Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-17
DENNISON ON HIS PAST LIFE
FlaiutiH UndsrgOsI RiTid Cross EHnmipa-
tion In Libel suit
LAWYERS SPAR ON ADMISSION OF EVIDENCE
Argue for over an Hour Question OF
Reading Accounts of Thomas
speech from Another
Newspaper.

crOss-eNafninatlon at yesterday afternoon n
session OF Judge Esteles court when At
torney Van Dusen for the Omaha Daily
News, which Dennison Is suing for $4,000
for alleged libel, questioned him as to his
past life and as to his business ventures in
Omaha. The last hour OF the session was
spent by the attorneys in the absence Of
the jury in arguing the admissibllity Of re-
ports OF the Elmer Thomas speech which
appeared in other newspapers Attorneys
Connell and Pagan for Dennison con-
tended the other articles could not be Of
fered. The argument had not closed when
court adjourned
At the conclusion Of his direct examina-
ton Dennison said he had gone to the
Daily News Office to secure the publica-
| ton of a statement regarding the article
and had talked to Joseph Polcar the
managing editor
HE told me at first that the article did
not mention my name, but told him every
one could tell from reading It that It
referred to me. and he said he knew It
referred to me-"
Strong objections were made by the de-
Tense to the admission of this testimony,
but It was allowed by the court,
Dennison's Former Record.
Mr.. Van Dusen began his cross-examina-
ton by asking about the witness former
record. The witness said he had been in
the gambling business In Salt Lake City,
Leadville. Aspen and Ogden. His last con-
nection with gambling in Omaha, he said,
was in 1901 and 1902 when he was inter
ested in what was known as the Gin Cole
house at 1909 Douglas street. He said he
was interested with ]. II. Mcdonald, Gin
Cole, William Nesselhouse and Scip Dundy.
'Is It not true" Mr.. Van Dusen asked,
that Mcdonald did not have a money
interest in the house, but held his interest
because he claimed to have influence with
the county attorney and a newspaper to
protect the house?"
yes, but we found out his pretentions
were not good and that there were men
| hired to throw the house and we let him
out" ....
The witness said in reply to a question
that he was on unfrtendly terms with
Elmer Thomas and also Walter Noise.
What caused the hard feeling between
yourself and Walter Moise7" he was asked.
He crossed me one election. He took
my money and spent it the other way and
we have not been friendly since"
The cross-examination of the witness was
not marked by the usual objections. His
attorneys announced they would allow the
attorneys for the defense the widest lati-
tude. The first serious objection came
when Mr.. Van Dusen sought to have the
witness read a report of the speech of
Elmer Thomas from the World-Herald
The argument on the propriety of this evil
denoe was not finished when court ad-
journed.
ON the stand Over an Hour.
Dennison was the principal witness at
the hearing of the case Tuesday morning.
He was on the stand over an hour and re-
lated his side of the controversy He
dwelt principally on the conditions existing
at the time OF the publication of the OBJ
jectionable articles, which, he said, con-
tributed to the mental suffering he under
went on account OF It, Mrs. Dennson
and their little daughter we're present in
the court room.
At the opening Of the session Judge Es-
telle excused the jury while ne took cogni-
zance of the articles published concerning
the case in the News.
When the jury was recalled Miss Edith
Tobit, city librarian went on the stand
long enough to identify the articles form
ing the basis Of the suit from library files
Dennison was called as the next witness.
The evidence of the witness was pune
0 eNeSNSu W lAOAhNhN OhJNNADAS AOA hhN NC
PENDANTS attorneys Dennison said he had
been engaged for some time in looking
after his real estate and horses. He said
he had been running gambling games up
to the summer Of 1902, but had quit then.
No Name Mentioned.
Attorney Van Dusen objected TO ques-
ton assuming that the article published in
the News referred to the witness, holding
no name was used. Dennlson said at the
time the article was published his extradl-
ton suit was pending in the supreme court
and two criminal cases were hanging over
him in Harrison county Iowa. He said
/ he felt the publication of the article could
not help but influence his cases, and for
this reason was very much worried over
/ the article.
! When he went home on the evening Of
the publication OF the story he said he
found his wife reading the article and
crying, He said he felt the disgrace to
his wife and child very keenly and 1t con-
tributed to his mental suffering, He said
he was unable to sleep well for a long
time and lost his appetite on account Of the
anxiety.
He also testified he had gone to the
three newspapers IN Omaha with e signed
statement which he asked to have pub
llshed. The News did not publish 1t, how
/ ever though the other two papers did.