New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-29
DIVERS GHOST
FAILS TO WALK
AT SLADE TRIAL
Had Light Blue Eyes and
Was Fine Figure of a Man,
J. w. Osborne Says.
ALMOST RUGGED
HIM IN DELIGHT
Ex.Prosecutor and NJ. w. Little
ton Clash In Grill of Rae
Tanners AccuSer.

The ghost Of "Oliver Osborne the
vanishing personality in the govern
ment's case, sat with the mourners yes
terday at the trial of David and Max
we'll Slade, on charges Of conspiracy IN
the $4,000 breach of promise suit
brought by them for their former client
Rae Tanner, against James W. Osborne.
Loud were the calls of counsel for
the defence for his naturalization.
Vociferous were their demands for ex-
plantations of his protracted absence.
Under REORGANIZATION for practi-
cally the whole day MIR. Osborne occu-
pied a good part of the time in trying
to impress upon the jury his deep re-
gret that "Oliver" had proved unre-
liable and illusive. Martin W. Little
ton, counsel for the defence. gave him
the opportunity, and the witness I'M
proved it persistently. Little MISS
Tanner sat inside the rail and wept at
the reading of the Honey Bug" letters
from her Dear Oliver" United States
Attorney Marshal, and his assistants
Roger 3. Wood and Samuel Hershen-
stein, sat glum and almost objection
less during the services over Ollver'
II Oliver Osborne, assuming as the
government does that he is no myth,
had walked INTO Judge Russell's court
room, the shock would have been ire,
mendous. The defence virtually offered
a reward for him dead or alive, and the
battle waged so high between Mr.. Lit
tleton and Mr.. Osborne that the Judge
threatened twice to clear the court
room unless the expectant crowd which
filled the benches desisted in It's dem
onstrations. While the mourners wept
the spectators inclined to laugh.
Oliver Was Opportune.
At the close of the days session Mr..
Iittleton had not succeeded IN shak-
ing the original story Of James W. Us.
borne of the opportune appearance OF
20. O."-the great Once. over AS
counsel for the defence dubbed him
after court. In fact the astute crimi-
nal LAWYER placed it all on the court
record again with added emphasis. Mr..
Littleton did succeed, however, IN max
ing il difficult for the witness TO ex-
plain why he had been so precipitate
in his legal pursuit of Miss Tanner, and
why he had directed it among his
friends in the United States Attorneys
Office instead of seeking the state
courts, where the statutes covered
blackmail. =,
MIR. Littleton had been reading to the
iurv the various letters which the wit
ness received from Rae Tanner and
asking him to point out the parts from
which he might have gained any I'M.
preston of a criminal purpose or
blackmail by the little milliner. The
court sustained Mr.. Woods objections
of irrelevancy and the witness was not
permitted TO be specific. Counsel Tor
the defence argued that he had right
to probe along these lines TO find out
whether the witness had any founda-
ton for bringing the charges against
Miss Tanner that she had used the
mails to defraud him.
Honey Bug Letters.
well" continued Mr. Littleton,
meeting and knowing Oliver Osborne,
as YOU did, you surely were aware that
ANYTHING in these letters was directed
against him and not you, and that the
letters were legitimate, and there was
no sham in them, so far as they re-
ferred to Oliver Osborne. Isn't that
so?"
Mr.. Osborne admitted that so far as
the letters referred to Oliver they were
legitimate.
"But why did you rush to the Office
of the United States Attorney with
your complaint ?" asked Mr.. Littleton.
Mr.. Wood objected but Mr.. Osborne
insisted on telling.
81 saw Oliver Osborne" said the wit
ness. "He looked no more like me than
YOU do. He had light blue eyes, fine
figure Of a man, with the attractive APP
pearance of vigorous young man.
knew that no girl could have been with
him so often and so intimately, az this
girl claimed she had, without knowing
that wa not the man. ! thought it
was my duty as a citizen TO come for
ward and give all the facts to the au,
thorities. II omitted anything |
! should have done am sorry"
"Do you know of any one on the