Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-08

Witnesses So Testify During Pro-
ceedings Today.
IDENTIFY THE SIGNATURE
State Surveyor Of California De-
scribes Routine Of Receiving and
Passing on Applications.
| The surprise of today in the continual
| ton of the trial of the alleged conspiracy
| case Of Messrs. Hyde. Benson. Dimond
| and Schneider before Justice Stafford. in
| Criminal Court. No. 1. was offered by the
defense when Attorney Campbell. on be-
! half of Mr.. Benson. presented testimony
| calculated directly to upset one of the
| governments recent carefully prepared
| anti-climaxes. With the view of sub
| Stimulating the claim that many of the
| applications filed by Mr.. Hyde were in
| the names of fictitious persons, United
States Attorney Baker called several wit
nesses and also read from the Holsinger
| report of Schneider's alleged confession.
| for oral and written testimony that one
| Elizabeth Dimond and one Jennie Blair
were not real. but merely dummy"
names. The government also had the
! same end in view whenit brought Mrs
MARGARET Andrews from San Francisco.
| placed her on the witness stand and per-
mitted the jury to hear her say that she
| had never signed an application to pur-
chase state school lands. and that the
signature Margaret Andrews to an ap-
plication blank and to power OF at
torney in possession of the government as
documentary evidence. was not in her
| handwriting. The defense interposed no
objection and rested content with asking
Mrs. Andrews If she was trained nurse
by occupation Mrs. Andrews replied she
was not.
Says Margaret Andrews Exists.
AS it happened. yesterday the govern
ment called Marcus Hart a San Francis
co merchant, and he testified that he Sc
cured great number of applicants to
purchase school lands. having members
Of his family, business acquaintances. his
employes and others sign the papers. Mr.
Hart also named several notaries before
whom he said. the applicants had sworn
to their signatures.
Mr.. Hart was recalled this morning for
| cross-examination by Attorney Campbell
and then the surprise occurred.
do you know Margaret Andrews" Mr.
Campbell queried.
II do Mr.. Hart said.
what was her occupation?'
"She was trained nurse and She cared
for my two daughters when they were
ill.,
How old and tall was she?'
about thirty or thirty-fve years of
age, and very tall. probably six feet"
Signs an Application.
"Can you say of your own knowledge
whether she ever signed an application
to purchase California state school
lands?''
"She did"
WHO put up the money to consummate
<he transaction"
~ did"
Did Mr. Benson have anything to do
with the matter in financial way, except
as agent in which capacity he was to
earn commission when the land was
finally sold?'
He did not
The witness was then turned over to
United States Attorney Baker for cross
examination. and in reply to the latter's
questions he said that he personally Sc
cured Margaret Andrews to sign an ap-
plicatfon for land; that the papers were
prepared in his Office and from informa-
ton or data secured from Mr. Benson,
and that he either was present or he sent
Miss Andrews to a notary public to &C
knowledge her signature.
How did she happen to sign an appli-
cation"' Mr.. Baker asked.
Method Of Procedure.
well. she was in my employ, and she
knew that different members of my fami-
w SiOno6 Siunilar
recollection is that she asked If she, too
| something out of it,
Benson?"
| II did
Where is Margaret Andrews at the
present timer
II think she :s employed by DR.. NJ.
| Hertstein in San Francisco"
The witness could not positively identify
Margaret Andrews signature to the
| papers in the case. though he said he felt
sure the name was In her handwriting.
Practically similar testimony was given
by Mrs. Joseph Wineberger. also of San
Francisco. daughter of Marcus Hart,
| whose maiden name was ROsa1ie Hart.
She said she knew Margaret Andrews:
ployed by her father during the Illness
of herself and her sister. and that Miss
Andrews was very tall, about forty years
of age at the present time and Of blond
complexion. Asked IL she had ever eor.
responded with the nurse and whether
she could identify the latter's handwrit
ing Mrs. Wineberger replied af1lrmatively
and she declared the signature "Margare,
Andrews on both the power of attorney
and the application to purchase had beer
written by the nurse.
Purchase of State Lands.
Henry Randolph of San Francisco. a
driver OF public hack in that city. testi-
fed that he had signed an application to
purchase state lands in Mr. Hydes Office
at the suggestion of friend, one J. Il.
Scott. He saw Mr.. Hyde personally and
after appearing before a notary public
and swearing to his signature he was
paid SIS. He didn't remember whether
he had paid any money for the lands, but
that II was his habit to keep a memo
randum of every transaction with Hyde,
but 1t was lost in the earthquake ind
fire, and unless his memory could be re-
| freshed he could not be positive as to de-
tails. Later he said Hyde disposed of
the lands and he thought he received
more money. On ecross-examination the
witness stated he thought he was taking
out a homestead entry, and that it was
his understanding that he could make