The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-05-29

curing my assistance In preparing case
against the Hope Land company he re-
fused 10 testify before the grand jury In
that matter
ut was shown. even by these witnesses.
that since the spring of 1904 a great
change for the better has come TO j. B.
Nash, yet II must have occurred TO you
that II the defendant could not galhcr any
more evidence OF a tangible character or
from more respectable witnesses To show
that Nash Is unworthy OF your belief.
then the power OF the police department
In this city and In all the cities where
j. b. Nash has been known cannot be-
expected to drag forth anything more,
and that the worst, the very worst that
can be said against him or insinuated by
mortal man has been said, so far as II
can affect his credibility as witness
and. by the way, why have not the police
officials Of East Providence been mere to
show what they think OF Nash? Surely
Frank A. Matthews has been mistaken
In his estimates OF this man.
ION the other hand. we have shown by
a number OF witnesses of the highest re-
spectability that they hold j. Il. Nash TO
be beyond question man of truth: and
most important of all, we have shown by
the facts OF the relations between Nash
and Matthews for some years, that II
Matthews believed or suspected that Nash
was character so depraved as to be un-
worthy OF belief under oath. then he has
been guilty OF gross neglect of his duty
In commencing him for license TO carry
on the peculiar kind OF business he con-
ducts and that Matthews own continued
endorsement of Nash for license stops
him from any serious effort to discredit
hlm as witness under OATH
Mr.. Cristy then took up the testimony
tending to show thar the motive OF Chief
Matthews in the alleged conspiracy was
10 dscredit Mr.. Cristy and thereby to aid
the chiefs efforts to throw down" Chair
man Luther. He said:
These statements OF the motive actu-
ating Frank A. Matthews constitute
triple offence under Rule H. We have
conduct unbecomdng an officer deceit,
ana an attack on a superior officer. The
chief admits obtaining a check and denies
the truth of the other statements. His
explanation concerning the check is so
foolish as 10 be in itself corroboration
of the truth of the testimony against
aim. He says in his testimony. i wanted
the check in order 10 show certain people
that Mr. Cristy turned the money over to
the treasury OF the Rhode Island Temper
ance League. did this with the idea of
protecting Mr. Cristy's reputation
Since the testimony shows that i Of
fered TO share the amount paid with the
police pension fund and since / have
never claimed or stated TO the chief or TO
any other person that | did turn this
money over TO the treasury OF the Rhode
Island Temperance League. and since the
chief never asked me or even claims that
he ever asked me what use l put the
money TO there was no reason why he
should have asked for the check or why
he insisted upon keeping il In his own
possession " his purpose was as he claim
ed. IL is far more reasonable TO believe
Nash and Meinhold that he desired them
10 give him the check that he might use
IT to mislead others about my conduct"
Mr.. Cristy then proceeded to discuss
the publication OF the first article that ap-
peared regarding the alleged strong pic
lures. and which was published in the
Providence Tribune, as Mr.. Cristy
claimed. in evident collusion with Chief
Matthews. Mr.. Cristy said:
''In regard to the conspiracy with the
newspaper Meinhold testified that on
Monday, April 9th, Chief Matthews said
to him and Nash at their place while Mr.
Luther wars examining pictures. Now Is
the time to straighten this out and TO
throw the responsibility where II belongs
and to square yourself with the public.
Mr.. Nash asked how. Meinhod says the
answer was Why. throw the respon-
sibility on Mr. Cristy. he is being paid
for this On the next day April 10th
he then urged me again TO set ourselves
right with the public by throwing the
whole responsibility on Mr.. Cristy. and
continued, Well there will be someone
In TO see you today and now is the time
to unburden yourselves to the papers and
set the public right by putting the re-
eponsibility where II belongs The
visit OF a reporter from the Tribune Is
then stated by Meinhold as having hap
pened within an hour OF his return
10 his business. who asked that II Mr.
Nash returned before five o'clock he
would call up, the Tribune or come down
and see Mr.. Rosenfeld. And in reply to the
suggestion Of Meinhold that the one who
gave the information would give II TO
others. the reporter replied. No, he
won't; the one who gave II to me won't
give II to anoyne else, I know
Mash confirms the reception Of this
message from the Tribune as having re-
cewed IL before he had obtained n copy
OF the Tribune OF April 10th containing
the article on his place Of business. The
article In the Tribune is placed I'm evil
dence and its animus s go plaintly evident,
and the fact that the information and
statements contained In IL were exclusive
~ I'm that raper confirms the statement
that there was an understanding between
the chief and the representatives Of that
paper.
Mr.. Cristy then reviewed in detail the
testimony OF Chief Matthews relating to
the check, and showed contradictions in
the chiefs testimony, at the same time
drawing conclusions as TO the improba-
bility OF the explanations offered by him.
He then continued:
1T is pertinent to ask what possible
motive Frank A. Matthews could have
had for thus repeatedly urging Nash and
even asking him at his store Tuesday
night and wanting TO see him Wednesday,
IL his motive was not as we allege-a
desire to persuade Nash to publish some-
thing Injurious to me-"
Nash testified that In his conversa-
tion with the chief April 1lth 1t was evil
dent that Matthews attack had been
aimed at Mr.. Cristy and he said to Mat
thews. You have landed your man all
right. but I'm doing so you have injured
me and my business greatly. and I feel
pretty sore over 1t. and ] feel that Mr..
Cristy has been used snamefuly in this
matter. I think that the truth should
come ont