iw
THE MORNING OREG0NIAN, FRIDAY, MAT 18, 1W.
LEFT ALL TO WOODS!
Witnesses Signed Blank
Affidavits Freely.
NOTARY TELLS OF METHODS
Dates Were Filled In by Hose a Wood
Many of the Blanks Were
Used for Unknown
Claimants.
Tbs most damaging testimony that has
yet been Introduced by the prosecution
In the case o T. A. and Hosea Wood, ac
cused of conspiracy to defraud the Gov
ernment on pension claims, was brought
out yesterday. It pertained to the method
ot doing" business employed by Wood and
his son In securing the pensions for the
veterans of the Indian Wars. The testi
mony showed great irregularity in the
means of securing and sweating to affi
davits. The most serious testimony was
given by Joseph I. Melrath, the notary
public, who swore to most of the affi
davits and claims. He admitted that In
most of the cases cited, that his jurat
was affixed when the witnesses were not
present and that the date borne by the
papers were erroneous. He further testi
fied that Hosea Wood did most of the
dating, saying that he did not like his
(the notary's) method of dating.
A large number of witnesses were ex
amined In the morning, but the afternoon
was principally devoted to the considera
tion of the Government's documentary
exhibits in the case. Melrath was on the
stand most of the time. Identifying papers
and stating what he knew about the dis
crepancies found in them. The prosecu
tion will probably finish Its case today or
tomorrow, then the defense will have its
inning. The case will undoubtedly run
through the week and possibly several
days of next week.
When court opened yesterday morning
K. B. Wllmott'was called to the stand.
He testified that he bad not Intended to
elgn the affidavit used by Mrs. Bosetta
Garrison, but that her name had been
filled in a blank affidavit which he signed,
expecting it to be used for some member
of his company. Witness admitted that
he had signed a dozen or more blank
affidavits, which he said he expected to
be used for veterans about whom he had
given Wood information.
Hiram Wood, a gray-haired veteran,
whose name appeared on a number of
affidavits, was the next witness. He said
that ho could not write or read, but that
he made his mark on two or three blank
affidavits. These he said he had not in
tended to be used for Iucretia Garrison,
Harvey A. Hoguo, Jane Greer and others
for whom they were used. He admitted,
however, on cross-examination that he
knew the persons named and could have
sworn as to their claims. Ho declared,
however, that he was not In Portland
on the date which the notary's oath al
leged as the time he swore to the "affi
davits. Wood amused the spectators by
hanging his feet over the Jury box and
remarking to Judge Bellinger In the midst
of the proceedings, "You've ketched
pretty old since I seen jou last."
John W. Woodard. who signed as a
witness of the mark of Hiram Wood,
Identified 11 affidavits as those to which
he had signed Wood's name and witnessed
his mark. He said that these were blank
when he signed them. On cross-examination
he admitted that Hiram Wood had
given T. A. Wood information relative to
old veterans and that ho bad Identified a
number of them.
A. H. Matthews, whoso name appeared
as a witness to Roxana White's claim,
testified that he never knew the appli
cant. Ho said he had signed some blank
affidavits and ho guessed that name had
been filled in. On cross-examination he
admitted that he and Wood went over the
muster rolls together and he identified
a number of old veterans and gave him
Information wnlch he supposed would be
used to get them pensions.
The first witness of the afternoon was
Joseph Gibson, whose name appeared on
an affidavit for the claim of Ruth Cock.
Witness said he knew one Mrs. Cock but
Ruth Cock was not the one he knew and
he did not intend that his affidavit should
be used for her. He, too, had filled out
blank affidavits, but eaid he intended
them to be v.sed for the members of the
companies of Hayes and Henderson. He
admitted that he signed about 75 blank
affidavits. The witness swore also "that
the affidavit of Ruth Cock was not signed
by him on the date that the notary's
Jurat set forth.
Mrs. Gibson corroborated her husband's
testimony. Ruth Cock, said she, had re
quested Mr. Gibson to make an affidavit
for her at the suggestion of Wood.
