Arizona republican., 1912-12-24
CASE
 HALF ENDED
Government Puts In Last of Evidence in the Trial, on the First Indictment of Former Indian Agent J. B. Alexander.

The government yesterday afternoon concluded it's case in the trial on the first indictment of J. B. Alexander former Indian agent at Sacaton on the charge of defrauding the government by means of issuing checks to Indians for supplies Or labor which had not been furnished or had not been furn- lShed in the amounts paid for by the checks. It was charged by the gov ernment that these checks were en- dorsed by the Indians to the defendant who cashed them for his own benefit
 There were twenty-five counts in this indictment, each count represent ing a single transaction all of which were of the same character. When the last witness had been heard yesterday United States attorney Morrison moved for permission to introduce evidence showing that the defendant had knowl- edge of the alleged frauds the earlier evidence showing that the acts con- plained of had been committed by em- ployes of the agency.
 The motion was opposed by Judge Baker for the defense as improper, con- templating something of which the de- fense had not been apprised The mo- tion was denied by Judge Sloan and the government counsel taking ten minutes for consultation announced that the case of the government on this indictment was closed.
 Captain J. l.. B Alexander made statement to the jury of what the de- fense would attempt to show He said that it would be shown that the defen- dant could have had no knowledge of any wrong doing if any had been com mitted. An official of the department was regularly detailed ito make an ex- animation of the supplies purchased, for which payment had been made.
 For considerable part of the period covered by the indictment, the defen- dant was in i'll health and incapable of giving attention to the transactions to exercise supervision over the em- ployes who had been appointed by the government to assist him.
 Captain Alexander said that the mo- tives of the prosecution would be dis closed. The manner in which the In- dian witnesses had been coached by Inspector E. B. Linnen would be made known and there would also be shown the activity of Recording Secretary Sniffen of the Indian Rights Bureau, which, said Captain Alexander. lis not connected with the government but is a side winding organization whose business it is to keep things in a tur- moil"
 At the conclusion of his statement, the first witness for the defense was called to the stand Loson Odal of Al buquerque. assistant supervisor of In- dian employment. Among the checks which had bene presented by the gov ernment as having been issued by the defendant there were three to three Indian boys of $46 each MT. Odal said that he had gone to the Sacaton agency after the boys and that he asked the defendant how much was due them. The defendant showed that there was S46 due each of them and the checks were issued in those amounts. MT. Odal said that a deduction for board was made leaving an aggregate of $90. Accordingly the checks were endorsed back to the defendant and he gave the witness a check for $90. The witness brought the check and boys to Phoenix and having cashed the check he gave the money to the boys
 MT. Linnen for the government said regarding this transaction that he had no conversation with MT Odal re- garding it. The witness was asked if he had not told MT. Linnen about it. Objection was interposed by the gov ernment but it was overruled and the witness said that he had told MT. Lin nen regarding the transaction.