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Show ..... '...... O . . y i i . - - ... J.-U 'JL.-Ov J i ' il2n Ct:rjcdrV;iQ.n:tl:ry C:::li:c(s Crcss-Exani-n:ll:n cf Cent Witness. The clever cros s-examtnation of witnesses wit-nesses for the State In the cases of Edward Ed-ward Murray and David McCann, charged with robbery, resulted la Assistant As-sistant Attorney Dana T. Smith moving mov-ing that the complaints against the men be dismissed this morning.. The cross-examination . of the witnesses wit-nesses was conducted by McCann with such sagacity that the testimony of the complaining witness was weakened1 so materially as to shatter the State's case. . . . The defendants were charged by John S. Riser, . an Oregon Short Line fireman, with having-held him up on the night of March 2nd and robbed him of $2.50. On direct examination Riser detailed the incidents of the robbery. He said that he had been confronted "by two men. one of whom was masked and the other armed with a revolver. The masked man with the gun was about five feet eight Inches or six feet In height. The other was shorter and of sandy complexion. The robbery occurred a half-block from a street lamp and the place was very dark. The robbers, Riser said, took $2.50 In money, but left a $35 watcb. He positively posi-tively identified Murray as the shorter of the two men. On cross-examination McCann questioned ques-tioned Riser closely concerning the amount of light which fell on the spot where the robbery occurred, and the witness admitted that it was Quite dark. McCann then asked if the robbers rob-bers took $2.50 and left a gold watch valued at $35. Riser said that such was the case, and McCann put further stress on that point. McCann returned to the question of Identification, and Riser stated that the Interrogator was the taller of the two men. McCann made the witness admit that owing to the darkness he might be mistaken, and the witness was excused. ex-cused. Charles Hunt, a rooming-house keeper, keep-er, testified that Murray and McCann had rented beds from him on -the night of the robbery. He said that at 12:30 o'clock when he went to show another guest to his bed, the beds assigned to the men were not occupied. McCann then asked Hunt If he did not. at 12:30 o'clock, conduct a man to bed No. 12. and stand at the door of the room with a lamp in his hand until the late retiring guest had gotten Into bed. This Hunt admitted to be a fact, and he was excused. Assistant County Attorney Dana T. Smith arose to move a dismissal of the complaints, . when he was interrupted by McCann. who said: "If your Honor please! The prosecutor's prosecu-tor's motion to bind over Is premature the defense has a witness for examination!" exami-nation!" Judge Diehl then permitted Prosecutor Prosecu-tor Smith to move for the dismissal of the case. The motion was granted by the Judge, who discharged the men. |