Municipal Judgo H. W. Hogue testified
that he had ne er seen until a short time
ago, an affidavit in behalf of his mother's
claim, signed by Hiram Wood. That
affidavit, hq said, had not been requested
by him or his mother.
Cornelius Beals swore that he signed
an affidai It In behalf of Sarah A. Hill and
called the attention of Wood to the fact
that she had been married after the death
of her husband, the Indian War veteran.
Wood, he said, had assented that It was
all right for him to make the affidavit,
notwithstanding the subsequent marriage.
The witness did not know that the sec
ond marrlago took from her the right to
a pension.
On cross-examination Beal admitted
that he did not know positively that Mrs.
Hill married a second time, and could
not swear to it, but understood that she
had.
Emily A. Height, a colored woman,
testified that she signed as a witness for
Mrs. Hill, but that she understood Mrs.
Hill to be married again.
The next witness called was Joseph
Melrath, the notary public who affixed his
Jurat to the majority of the documents
alleged to be frauds. Witness admitted
that ho was employed to attend to most
of the work in the pension cases. There
were shown him a bundle of claims, affi
davits .and fee agreements which bore
hl jurat And which other witnesses said
thoy did not swear to on the date shown
by his Jurat. In almost every case the
witness admitted that his jurat was not
affixed on the date shown, but at some
later time. He admitted that on the
dates when most of the affidavits pur
ported to have been acknowledged by
him, he was not in Portland. He admit
ted further that ho could not say he
administered oaths to all the witnesses.
He had sworn a great number, but not
on the dates shown in all cases.
Upon further questioning ho admitted
that Hosea Wood had charge of dating
the affidavits. "Hosea asked me to let
him do the dating." said Melrath, "be
cause he did not like my style of dating."
"What did he mean by that?" asked Mr.
Hall
"I don't know what he meant, but I
know what I think ho meant," replied the
witness.
The defense objected to any expression
of opinion by the witness.
The witness explained the erroneous
dates on other papers by saying that he
signed some by mistake, not noticing the
date when he "signed them and affixed his
seal.
Ho was then shown 27 fee agreements
which bore his jurat. He admitted that
every one had been erroneously dated,
and that he had not affixed his jurat on
the dates shown. He explained that he
did not do the dating of these papers.
He thought Hosea Wood and Miss
Moore, a stenographer, had done the dat
ing of the papers.
Court adjourned with Melrath still on
the stand. The trial will be resumed at
10 o'clock this morning.
SUES WIFE-BEATER.
Amelia SIrianna Declares She Fears
for Her Life.
Amelia Slriannl, who caused her hus
band, Paola Slriannl, to be arrested and
fined in the Municipal Court Wednesday
for beating her, yesterday commenced
suit against him for a divorce. Slriannl
owns a bootblack stand on Pine street,
and the plaintiff says he has money in the
bank and is well able to pay the fees of
her attorney, Albert Ferrera, -amounting
to $100, and she asks the court to order
the defendant to contribute alimony for
the support of herself and two children.
The litigants were married in this city
In 1898. Mrs. Slriannl complains that In
November, 1S01, her husband beat her and
threatened to Jdll her with a revolver. In
May, 1902, she says he again beat and
kicked her, and again recently, when she
was compelled to have him arrested In
order to protect herself.
She avers that in April, 1901, they signed
an agreement of separation, but Slriannl
did not abide by It, but Instead continued
to abuse her and threaten her life. Mrs.
Slriannl states that when her husband Is
fully armed be carries a revolver, a
stiletto and a razor. She asks the court
to decree that she shall have the custody
of the children. At her request Judge
George issued an order restraining the
defendant from molesting his wife or in
terfering with her In any manner.
SNOW IS STILL MELTED
BELIEVES BILLS ARE TOO HIGH
Judge Webster Says Aid Society Is
Costing Too Much.
