The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-11-07
SMITH HEARING
. DRAWS CAP PAC|TY
/. CROWD IN OGDEN
Postomce Custodians Called
in to Aid in Handling Spec
tators at Trial of AL
legged Blackhander.
PROCEED SLOWLY ON
ACCOUNT OF MOTIONS
Attorneys for Federal Gov
ernment and Counsel for
Defense Clash Over
Continuance.
Special TO The Tribune.

| Special TO The Tribune
| OGDEN, Nov. $50 intense is the
interest i'll the preliminary hearing of
Myron A. Smith, charged By the gov
ernment with writing blackhand letters
10 Mrs Ralph Z. Bristol and Mrs.
| David Eccles, which began this morn
ing before Commissioner S. T. Corn,
that postoffice custodians had to be
called upon TO aid IN keeping the
crowd in check Smith was brought to
the courtroom in charge of Deputy
United States Marshal Julian Riley,
who is the only representative Of the
marshal IS office here.
Several hundred persons were
crowded into the limited space for
| spectators, and scores of others fought
| for places in front of the door when
| Commissioner Corn opened court this
| afternoon. Few cases which have
| been tried in this city have created
q greater public interest than the pre-
| liminary hearing of the man charged
with the blackhand operations.
Many Arguments.
\ four. hour session was held this
| afternoon, after which the case was
continued until tomorrow morning.
| The opening of the hearing was de-
| layed by technicalitles and extensive
examination of witnesses. During the
afternoon but three witnesses were ex-
amined, one hour being consumed in
| arguing various motions made by the
attorneys engaged in the case
AS the government has total Of
seventeen witnesses, there is possibil-
| ity that the hearing may not be com
| plotted even tomorrow. United States
| District Attorney ii, E. Booth and As
sistant District Attorney William Nc
| Crea have charge Of the case for the
| government, with Joseph Chez repre-
senting the defendant. Deputy United
States Marshal Julian Riley is the gov.
| ernment officer in charge of the pris'
oner,
McGee on Stand.
Postoffice Inspector L. a. McGee,
who signed the two complaints against
Smith, was the important witness Of
| today s session. and his evidence is ex-
pected to also he the most important of
any introduced by the government.
Practically all Of his direct testimony,
as we'll as ross-examination, was con-
| fined to the handwriting Of the black
hand letters received by various
wealthy Ogden people in the past year
| and to that of the specimens prepared
| by Smith at the request Of the Off
GERS. Other than Inspector McGee,
| the evidence of Gilbert II. Belnap, for
mer Weber county sheriff. who has
| trailed Smith for several months past,
| is expected to be the most important.
From the standpoint of public interest
| it will be far more important. it Is ex-
pected!
Among the others who will be called
by the government attorneys to testi
| fy are Ralph i. Bristol, Il. 3. Porter,
Sheriff T. A. DeVine, Chief Of Police
| w. i. NOrLOn3 rldHh sliuuISluu anu
Miss Rachael Middleton, respectively,
son and daughter of President c.. +.
Middleton; David G. Eccles, Detective
George B. Wardlaw. A. P. Bigelow, r.
A. Moyes and &. e, Johnson. AS the
announcement Of their names by United
States Attorney Booth today is the
first public mention which has been
made of Miss Middleton and her broth
er in connection with the blackband
affair, the nature Of their evidence is
not known.
Wrists Manacled.
With his wrists manacled. Smith was
brought into the courtroom from the
county Jail by Deputy Marshal Riley
few minutes before 2 clock. Mrs,
Smith did not accompany her husband
from the jail, but arrived at the fed
eral building alone shortly afterward,
She was given a place beside her hus-
band and entered into conversation
with him Immediately after she had
been seated There was no change in
tho appearance Of the prisoner from
that at the time of his arrest last Sun
day evening, To all outward appear
ance he was less moved by the develop
ments Of the hearing than many of
the spectators. He exhibited con-
slant interest in the proceedings, but |
- ,-,e not tha intereet of n mnn I