The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-07
DEAD WITNESSES
TAKE UP TIME
Grecne-Gaynor Trial Not Brought
to Conclusion By Govern
ment, AS Anticipated.
A SENSATIONAL STATEMENT
tBy Associated press.)

SAVANNAH, Ga, March G-Thls was
the day that District Attorney Erwin
thought at the end of last week might
bring the conclusion OF the governments
direct testimony against Greene and Gay
nor, but when the Federal court adj
Journed. the close of the governments
case did not appear much nearer than 1t
did Saturday. The two days had been
consumed either in argument or the read
ing of testimony OF deceased witnesses.
That OF two or three more. now deceased.
ut the commissioners hearing in New
York. Is yet TO be read, and thereafter
Mr.. Erwin will put two more witnesses
at least on the stand One will be Ma
uonal Bank Examiner Johnson, who will
reduce to as simple statement as pos
sible. for the benefit of the Jury, tho
many bank accounts and transactions
that have been presented by the gov
eminent.
To-day was largely consumed in the
reading OF evidence given by w. II. Ven
able, Thomas ]. Agnew and Charles Van
Deventer, all since deceased. and in the
interposing and answering of objections
offered to certain portions of their tes-
timony.
Judge Speer to-day admitted the testi-
mony before Commissioner S-~Ss in
New York by witnesses now deceased.
when the removal of the defendants from
that jurisdiction to the jurisdiction OF
this court was sought. Judge Speer said:
THE witnesses all died during that
period In which the accused had absentel
themselves from the Jurisdiction of the
court, and while the government was re-
sorting to judicial proceedings in order
to secure their return from Canada, TO
which they had repaired. Had the case
been brought to trial at the time when
1t was originally assigned. all OF these
Witnesses We're in life and all nigh. have
testified, The contention of counsel for
the defense is utterly inconsistent with
the exigencies OF society. and, reduced to
It's last analysis. might even exclude on
the trial the dying declarations of the
innocent victim of unprovoked and secret
murder OF an unnamable outrage.
Dead Witnesses Testimony.
Thomas j. Agnew. one of the dead
witnesses. testified rs to trouble he had
experienced in securing specifications for
the Cumberland Sound contract. and
finally he said he had to resort to his
family physician and get him to make
application for the specifications. Ed
ward ii. and John F. Gaynor. he said.
had offered him $500 not to bid. When
he would not accept, Edward II. Gaynor
at the last moment. picked up froTl
Carter's desk one bid and substituted.
another therefor. When the bids We're
| read they did not contain the names ot
the Gaynors as bidders. The bid sub,
| stituted by Gaynor, District Attorney
Erwin contended, Was prepared by M
| A. Connolly, Carters secretary, who
forged the name of Arson NJ. Bangs. who
was awarded the contract" This Did,
| 1t was held, was kept In readiness TO
meet the emergencies demand. should
Agnew persist in his determination to
| bid The price bid for mattresses, AgneW
| had said was about one-half winch
| Greene and Gaynor had previously bldr
the eleventh hour bid having made tho
reduction.
The testimony of the late I'LL. Nen-
! able, Of Atlanta showed how Carter had
1 endenvored to "chll" Vennble's deter
mination to bid on the Cumberland
Sound work, John II, Gaynor ne said,
had tried to make him turn over MS spe-
clf1catons Gaynor telling him he Cay
nor) had the others whereupon Venable
told Gnynor he would not be party to
any conspiracy. Gaynor. he said. told
| him he had, two sets OF bids. one was
5000 900 lower than the other, and Y was
| The low one he purposed putting In, In
| the event an unexpected bidder should
/ N After some further testimony. court
| adjourned until Tomorrow.
cas- a. s3N. e "a.