The bills of the Boys' and Girls' Aid
Society for maintenance of wards com
mitted to the care of ih finolotv hv th
Municipal Court, recently held up by the
county .uoarc, nave not yet been passed
UDOn. Judce Webster said vestcrdnv fhnt
he and Mr. Gardner had talked the matter
over ana ne was satisfied everything
could be arranged agreeably. He said the
bills presented bv the soeletv mm cor
rect, and there were no claims presented
In cases of recommitments, but the court
thought the bills were getting to be too
big. The bill for March Is ?220 and for
Apni uh. xne law anows not more tnan
525 for each commitment, and the society
has been charglqp only $15. Judge Web
ster expressed the opinion that if the
number of wards committed to the society
Was becomlntr too numerous, thn nrlrn nor
commitment ought to be reduced below $15.
SHE CLAIMS THE FIXTURES.
Jemlna Bateman Asserts Ownership
to Butcher-Shop Furniture.
Jemlna Batman, who desires to prevent
the removal of fixtures, counters and tools
from a butcher shop in Upper Albina, yes
terday filed suit in the State Circuit Court
against George M. Brown, H. H. Mc
carty and James Carlln to enjoin them
from so doing, and Judge George issued
a temporary restrairilne orrtpr.
In her complaint Jemlna Batman al
leges that on January 12, 1904, she leased
the store at the corner of Williams ave
nue and McMillan street to McCarty and
Carlln for a term of three years. She
states that she owned the counters, meat
racks, scales and tools In the place at
the time the lease was executed, and that
In April, ISO. McCarty and Carlln disposed
of the lease to Brown, who threatens to
take out the fixtures and other property,
which If done, it Is alleged, will injure
and deface the building.
Says He Owes No Money.
Thomas Thwaite, proprietor of the Cac
tus Hotel, at 125 Sixth street, alleges that
he does not owe H. E. Edwards, furniture
dealer, any money for the furniture In
the place, and he denies the right of Ed
wards to remove any of the property. The
furniture was sold under a lease to J. H.
Sears and W. S. Morrill In November,
1901, and the lnventorlal price was $1371.
Sears sold to Morrill in September, 1903,
and Morrill sold to Thwaite In April, 1904.
Thwaite avers that the payments made
on the stuff aggregated $1668, and that
Edwards has no further lien against it
These facts annear In an nnmror flii i,r
Thwaite yesterday in the State Circuit
Court. The other side will come out at
the trial of the case, which will occur
soon.
Prisoners Are Contented.
The 40 prisoners employed on the county
rockplle on the Canyon road, are all
working faithfully and seem to be con
tented. They are conveyed to and from
the quarry in a large wagon which has
seats and ample room for all, and they
are well fed. The men are all on their
good behavior with the expectation that
they will be allowed credit marks and thus
obtain a reduction of their sentences. The
statute does not provide for shortening of
terms of County Jail sentences, but the
Governor can commute sentences, and
Judge Webster will confer with Governor
Chamberlain in regard to reducing sen
tences of those who are deserving.
Dectsions'Today.
Judge George will decide the following
cases this morning:
M. G. Morgan et al. vs. Multnomah Fair
Association; motion to strike out parts of
reply.
Dltchburn vs. Nixon; motion to make
complaint more definite and certain.
Rierson vs. Merrill; motion to strike
out bill of disbursements.
Nannie M. Stoner vs. S. P. R. B, Co.;
motion to strike out parts of answer.
DANGER OF BIG FLOOD IS NOT
YET PASSED.
High Water in Snake and Columbia
Rivers May Occur at the
Same Time.
The Winter accumulation of snow hesi
tates about loosenlng'lts hold on the earth
in the up-country, and the impending
freshets on the Snake and Columbia Riv
ers still Impend. The present warm wave
that has been felt along the coast and
throughout the Willamette Valley, has
not moved far enough eastward as yet to
raise the temperature into the SO's and
90s in Idaho, British Columbia and Mon
tana, and until that time comes the rivers
will not rise. Even yesterday it was cool
in the country where the waters are to
come from, and the indications are only
for slight rises. On the Snake somewhat
of a rise is at hand, but it Is very slow
to come, and on the Columbia there will
be a similar rise in a few days, but hot
weather alone will melt the snow in the
mountain canyons.
There is enough snow In the mountains
to make very high water this year.
Whether it will be excessive or not de
pends upon whether the crests of the Col
umbia and Snake floods come at the same
time or with an Interval. The Snake
should come first, rising further south,
and It is bound to be high when the Col
umbia comes, but if its highest point has
been passed before the Columbia freshet
comes, the flood will not be destructive.
