Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-01-31
RON ON STAND.
,. p. orues. Jr.. Tsstinss At
day Mornlnu's eesslon a.

tees wednesday morning In the III z
matter. He said that he had beei I
the employ OF the awters. Pierce 10
company between eight and nine yeark
First In the accounting department
and then In the general managers d,
partment. The transfer was made q
June. 1893. On March I. 1908. he sc,
cred his connection with the concern
He had no access to the auditing rec
oros. The $4,000 voucher was display
ed TO the witness. He stated that IA,
body OF the instrument was In hi,
handwriting. Mr., Gruet said that IN,
voucher notation. Account of Texal
cases" was In his fathers handwrit
Ing He said there had been an era
sure In the Waters-Pierce youche,
book and his handwriting had beer
written over II. giving the name of J
w. Bailey. He said he made the en-.
Try on the books ut the time OF the
transaction. He said there was no a.,
iteration In the handwriting OF the
voucher.
Mr.. 0dell. on cross-examination. ask.
ed II he tGruep'had made the original
entry OF sl,750 and then the corrco.
ton. He said he had written Bailoy's
name In the book. but did not remem.
Der the first entry. Witness said that
sometimes he erased mistakes and
sometimes crossed them out with red
ink. He said his custom was not 20
cross out. but 10 erase mistakes.
He showed another erasure on page
four Of the book. Mr.. Odell looked al
both erasures with magnifying glass
secured from Chairman O'Neal. TIE
witness found still aonther erasure and
correction.
Young Gruet spent considerable
time looking through the voucher book
searching for more erasures. He said
he used q knife and AN ink c.asure ~
remake Ink from paper when mistake
was made. He said at that time he
was voucher clerk and A. J. Hu:ehln.
son was chief clerk. He said he was
then located In the Odd Fellows build.
Ing at St Louis and his fathers Office
was probably $50 feet from his desk.
II was not unusual for Officers 20 SIT
beside chief clerks. He said he did
talk with his father about entries on
the book Tuesday night and Wednes.
day morning. He said he saw vouch-
ers In the possession OF his father
about March !, 1906.
Young Grvet did not remember ca
actly what the occasion was when he
was shown the voucher By his father.
II was the least possibility that Il was
about the time OF his fathers case
with Pierce. He said the only CONVEX.
sation he had with his father about
Bailey and the vouchers was about the
time the Plateau letter was written.
He said he and his father. II had been
stated. had been injected into the case
because Of the unpleasant nortoriety
II would give Captain Plateau. He said
he saw the letter In the Office OF the
company he was working for. He kept
a copy OF the letter for about a week.
He told OF Captain Flateau's trip to
and said when Captain |
Plateau was telling about his trip Bal. |
ley's name was mentioned. and he |
(GrueD mentioned the voucher held |
by his father. He said the letter was |
Captain Flateaus own idea and he |
wrote II in good faith.
Mr.. Gruet stated he approved the |
tenor OF the letter. Said he was very |
anxious TO settle the case against \
Pierce and thought that Bailey might
Ike to have the papers suppressed. lie
said he knew the papers would be
used In the Texas case. and they would
probably be made public. Said he did
not consider that he 1.-THE witness) was
rying TO blackmail Bailey. Thought II
was an entirely legitimate request
Witness was shown the $4,000 note
md other papers. He said his father
rot them from the Waters-Pierce oil
company. He said the. papers were a
IFS fathers personal files and when he
eft the WatersPierce OIL company he
ook them with him. He stated that
lis father might have been holdinb
hem for future use.
Mr.. Gruet said he knew Jewell r.
and had met him last sum-
ner. The first time he ever saw him
vas when Ligfhtfoot called him up ,
nd requested an Interview. He saw
i'm several times after that. He said J
e saw Lightfoot the last time on Com.
,erce street. 81. Louis. Never showed
.ightfoot vouchers. to the best OF his
Said he had never shown ..
ouchers TO anyone except Captain :
lateau. Said he never exhibited pho =
,graphic copies TO anyone except the .
hotographers-R. 7. Steady Co. OF .
(. Louis. Said he saw Mr. Evans =
he Chicago Examiner talking with 3d..
Ither about these vouchers.
Young Gruet stated his father :tl
Ut with Pierce about year ayo. L. :
hid his father had had misunGt
anding with Pierce for some l..-.~.
e said he remembered no serious DIFF
'rences a long time before his father q
~ Pierce.
He said he never had received q re- :,
iest from anybody to come to Texas =
soept the chairman Of the committee.
e said his father probably received a !, =
legram a week ago or two weeks
10 asking him to come to Texas. 81
ont remember who Il was signed by.
II believed that II was received prob
,ly week ago Thinks the telegram 4,
rs signed by Lightfoot Not positive v
at he saw telegram. and II he did.
only saw II once.
Witness stated he believed he saw w
e written contract for the amount hts a.
Their was 20 receive In testifying In ~
SEES. Said Il was 10 be one-third OF -
- 9. 4 ~