge
whether Farris had deposited a large sum
Of money in the bank on March n, 1901.
Witness did not remember. Judge Davis
then decided to exclude the books from
being used as evidence.
Teller Identifies Draft.
w. II. Hettle, paying teller OF the Ameri-
can Exchange National bank OF 81. Louis,
identified a 5000 draft as the one that was
paid lee through the bank, He also idenu-
y.
ter written to d. j. Kelly OF New York
stating that he (bee) was going before the
grand jury and would protect all parties.
Lee had denied the authorship of the letter.
Another attempt was made by Attorney
General Hadley to have the Steelville bank
books admitted as evidence, but Judge
Davis strictly adhered 10 his ruling not to
admit them, The state then offered dep
ositions taken by the defense more than
two years ago, and which have been in
the custody of the clerk OF the court, from
ID. ]. Kelley, in Canada, to the effect that
Kelley had been indicted and had gone TO
Canada from New York These dispositions
were refused by the court as incompetent
Senator Farris on the stand.
The state then rested its case and the de-
Tense began examination of witnesses.
Senator Farris took the stand in his own
behalf. He denied every accusation made
against him by John A. Lee. He admitted
talking TO Lee about the alum bill and
said he told Lee that he was opposed 10 IT,
He denied the meeting with Senator Morton
and Lee at the Madison hotel. He denied
emphatically that he went to St. Louis on
the o'clock train with Lee and Kelley
and declared that Lee did not visit him in
his room at the Laolede hotel in St. Louis,
nor gave him any money there. Attorney
| General Hadley will cross-examine him to-
morrow.
When the state rested the defense called
Senator Thomas of Carthage, who tesu-
! fed that he went to st. Louis on the 2:26
| train the day the legislature adjourned
sine die and that Lee was on the same
| train.
Senator w. H. Haynes OF st. Joseph, who
introduced the alum bill in the senate, told
about the Introduction OF the bill by him.
saying that he did so simply to have a
bill there in case the house bill failed to
pass the house He denied ever being APP
| preached either by Lee or Farris with a
proposition relative TO the bill