New-York tribune., 1909-06-19
DEFENCE'S SURPRISE
BR4NDENBURG ON STAND
Prisoners Counsel Says Signature in
Court Vas Not on Article.

ne OeIenCe the trldl OF BTOughton Branden-
burg the magazine writer who is charged in the
Supreme Court before Justice FITZGERALD with the
larceny of $500 from The New York Times
throush having sold to that newspaper forged
article which he alleged written by ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland, sprung its first surprise yesterday
when It admitted that the signature of the late
President exhibited in was not genuine
The signature, which is in a glass case. had
been shown to the jury. and the prosecution held
that It the one which was cut from the article
sold 10 The Times by the defendant. II was
while Richard Watson Glider, editor of The Gen.
tury Magazine and close personal friend Of the
late President the stand. that the mine
sprung. Assistant District Attorney Mott had
asked the witness whether he knew Mr.. Cleve-
lands signature. He said he did, that he had
ninety Of them at home. Then the signature in
the glass case was shown to him. He said it was
a forgery
We make no objection" said Mr.. Jacoby, Of
counsel for the prisoner. We do not contend that
that is a genuine signature of MIR. Cleveland
Well that's news to me-" said Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Mott.
we would attempt to combat the evidence
Of Mrs. Cleveland and Mr. Glider" said Mr.. Jacoby
Immediately following the recess Mr.. Mott rested
his case and MIR. Jacoby began the defence by NOV
ing for a dismissal, the ground that The
Times had relied the statements OF Mr. Hast
irgs to the genuineness of the article quite as
much it had relied on Mr.. Brandenburg. In his
opening address Samuel Bell Thomas, also of coun-
the prisoner said it his purpose to show
that the defence did not know what became OF the
Cleveland signature after II got into "The Times
office and to prove that the signature shown in
court the that had been attached 10 the
article Brandenburg sold.
william G ReIck, managing director of The
Times" said he had been consulted about the Ceve-
land article about days before # was published
Then Mr. Mott handed him the copy it IS alleged
Brandenburg sold and the alleged forged Cleveland
signature which still IN its glass case.
rs that the signature you received from Mr..
Lncoln?'
1T is
Ito whom did you give it?"
ITO Mr Jerome"
Mr. Reick said he had authorized the buying OF
the article
when you authorized the acceptance did you
rely on the genuineness of the signature"
Was the signature examined by MIR. Hastings
and Mrs. Cleveland in your presence after the ar
rcle published"
1T was"
"Did YOU see Mr Brandenburg after this?"
He came TO the office and said he thought he
could produce witnesses who had seen the original
Cleveland manuscript"
did he produce the Witnesses"
He did not
the signature shown him was the the
original article. He admitted that It had been
sent 10 Mr. Hastings and that several days had
elapsed between the time he last saw the article
and when he got the Chpped-of signature IRON
the Sunday editor.
Did the defendant ever tell YOU the signature
was genuine?" Mr. Reick was asked
NO, sir
you relied on Mr.. Hastings's letter and not M
Brandenburg's representations
Mainly on Mr Hastings's letter. but not wholly
When David y. Carvaho. handwriting expert
was put on the stand Mir. Mott sprung counter
surprise asked about the Signature in
the glass case.
IF you wish To prove this Is not genuine sig
nature Of Mr. Cleveland we viii concede he will so
TESTIFY said Mr. Jacoby
Il am going TO prove than that by Mr.
Carvaiho-' said Mr.. Mott. Il gong 20 prove
that the defendant wrote that signature
we never heard Of that before" said Mr.
Jacoby.
The witness declared that the signature in the
glass case was forgery.
Have YOU compared this signature with the
handwriting OF Brandenburg?" asked Mr. Mott
handing the expert letter written hy the de-
fendant.
7 have replied the witness.
Have YOU compared it especially with the word
Cleveland in the letter.
Il have"
VIII YOU state whether. in your opinion, the
same hand wrote them both?"
IN my opinion, yes
Brandenburg the first witness called in his
own defence He said he had been magazine and
newspaper writer since he fifteen years old
He said he had had several interviews with Gro
yer Cleveland. which had been published. and he
had also interviewed Roosevelt. Mckinley, Joseph
Chamberlain. President Diaz and others. He met
Nr Cleveland first, ne said. in 1895, at Princeton
had met him many times SINCE and co-responded
with him
Court adjourned until Monday with the author
still on the stand. He told newspaper men that
there Will be explosion of some sort before l
am through with my testimony