The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-15
SAYS IT'S FALSE.
Mrs. Frances Folsom Cleveland
on the Witness Stand
Declares Signature to Branden-
burg Letter a Forgery.
IA SPECIAL SESSION
In the Trial of the Case Is Held
Today
To Accommodate the Widow Of
the Former President.

New York, June 15.-With Mrs.
Frances Folsom Cleveland, widow of
| the late Grover Cleveland, called as
| a witness, the trial of Broughton
Brandenburg, the magazine writer, on
a charge. of grand larceny, began in
the supreme court today. The charge
grew out of the sale of a newspaper
article which Brandenburg is alleged
| to have disposed of to a newspaper on
| the representation that ex-President
Cleveland was the author. Mrs.
Cleveland afterward repudiated the
| article.
| 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
| Mrs. Cleveland's testimony was taken,
and continued again after the murder
| trial was completed.
Mrs. Cleveland, accompanied by H. Z.
Hastings, one of the executors under
Mr.. Cleveland's will, arrived at the
criminal courts building early, and was
taken to District Attorney Jerome's
private Office to await a summons from
the court room, where the work of Sc
Letting a jury was begun as soon as
the court session opened. Mrs. Cleve-
land was dressed in deep mourning.
Her testimony was expected to be ia
ken as soon as the selection of the
jury was completed and one or two wit
nesses had been called to establish the
sale of the article by the defendant.
Brandenburg was in consultation with
his counsel, Samuel Bell Thomas, while
the jury was being selected.
Selecting a Jury.
Counsel for the defendant asked the
ia if tha 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.. Bryan, would influence their
opinions or prejudice their minds. The
work of selecting jurors progressed
rapidly and the jury box was filed be-
fore noon.
Assistant District Attorney Mott, for
the prosecution, related the incidents
leading up to the publication OK the let
ter Mr.. Mott said 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 national CAM
paign performs a grave injury to the
public said Mr.. Mott. The prosecutor
said he would not only show that the
signature attached to the article was
NOT Mr.. Cleveland's, but would adduce
evidence that it would have been a
physical impossibility for Mr.. Cleveland
to sign the article at the time the de-
PENDANT contends he did
Motion to Dismiss Denied.
President John Finley. of the col
lege of the City of New York, close
friend of the late president. and Dr.
Joseph Bryant, Mr.. Cleveland's
physician, were among the witnesses
Mr.. Mott said he would call.
Counsel for the defendant made
motion to dismiss the Indictment on
the ground that the facts as set forth
therein did not constitute the crime
of grand larceny. Justice Fitzgerald
denied the motion and announced
that Mrs Cleveland's testimony would
be heard.
Mrs Cleveland on the witness stand
was shown the alleged signature
Of Grover Cleveland, attached to the
articles said to have been written by
| him and declared it was false.