The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-16
CHARGES OF GRAND LARCENY
Widow OF Ex-President Says Sig
nature Was Forged
Mrs. Cleveland Was Dressed In Deep
Mourning and Looked Rather
Pale as She Was sworn
ON stand.

bands death, to testify for the prose-
cution in the case of Broughton Bran
denburg. q magazine writer, who Is
charged with selling The New York
Times q political article purporting to
have been written by former President
Grover Cleveland.
Mrs. Cleveland was dressed In deep
mourning. but was self-possessed
though pale while on the stand. She
declared empha ticaliy that the sigma
, ture to the article was not that OF
her husband. Also she pointed out
the differences between the signature
and the Cleveland signatures as II
appears on several checks which were
handed to her.
The former President wrote with o
very unsteady hand during the latter
years OF his life, the witness said.
whereas the name signed to the Bran
denburg article was written In O COM
paratively bold, legible hand. more
like Mr.. Cleveland during his younger
days In the White House.
When Mrs. Cleveland entered the
court room, Justice Fitzgerald and the
other court officials arose and bowed
low. large crowd gathered to hear
her testify.
The charge against Brandenburg
grew out of the sale of newspaper
article which Brandenburg Is alleged
to have disposed of to q newspaper
on the representation that ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland was the author. Mrs.
Cleveland afterwards repudiated the
article.
murder trial which was on the
calendar OF Justice Fitzgerald's court
was interrupted in order. to meet the
convenience of Mrs. Cleveland who
wishes to leave this city tomorrow for
her summer home in New Hampshire.
It was agreed that the Brandenburg
trial should be adjourned as soon as
AIRS. CIeveiand's testimony was taken
and continued again after the murder
trial was completed.
Mrs. Cleveland. accompanied by r. s..
tHastings, one of the executors under
the late ex-Hresident's win. arrived
IT the criminal courts building early
ana were taken 20 PiHtrfSt ktfoFney
mons from the court room where the
work OF selecting jury was begun
lhs soon AZ the court session opened.
Mrs. Cleveland was dressed In deep
mourning.
Brandenburg was in consultation
with his counsel. Samuel Bell Thomas,
while the jury was being selected.
Assistant District Attorney Mott
opened for the prosecution and related
the incidents relating up to the pub
fishing of the letter
Mr.. Mott said that the State would
show that Brandenburg waited until
Mr. Cleveland died before he attempted
to sell the article purporting to have
been signed by Mr.. Cleveland.
"A man who will attach the name
OF q former President to false article
and inject the article into q national
campaign performed q grave injustice
to the public" said Mr. Mott. The
show that the signature attached to the
article was not Mr.. Clevelands, but
would adduce evidence that 1t would
have been q physical impossibility for
Mr.. Cleveland to sign the article at
the time the defendant contends he did.
A large number of signatures OF Grover
Cleveland covering q long period in
his later life time would be offered In
evidence that they might be compared
with the alleged spurious signatures.
Mr. Mott said.
President John Finley. Of the college
of the city of New York, close friend
of the ex-President and DR.. Joseph
among the witnesses Mr.. Mott said
he would call.
Counsel for the defendant made q
motion to dismiss the Indictment on the
grounds that the facts as set forth
therein did not constitute the crime of
grand larceny.
Justice Fitzgerald denied the mo-
tion.
False signature.
Mrs. Cleveland this afternoon, on the
witness stand was shown the alleged
signature OF Grover Cleveland attached
to the article. said to have been writ
ten by him. and declared 1t was false
signature.
Counsel for the defendant asked the
talesmen IL the fact that the article on
which the charge is based was politi-
cal, written during the last campaign,
and unfavorable to one OF the candi-
dates (Mr. Bryant. should influence
their opinion or prejudices their minds
The work of selecting Jurors progressed
rapidly and the jury box was filed be-
fore the close Of the morning session
of the court.
Mrs Cleveland was called at the
opening of the afternoon session. She
looked rather pale as she was sworn
After she had identified Mr.. CIeve-
lands signature to several checks. Mr..
Mott showed the witness q steel plate
on which was engraved the name of
Grover Cleveland and asked her II It
was her husbands signature. Mrs.
Cleveland said 1t was not and that 1t
was false signature. Mr.. Mott COM
pleted his direct examination at this
point. lawyer Samuel Bell Thomas
cross examined Mrs. Cleveland for the
defense
On cross examination, Mrs Cleveland
told about meeting John @. Carlisle and
F. S. Hastings, an executor of her
husbands estate. In this city and dis
cussing the article, which appeared in
The New York Times. August 30, 1908,
over Mr.. Cleveland's signature.
''Did you hear Mr.. Hastings say that
the signature was genuine?' asked Mr..
Thomas.
NO answered Mrs. Cleveland. ct
did not hear him say one way or the
pther at that time"
"Did you authorize him to say It was
xenuine?" asked Thomas.
mot, I did not" said the witness
emphaticaily.
sDid you send a telegram to The
New York Times In regard to this
articleY' asked Mr.. Thomas.
The witness said she did and pro-
duced the telegram.
Mrs. Cleveland said she authorized
Mr.. Hastings to write The Times and
say they questioned the authenticity
of the signature to the article.
Mrs. Cleveland said she had received
q letter and only one. from Mr.. Bran