The Willamette has done Its ..tfe worst
long ago and it now remains to see the
Titan streams work oft their superfluous
strength. If the country escapes un
scathed, the usual thing has happened; if
there is a flood, there Is nothing to do but
stand for It.
NOT A ITJLL-ELEDGED TRUST.
Planing Mills Establish Agency for
Handling Large Orders.
Most of the larger planing mills of
Portland have combined to the extent of
forming an agency, with J. C Grlpper as
manager with an office at 71 First street
The purpose Is to be able to handle large
orders conveniently. This will be done by
giving to the mills best adapted to the
purpose the different parts of large or
ders, so that the whole can be got out
quickly and cheaply. The agency will not
be like the City Retail Lumber Company,
which handles all the local trade, for the
individual mlllB will sell and compete with
each other much the same as ever.
The agency has been established to
broaden the trade. No one planing mill
or sash and dbor factory can afford to
place men In the Eastern field and if it
could. It could not handle the Immense
orders that often come from, that part of
the world. Such orders coming to the
agency, will be subdivided among the
mills, the fjnal purpose being to classify
the mills, each one having its specialty.
The agency will pot represent an actual
combine as the orders will be taken on
commission and business will be done as
by most manufacturers' agents. Sub
agencies will be established in Eastern
cities.
The firms represented are the West
Coast Sash and Door Company, North Pa
cific Planing Mill. Hockenyos & Buffing
ton, Enterprise Planing Mill, Day Lumber
Company, Excelsior Planing Mill, George
Ainslie & Co.. NIcolai Bros. & Co., Frank
Schmidt & Co , Portland Fixture Com
pany and Northwest Door Company.
The agency has been organized by A. F.
Biles, manager of W. P. Fuller & Co.,
and Mr. Grlpper, the manager, was for
merly of the same concern.
HE KNOWS OF OTHERS.
Registration Proceeds Slowly.
Registration is progressing rapidly,, and
it is anticipated that the rush will con
tinue until the close, Monday next, at 5
o'clock P. M.. The present average Is
about 300 per day, and Wednesday night
when the books closed the total registra
tion was 21,601. The final total is expected
to be at least 23,000. The office Is kept
open every night until 9 o'clock.
Saloonman Says Many Dealers Sell
to Minors.
G. A. Lane, keeper of a saloon at Fif
teenth and Savler streets, was fined $150
by Judge Hogue, yesterday, for passing
beer over his bar to three boys. There
were six charges against the man, three
of selling liquor to boys and three of
allowing minors In his saloon. On the
three charges of selling liquor ho was
fined $150, while the other three charges
were continued and will be held against
him should ho ever again be arrested on
similar accusations.
According to the evidence introduced
Lane not only sold liquor to three 16-year-old
boys but allowed them to shake dice
for the drinks and gave them the free
dom of the barroom. Deputy City At
torney Fitzgerald was bitter In his de
nunciation of Lane saying the man should
receive the limit for poisoning the sys
tems of young boys with beer. He gave it
as his opinion that unless saloonkeepers
who sell to boys are summarily dealt
with conditions may be developed such
as existed at Corvallls, which led to the
killing of three men.
The defendant through his legal repre
sentative. Attorney Cameron, said all
saloonkeepers are In the habit of selling
to boys, and mentioned several rsaloons
that are 60 doing, saving charges should
be brought against their keepers as well
as against himself. He was Invited to
swear out warrants for their arrest, but
declined the invitation.
Suit Compromised for $1500.
Matthew Vranizan. administrator of the
estate of Peter Vranizan, deceased, who
was killed recently in an accident on the
Portland Railway Company, has settled a
damage case against the corporation for
$1500. The administrator yesterday noti
fied the County Court of the compromise,
and Judge Webster made an order con
firming it
Vigor And vitality tro quickly riven to taa
whole system by Hood's S&raas&rilla.
Wilhelmina Anderson Wins Suit.
