The weekly Corinthian., 1907-11-14
MRS. VAN ALsTlNE's FIRST GREW
ANcE is BEING A
WITNESS.
THE MISSOURI LAW IS READ
Counsel FOR Defendant Would Show
Statutes wers Complied With
Witnesses Lean Forward and
Listen to Every Word.

st. Louis, Nov. 12.-"Up to this time
have nothing to complain of in my
transactions with Mr.. Lewis said
Mrs. Mary C. Van Alstine, witness
for the government, upon cross-exam-
nation Monday forenoon in the trial
of e. q. Lewis in the United States
district court.
Mrs. Van Alstine, who said her home
was at Richfeld, Summit county, Ohio.
was stockholder to the extent of s16
in the Peoples United States bank,
which Lewis organized. She testified
that after the bank went into a re-
ceiver's hands she received in ex-
change for her stock, from Lewis,
trustees note for SIG, payable in three
years, with interest payable semi-an-
nually at per cent
She testified that so far the inter
est payments had been met.
"Then,p asks Attorney o'Brien for
the defense, "up to this time you
nothing nothing to complain Of in the
matter. The witness hesitated, but aft
er the question had been repeated
twice, she replied, with considerable
emphasis: mo, have not"
She said she had come to st. Louis
as a witness and had turned over GER
tain letters and papers to the govern
ment at the solicitation of the post
office inspectors.
Mrs. Van Alstine, who is about As
years old, said she was dressmaker.
Jury TO See State Law.
The Importance which counsel for
the defense attaches to the manner in
which the Peoples United States bank
was organized and how it was conduct
ed during its brief career was indicat-
ed early Monday.
Shepard Barclay, representing Lew
is, told Judge Garland, in arguing for
permission to read certain sections of
the Missouri banking law to the jury,
that 1t was the purpose of the defense
to show. that everything in connection
with the bank was entirely regular
under the law. He wished especially,
he said to bring to the attention of
the jury that section referring to the
powers Of the secretary of state.
Judge Garland, who had interrupted
the reading, permitted Mr.. Barclay to
proceed, although, he said. 1t would
not be within the province of the jury
to decide whether Lewis bank has
been organized in accordance with the
law of the state.
AT the opening Of court Monday
morning United States District Attor-
ney Blodgett requested that all wit
nesses in the cases against Lewis 9th
er than the one now on trial be ex-
cused for another week. 1t became ap-
parent that the government expects
the present case to last at least a
week longer. The witnesses first re-
ported at. the opening of the Lewis
trial last Tuesday and then were ex-
cused until Monday morning of this
week.
Miss A. 9. Penninan of Albion, N. Y,
testified that she and her sister in
vested 5000 each in the Lewis bank
and had recovered s5 per cent.
The government still has a large
number of witnesses available for use
IN the trial of E. G. Lewis on a charge
OF using the mails to defraud before
Judge Garland in the United States
district court.
Many OF these are women, 20 to 25
OF whom, seated together in the court
ROOM were highly interested specta.
tors OF the proceedings in the case last
week
Not infreauently one of them
would rise in her place and lean as far
forward as possible in her eagerness
TO catch the words Of witness.