New-York tribune., 1909-06-16
MRS. CLEVELAND SURE
SAYS BRANDENBURG ARTI-
Gle VAS H FORGERY.
Widou of Former President TeStifes
in Trial of Writer WhO Sold
Story to Newspaper.

yesterday in the trial of Broughton Branden-
burg for obtaining money under false pretences
by selling a political article to The New York
Times purporting to have been written by ex-
President Grover Cleveland. said she was sure
the signature submitted to her as having been
appended to the article in question was not her
husbands. She examined it carefully, putting
on pair OF glasses the better to see it She
testified that she had examined it before on
various ocCasions-at The Times Office. with
DR.. Joseph D. BRYANT a close friend of the ex-
President and before the grand jury which in
dicted Brandenburg
Brandenburg. looking very dapper after a
months stay in the Tombs succeeding his jump
ing Of $500 bail a chase across country and
his capture in San Francisco. did not seem at
all worried by Mrs CleveIands testimony He
prompted his lawyers in their Cross-examlna-
ton of her and Charles NJ Lincoln. Sunday
editor of The Times" the only other witness
examined yesterday.
Mrs. Cleveland who was accompanied to the
Criminal Courts Building by F. s. Hastings.
executor Of the Cleveland estate was called at
the beginning Of the afternoon session She
wanted to have the ordeal over as soon as pos
sibIe. so to go to Tamworth. the Cleveland
summer home in New Hampshire with ner chill
dren to-day She was dressed entirely in black.
save for ruching Of white circling her throat
Mrs. Cleveland readily answered all questions
In direct and cross examination. though in
voice so low as 10 be inaudible few feet away
Frequently the stenographer had to repeat her
answers 10 the defendants lawyers.
OCULAR EVIDENCE BEST REASON
After the usual questions to her name and
address Mrs Cleveland identified five checks
and four letters having been written and
signed by her husband. They were marked and
ala a1-.1 %1a--eIa nd
signature to The Times" article was shown TO
her. and she said she was very sure it was not
that of her husband
Have vou any reason for that" asked
Samuel Bell Thomas, Of counsel for Branden-
burg
"OnIy my eyes" she retorted.
Ms Cleveland said she had talked 10 Mr..
Miller Of The Times" and Mt Hastings about
the article Advertisements Of the article had
been called TO her attention by friends. she
said. before It was printed. She consulted Pres
ident Finley OF the City College and John @
Carlisle about il. she said She read a copy Of
a telegram she sent to The Times regarding
the Brandenburg article. She talked with Mr.
Hastings over the telephone after she sent the
telegram and authorized him 10 write 20 The
Times that a misunderstanding had arisen
about the article This misunderstanding. she
explained concerned the authenticity Of the
article She knew Mr. Brandenburg had talked
with MI Cleveland before the publication OF an
article IN The Herald but she didn't know
about The Times story. She had one letter
from Brandenburg, she said. sometime In
August She didn't remember whether she had
talked with him or anybody purporting 10 be
Brandenburg over the telephone from Princeton
Did Won ever authorize Mr.. Hastings to say
that The Times article. or any part OF IT, or
the signature was genuine asked Assistant
District Attorney Mott
Il did not" she replied
EDITOR IDENTIFIES ARTICLE.
Mr. Lincoln said ne was Sunday editor OF
THE Times" in August and September of last
wear and had various interviews with Branden-
burg before the paper purchased the alleged
Cleveland article for 500. He had known Bran
denburg in a business way for ten years. he
said The article submitted by Brandenburg
was a typewrftten document Of about ten pages.
bearing at the end what purported to be e1-
President Cleveland's signature He idenuhed
the article by written memoranda of his own
on the first page. and identified also the sigma
ture which he cut from 1t for safety
Oswald y. Jacoby. of counsel for Branden-
bprg. asked Mr. Lincoln about other articles
submitted to him at the same time or about
that time In an endeavor to get him TO admit
that he might have written his memoranda on
G cnnv instead of the original. Lincoln said the
writing was not done in Brandenburg's pres
ence but four or five days after the article was
submitted to him. He said he accepted the
article after referring II to Mr.. Reick. OF the
Times" He told about a contract between
Rrandenburg and Mr.. Hastings regarding the
money the Cleveland estate was TO get from
the article and Mr.. Jacoby had the contract
put In evidence.
was anything said about the article
having been signed in Mr.. Brandenburgs pres
ence?" Lincoln was asked
"I don't recall whether he ever said anything
about that or not" the witness replied
At the morning session Assistant District Al
tornav Mott reviewed the case for the informa-
tion Of the jury. He said he would sho" that
arandenburg dictated the article 10 stenogra-
pbers in an office in this city; that he said the
notes from which he dictated 1T were Mr. Cleve-
lands and he would sell IL 10 a newspaper
ra eaid he would prove that the alleged Cleve-
,ord SIGNATURE could not have been Mr. CIeVe-
,a,d,s as he was in such poor health as to be
,., 70 write a signature of that general
ho-.cter M Jacoby moved to have the case
1,sr,issed on the ground that the facts alleged
ata NOT constitute the crime charged Justce
uStzearaId refused to dismiss the case Inc
=, will he resumed tomorrow.
rwo DROWNED IN SHALLOW WATER.