Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-20
ARREST Of H0FFSTOT
Charged With Conspiracy to
Bride Pittsburg CounciImen.
REQUIsITI0N is H0N0RED
President of Pressed Steel Car Com.
pany Remains in Custody While
Attorneys Seek Bail.

ALBANY. n. Y. April 20.-Gov Hughes
TO-DAY honoi'ed the requisition of Gov.
Stuart of Pennsylvania for the surren-
der of Frank N. Hoffstot, president OF
the Pressed steel Car Company, who
was indicted in Pittsburg April =. 19lo'
on a charge of conspiracy.
Hoffstot claimed at a. recent hearing
before the governor that he was not q
fugitive from justice, and in support OF
that claim testified that he was not In
the state of Pennsylvania June 3. 1903,
the date on which the Indictment charges
the crime was committed but that on
that date he was in the city of New
York.
Gov. Hughes, in a long opinion, quotes
the presentment of the grand jury. and
states that the finding in substance
spired with Charles Stewart. a mem.
Der of the select council Of the city OF
Pittsburg, and James w. Friend. now
deceased. ito defraud the city OF Pitts
councilmen the selection of the Farm
ers' Deposit National Bank Of Pitts
burg, Second National Bank OF PITS
burg and German National Bank of Al.
The Governors Reasoning.
where the charge is conspiracy. as in
the present case, crime which may be
shown by cireumstantial evidence in
volving the proof of various acts of the
several parties. it is idle to say that the
accused cannot be considered a fugitive
from Justice unless 1t is shown that while
he was within the demanding state at
the place and during the time to which
the charge relates he performed an act
sufficient to show his partfcipatlon III the
crime.
whether his acts within that state dur
ing the period in question are OF a char-
acter to justify his conviction must be
determined by a consideration OF all the
evidence which can satisfactorily be pro-
duced only upon the trial, and cannot
properly be heard OF weighed on an ap-
plication of this kind.
''At least this would seem to be clear
where his presence in the states AZ
the time to which the charge relates
was not under conditions which es-
tablish the impossibility OF his partici-
patton.
Viewed in this light, I am convinced
that 1 should honor the requisltlon.
Hoffstot Arrested in New York.
NEW YORK, April OF. H. Hoffstot,
president of the Pressed Steel Car Com
pany, was arrested today by Detectives
Flood and Thomas of the district attor-
news office on a warrant issued in Pitts
burg, charging him with bribery and con-
spiracy in connection with Pittsburg
graft. and the alleged bribins OF some
councilmen of Pittsburg, with $4o,OVo In
the Hotel Imperial in this city.
Hoffstot was Immediately taken to the
district attorneys Office, where Detective
Flood was served with a writ OF habeas
coruus ordering him to produce forthwith
Hoffstot before Judge Holt in the United
States circuit court. Flood. with MS
prisoner at once started for the Federal
building. The writ was sued out by JOHN
d. Lindsay, of counsel for Hoffstat.
Habeas Corpus Hearing Postponed.
When the federal building was reached
Adrian II. Joline and John D. Lindsay,
Hoffstot's attorneys, met him, and he
was taken before Judge Holt. George
Gordon Battle appeared to represent
District Attorney Blakeley of Pittsburg.
After it had been explained to Judge
Holt that Gov. Hughes had issued the
reouisition papers in the case the Judge
said he would not hear argument in the
writ of habeas corpus today, and would
adjourn the hearing until Friday after
noon at = o'clock.
Judge Holt fixed Hoffstot's bail at $lO,-
600. AS there was no bondsman present,
Judge Holt was requested to parole Hof-
slot until later in the day, but Mr.. Bat
tie opposed this and Hoffstot had to re-
main in the building in the detectives
custody while his attorneys went out to
get a bondsman.