Wllhelmlna Anderson was awarded
judgment for $1000 damages by Judge
Sears yesterday against D. Tempest on ac
count of personal Injuries received at his
hands on December 1, 1903, and also on
December 10 following. The parties con
ducted a lodging-house together, known as
the Abbott, on Washington street be
tween First and Second, and Mrs. Ander
son, who is a gpod-looking woman about
SO years old, testified that Tempest had
the lease In his name and made up his
mind to get her out She said that on the
occasion of the first assault he struck her
with his flst choked her,, threw her upon
the floor, and called her vile and abusive
names. He repeated this sort of treat
ment ten days later, also kicking her.
Dr. Schneider testified that Tempest Ill
treated Mrs. Anderson and said he thought
Tempest was jealous of her. Detective
A. G. Vaughn also testified in her favor.
Judge Sears, before pronouncing judg
ment asked C. W. Idleman, attorney for
the plaintiff, If the Judgment was col
lectible, and the attorney announced that
he felt sure he could get the money. The
litigants are no longer associated together
In business, Mrs. Anderson having dis
posed of her interest in the lodging-house.
, a vja'?wgi ..h& . l W
liLi -'V s- -s ,.2 Km
17T
Right ffznd
of fia
3cijsy Man
s fhdminur(G hand on an
ITJLGIN WATCH
Every Elgin Watch is fully guaranteed. All jewelers have
Elgin Watches. "Hmemakers and Timekeepers," an illus- f
trated history of the watch, sent free upon request to i
Eubin NATtaKAt. Watch Co.. Elqih, III.
5
"GLACIER"
Refrigerators
The Cool, Cleanable,
Comfort-Givil
The name "Glacier" suggests chilliness, doesn't it? Makes you
think of all sorts of cold things. It's an appropriate name for our
refrigerators. Each one is miniature glacier that will preserve perish
able foodstuffs as long as you keep the icebox properly filled. You
can't have a real "glacier" in your house better have one of ours.
That, is, if you want table comfort in hot weather.
TWO ESSENTIAL FACTORS in the construction of a practical refrigerator are total ex
clusion of outside air and a perfect circulation of inside air. The outside air must be excluded he
cause -it contains heat and other agents of decomposition, and the inside air must be kept in circu
lation in order that an even current of pure, cold, dry air may constantly pass over and around the
contents of the food chambers. Glacier Refrigerators are insulated from outside heat by a three
inch wall consisting of eight sections of nonconducting material. As all doors are equipped with
Glacier Airtight Locks, the refrigerator when closed is heat-proof and air-tight.
A THOROUGH CIRCULATION is maintained by means of a false bottom to the ice cham
ber. The heavy, cold air falls through this opening into the provision 'chamber, where it forces the
warmer air up through a system of flues into the ice chamber. Here all the odors and impurities
are removed as the air passes' over the ice and under the false bottom to continue its circuit as be
fore. As long as there is ice in the ice chamber there is a constant circulation of pure, cold, dry air
passing through the food and preserving it.
GLACIER REFRIGERATORS are all furnished with sliding racks, adjustable to any
height, patent spring hinges, metallic ice racks and patent automatic drain traps, which allow the
waste water to escape, but prevent the admission of air. The outside cases are built of selected
ash and quartered oak," finely finished and polished. The fittings are of nickel-plated solid bronze
and the linings of high-grade zinc or porcelain. We have thein in all sizes.
TERMS ON ANY REFRIGERATOR SOLD IN THE CITY; $5.00 DOWN AND $1.00 A WEEK
Prices $8.50 to $57.50
MAIL ORDERS PROMPTLY ATTENDED TO
WRITE FOR CATALOGUE
Handsome Mahogany
Chiffonier
5- lf'
Have you seen the handsome$50 Mahogany Chiffonier we are going
to give away on the 23d of May? It's in one of front windows. Stop and
take a look at it. Some lucky person will own it free of charge two weeks
from now. You might as well be the one. Come in and ask about it. And
watch our windows Saturday and Sunday they'll tell the story. Of
course you'll read our advertisements they'll tell you how we intend
making such a pretty and useful present. .
Given Away Monday May 23
I IS 600D W&flIi,
U$Mk1M "make your
-T