Omaha daily bee., 1910-06-07
FOUR SAY THEY SAW ERDMAN
State Introduces More Evidence
Against Accused Man.
SEEN HANGING AROUND HOME
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles McLeIRnd
Identify Not Only Defendant, but
Telescope Afterwards Found
with Dynamite In n.

Four witnesses for the state made iden-
tificaton Of Frank Erdman as the man
they saw under various circumstances con-
Meeting him with the charge of placing
bomb on Tom Dennlsons porch, in the
afternoon session yesterday.
Attorney J. o. Yeiser, for the defense
gave all his efforts to bringing out admis-
sions from the witnesses tending to show
they had an interest in testifying against
his client.
Mrs Alice McLeand and her husband,
Charles McDeiand. tailor each positively
pointed out the defendant as the man they
had seen, on two occasions near the DEN
nison home. They declared they had seen
him prowllng about Grace street, glancing
around him furtively, Friday, May 90 and
again on Sunday, May %, when he is al
! legged TO have been carrying a suit case.
which they said was apparently the one
lin evidence as the Internal machine re-
ceptaclc.
! Mr.. McLeland admitted he had known
Mr.. Dennison for three years and had done
all the latter's clothes pressing.
Thomas Wiley. of Seventeenth and
Grace streets. testified to virtually the
same circumstances. Mr. Wiley admitted
in cross-examination that he had worked
| for Dennison in pool room operations some
years ago, and through that connection
had become known widely as Policy
Tom
| John Sterling, a street car conductor of
| 1928 North Second street. corroborated the
testimony of the other witnesses, relating
to Erdman's alleged trip with the suit
case. He did not, however, swear posi-
lively to the identity Of the accused.
Heiser Goes After Detective.
In cross-examining Detective Steve Ma
loney, Attorney Yeiser made repeated at
tempts to have the witness admit he had
worked many ruses toward prejudiclng the
public against the prisoner. Maioney re-
sisted each question with a flat denial
BY leading questions. Yeiser sought to
show that Maloney had faxed the evidence
of the suit case bomb cord against the
defendant, and had tried to get Erdman
to discharge his attorney.
Didn't you tell this prisoner that Yeiser
would get his money and throw him?''
Yeiser questioned
Il did not" Maloney answered.
Other witnesses who testified were: De-
tectives Joe He'll Tom Mitchell, Jim Dono-
hoe and Sergeant w. r. Marshall.
Fixes Whole Town.
The entire staff of city officials OF
/ Crawford, Neb., is under prosecution for
alleged Irregularities in regard to the
handling Of saloons and gambling because
of the activities of Frank Erdman, accord
ing to the testimony OF p. c. Cooper. mayor
OF the town, and a member of the gov.
ernor's staff
Cooper told on the stand of having heard
the threats made against Dennison by
the convict when he was in Crawford
Erdman vas in Crawford on one of hi.
numerous REFORM expeditions, and there
it is sad gave vent to one of his periodic
explosions of vehemence and bitterness.
The case against Mayor Cooper of Draw
ford, and his fellow officials of the city is
he testified still pending. Erdman is tn,
prosecuting witness in that action.
r. The testimony of Mayor Cooper beforY
Judge Bryce Crawford Monday Afternoon
was reinforced by that of John w. Bruer
city councilman and a saloon keeper
Crawford He told a similar story and re
lated the meeting with Erdman at Craw
ford
Erdmans raid on the meek and quie
village of Crawford was made in Januar,
of this year. After leading the actor
taken there. so the witnesses say, he mad
} brags of what he proposed to do in Oman;
and frequently referred to Tom Dennison.