The sun., 1909-06-17
DUMMY MUNITIONS OR WAR
HALLEN SAYS GUATEMALA EN-.
PLOYED HIM TO STEAL,

PNf ED MIN ~ SI EfL,
And Thereby Prevent Zelaya Of Nicaragus
From Carrying Ont His Plot to Rule
Central erica-Guatemalan Con.
sui Declines TO Testify for Him.
A novel defence to a grand larceny
charge Ia to be made by James D. Hallen,
now on trial before Judge Malone In
General Sessions for swindling the Nioar
aguan Government out OF $1,000. Hal
len admits getting the money, but says
that II was to have been spent in securing
arms to be used against the republic OF
Guatemala and that he acted as the
secret agent OF Guatemala In preventing
the use OF the money for that purpose.
Hallen. now q gray haired man, but
carrying his distinguished air Of ten
years ago, has had q troubled career.
He was a lawyer but was disbarred In
1893. when he was ssnt to Sing Sing for
eight years and four months for stealing
Sie.5Oo from clients.
1t was Hallen's practice to travel when
he had made bit Of money and TO write
about his travels In such an entertaining
manner that he found publishers willing
to pay for his stories. His travels led
him to South America, and incidentally
int his present trouble
Hailen learned q great deal about
Central and South American republics
and people and his inside Information
brought TO his attention in 1907 that
Raymon Echesareta. New York agent
10 he Nino Ia
trying to buy arms and cartridges in
New York. Hallen met Echesareta and
assured him that he was just the man
to get oheaply the 100000 Remington
cartridges wanted. He got the contract
for 900 and promised to deliver the
goods at Pier rs. North River.
After getting the contract Hallen had
1,lOO boxes made in exact imitation Of the
kind In which cartridges are shipped and
filed them with copper dross, used for
ballast. Hallen collected the Sll 900 on
the bills Of lading and then took another
trip to South America to look things over.
When the boxes reached Bluefields they
were opened with much ceremony by the
present Nicaraguan Consul-General at
New Orleans. who had been appointed
the head OF a special committee to examine
them. When the committee had gone
through the last box and found only cop
per dross there was much Spanish pro-
family. The Consul-General from New
Orleans has come on to tell what he
found. and Hallen. who was arrested on
his return from his travels. is char ged
with grand larceny in the second degree
as second offence.
John F. Mcintyre, Hallens counsel,
told the Court yesterday that he intended
to prove that Echesareta and others were
in conspiracy with President Zelaya OF
Nicaragua TO secure In the United States
materials with which to begin a war that
was intended to leave President zelaya
the head OF all the Central American
States. President Zelaya, Mr.. Mcintyre
said, had planned to secure by force Of
arms the election in the Central American
republics Of Presidents who would resign
at his word and leave him President Of the
United States Of Central America Guate-
mala had learned Of this plan. says Mr..
Mcintyre. and had appointed Hallen It's
the munitions purchased in the United
States by Echesareta never reached
Nicaragua,
Echeeareta died in Roosevelt Hospital
in 1907 shortly after concluding his ar
rangement with Hallen. In an attempt
to prove a part OF Hallen's story Mr..
Mcintyre subpnnaed Ramon Ben,
in New York, Senior Bengoeohea sent
his lawyer to tell Judge Malone that he
would refuse to testify. Mr. Mcintyre
announced that he would test Sehor
Bengoechea's right to refuse.
Joseph Livingston Of II Halsey street,
Brooklyn. was the principal witness
examined yesterday. Livingston is an
and speaks with a Spanish brogue. He
assisted Echesareta in the purchase Of the
supposed cartridges. He was asked by
Mr.. Mcintyre IL he considered when help
ing to secure the cartridges that they
were to be used in the Adismantling OF q
Government Mr.. Livingston said he
didn't Livingston admitted that he and
Echesareta had frequently talked about
revolutions. but he denied that they had
discussed any particular one past or to
we're the common table talk OF people
who had lived in Central America. Liv-
ingston WAS asked II he knew Santigsts
Graham. who otherwise has not as yet
figured in the case. and he replied that
he did and that MIR. Graham was "a
chronic revolutionist.'
1t is expected that il Hallen takes the
stand in his own defence his testimony
may make it vital for the District Attor-
ney to secure that OF Consul-General
Bengoechea, and in that event heavy
pressure will be brought to make Senior
Ben ngoechea talk. The trial will be con-
tinued to-day.