Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-08-20
Commissioner
DISCHARGES HIM
LEWIS MEYER DISCHARGED Fscm
CUSTODY AFTER EVIDENCE
IS ACpucEo.
THE ACCUSED TEST!EIES
Gives His O~n Nesxicn ~ sae Letter
Writing Declares he Was tsacr.
ant cs centenss When TAKEN irfo
cusseay.-sdrltsse Tssp WAS Set.

Santa r.. Aug. ae--Afier heasins
the evidence and theaEsuments in the
case II tie United States ~. Lewis
J Meyer. Jr.. charged sish eonspir
aey In violation of the interstate
commerce act. to put emory In the
cups az a Santa fe engine, Judge
Jehn p. victory. United States con-
missioner. discharge dthe defendant
On the ground that no evidence had
been introduced to show that Meyer
had ever been concerned with King.
Meyer and others. as alleged In the
complaint. In q conspiracy against the
Santa Fe Railroad company. Cap
tain n. J. Leahy made determined
fight for the United States. The de.
tense was diligently conducted by
Attorneys Rogers and Ward of Las
Vegas.
Admit the Trap
The evidence was. I'm large measure.
similar 10 that adduced In the justice
cs peace court I'm San Miguel county.
Fred Fornoff, Ben williams and Cap
tain Trelford swore to hearing certain
statements made by Meyer that he
had carried messages between Waters
aud King and that he wouldn't talk
lest he would get Waters, who had
family. into trouble. They also ,esti.
fled that King had accused Meyer In
their presence of knowing who doped
The engines. and Meyer had remained
silent. l.. +. Curwrigh. and James
Coffin also testified that they had
heard Meyer say that he wasn't going
to tell anything. but would take his
medicine. The United States cheer
fully admitted the trap that had been
laid for Meyer. that the letter sent
10 him from King had been written
by King in Williams presence and
that the latter had dictated parts Of
IL. Judge Victory took occasion to
question Mr.. Leahy as to his own opin-
ion Of method that would attempt to
force a letter that might be incrimin.
ating upon a man and then arrest
him for having II. Mr.. Leaby argued
ably that IL was legitimate to set any
such trap to catch wrong doer. but
the Judge apparently remained uncon.
vinced.
witness for Himself
Meyer took the stand for himself
and made an excellent witness. He
told straight and convincing story
which rigid cross examination could
not shake. He admitted that both
King and Waters had been friends of
his, and told freely Of his connection
with them. He didn't get time to read
the letter sent him by King before he
was arrested and said he tried his
best to get chance to look at it
and destroy II II It would prove Of in
jury to his friends, as he bad no idea
what might be Matching up against |
them. He denied emphatically any
criminal connection Of his own with
any one or any conspiracy for any
purpose. He also denied carrying mes
sages between King and Waters. but
said he had carried news Of the strike
and other matters to a number Of |
the union men. and this Is what he |
told Captain Trelford when he said he
carried messages.
Owing to the non-arrival of the wit
nesses for the United States the trial |
was not begun until 2 o'clock. The |
hearing of evidence was not @complet-
ed until $50. For this reason counsel |
rut their arguments short, but made
up in earnestness what they lacked
In length.
Judge Victory in summing up said |
hat while not much evidence was |
required to he produced to bind man /
70 the grand jury. the plaintiffs had
not connected Meyer with the charge /,
Of conspiracy against the Santa Fe
at all, and he would therefore dis.
.harge him.