The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-14
HANSON TRIES TO
PROVE AN AL|B|
Former Postmaster Testifies in
Own Behalf, Admitting
He Was Disguised.
GIRL IMPORTANT WITNESS
SAYS SHE SAW DEFENDANT
DURING FIRE.

In the trial of Frank Hanson, former
postmaster of Fillmore, on the charge
OF having burned and looted the post
office there, the prosecution conducted
by Colonel H E. Booth United States
| atetorney, announced yesterday that
the governments case was finished
After brief statement of what the
defense expected to prove, Attorney
iMarioneaux, chief counsel for the de-
tense, put Frank Hanson on the wit
ness stand. Hanson endeavored to ac-
count for his wherea bouts from early
sunday morning, September 6, 1908, TO
the following night, including the time
when the postoffice was burned and
robbed. Defendant contradicted prac-
ticaliy every statement made by half
a a., 1ozen witnesses for the government
When the morning session opened John
Kelly, postmaster at Fillmore, was re-
called to testify. Postmaster Kelly adj
mitted that anyone could project pair
! OF tWeezers into the letter box in the
posto1flce and extract letters there
from.
Lee Baker of Fillmore testified that
ne was at the fire when the postoffice
was burned. He admitted on cross-ex-
animation that he had been convicted
| in the Fillmore courts of selling LIQUOR
to Indians, for which offense he was
fined $50.
room in which the letters stolen from
the Fillmore postoffice were found was
| that of Frank Hanson.
Ira Warner was recalled by the pros
ecutlon, and repeated the conversation
which he said occurred between him
self and defendant the night of the
1 IRE. Warner said that while the fire
/ was blazing Hanson came up to him
apparently very excited and said: .Pye
been In bed for hours, you know when
[ went home" The next night the
witness said Hanson met him again.
and he made the same remark, without
I IF of
Girl Saw Defendant
Miss Alma Greenwood testified that
she had seen Hanson emerge from q
lane between the buildings across the
street from the postoffice while the
@ oTer f6 bs She said sdsd Hanson
Hanson told her he was in bed when
ne heard the bell ringing and he smelt
smoke so he arose and dressed and
went down to the fire
Hans Hansen, assistant cashier of
the state Bank of Willard county, and
Rufus Day, cashier of the same hank
IdeniiIled letters produced by the pros
ecution as having been found in Frank
Hanson's room, as bank statements
sent to persons in Holden and Scipio
United States Attorney Rooth then
asked permission to introduce as evil
dence the letter from Miss Hazel
Beauregard, mailed the afternoon be-
tore the fire, and the letters sent ont
| by the bank 1t was evident from the
lCACtptlOIS taken Dy the defense that
that side hoped to make a strong point
OF the fact that the letters We're found
| in Hanson's room and not in his pock
cts.
while the jury should not convict upon
the single circumstance that the letter.
We're found in HanSon's room, the Jury
should give due weight to the circum-
stance The government then reetad
ITS side OF the case, and Frank Hanson
vas called TO take the stand by the
deIense; He said he was 81 years old
and had been resident of Fillmore all
his life His father was living, al
though he was decrepit with age. His
mother was dead, on September s,
races near Fillmore in the afternoon
| ana returned to town along toward
dusk It had been cloudy that after
noon and 1t had sprinkled little and
witness light suit and straw hat had
become wet. He went straight home
and prepared his fathers supper, and
black suit and a soft hat and went
downtown.
He said he went to the Huntsman
| motel, where he got some mail he had
LETT there. Then he went into cigar
store, purchased a cigar, talked to a
rev people and went out on the street
This was about 1890 p. m. As he
emerged from the drug store he spoke
TO two young men and d moment after
wards Ira Warner followed him and
said ne would walk down the street
Z
good night for eavesdroppiner in the
park, saying that one might see some
funny things Hanson said he did not
care for that kind of business where
upon Warner asked him to go and see
some of his chumS, to which the de-
PENDANT demurred. Warner Insisted.
and Hanson said:
wen, I'll pull up my coat collar and
Full down my hat and walk past and
see If the boys know me-"
Witness said he did this. which ac-
n tod for h.
charged against him. Warner after |
ward said, according to the testimony
OF the defendant, that the young Deo- |
pie in the crowd recognized Hanson as i
ne passed, Notwithstanding his attempt |
at disguise.
why did you disguise yourself at |
all asked Attorney Marioneaux
Just for amusement; lust for the
run or the thing" replied Hanson.
Attempts to Prove abb.
Hanson further testified in support |
of his attempt to build up an alibi that /
he went home about 10:4O o'clock He |
described in detail the route taken be- |
tween town and his residence, which |
was about six blocks distant. AS he |
approached his home he met his broth
er John and the two entered the house |
together He said he sat on the bed, /
talking to his brother for an hour and |
after his brother left he read a maya /
zine. Pretty soon be heard the fire bell /
ringing and he went uptown to see
where the fire was. Hanson denied /
having any conversation with Miss /
Greenwood, or with Winnie Trimbie, |
and denied that he saw Ira Warner aft |
er the fire. About a month after the I
fire Hanson came to Salt Lake, where l
he stayed until the conclusion of the 1
political campaign which was then go Il
ing on.
After the noon recess Hanson was Il
again placed on the stand He was II
put under a rigid eross-examination by II
United States Attorney H. z. Booth. II
The defendant spoke in a loud voice II
all through his quizzing and at times II
became very excitable- He was in II
clined to repeat matters that Colonel Il
Booths questions did not call for and II
Judge Marshall had to caution him to
answer the questions and nothing more.
Colonel Booth took Hanson over the n
events of the day of the fire in the
postoffice. The majority of the ques-
tions were answered with a readiness
that was most astonishing, and in some
cases the defendant gave his answer
before the prosecuting attorney had
finished the question At other times
the defendants replies were long
drawn out and evasive-
When he was asked if il was not a
ia ha 70 q he haf