The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-12


Police Intelligence.
THE ALLEGED ENCOURAGEMENT OF TWO HUNDRED
AND TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, IN THE HOUSE
OF BROWN BROTHERS & co --INvEsTIG ALTON
BEFORE The POLICE JUSTICE AT THE TOMBs.
At one O'Clock yesterday afternoon, number OF the
venerable looking fnauciers Of Wall street graced the
anti chamber of the Police Court at the Tomb for the
purpose of attending the investigation down for that
day, pending against Augustus G, M Bowen and D. A.
Comsock the former late cashier in the house of Brown
Brothers Co., and charged with embezzling over
$40 and the latter said to be accomplish from
the fact of having raised the said money loans at
various times without giving ample security The
parties accused court accompanied by their
recve counsel and the first called to the stand Mr.
Stewart Brown of the firm of Brown Broth & Co.
The following is the evidence taken up to the hour of
Adjournment.
Stewart Brown, sworn says-I am one Of the firm Of
Brown Broth ers 4 Co
BY Mr.. owen, counsel for complainant-Q. Mr. Brown,
who comprises the firm OF Brown Brothers l. Co.
A-Ihe firm consists Of William BrowR James W
Brown James Brown, Samuel Nicholson, Francis A.
Hamilton, William Il. Bowen, Mark W. Collet, and
.Q.-what is your business?
A-Exchapge business. We usually have large amounts
OF money in be bank-oyer hundreds Of thousands
Q.-Nbere l. tho cash kept?
A.-& keep account in the Merchants Bank to
the CT edit Of Brown Brothers Co. We have other
bspk account
Chow many clerks have you engaged in the con.
Ave lave eight clerks Mr. A. NJ Bowen was
the cashier He has been employed in house for the
ls.. twelve years part OF the time in Philadelphia He
has only been for the last six years cashier
Q.-What is his duty as cashier
A-To keep cash accounts, 1t was not his business to
procure funds lie has drawn the checks for the last
three four years he hed them up but did not
always sign iht m
ODD be keep any cash account?
A Yes he kept cash account in the regular cash
book
(rhe counsel Mr. Owen, here produced copy of the
power of attorney given TO the bank. This was ad-
miited ma kcd A
Q-what authority had Bowen to make loans7
Ale had The power to loan on good security.
Glad he (Bowep) sny power to loan the money Of
the concern without receiving security
o-sipce july 1851, has Bowen had any authority to
lean money to u A Comstock
A--None. whatever; he expressly prohibited from
losniIE money to Ctmstocb, by myself
Q.llave you or any member Of your nrm, loaned any
money 10 Comstock since the Lot OF August!
A-No they have not.
Q.-Did you know that any money had been loaned by
Bowen to CcDsoek, since your return from Europe!
A.-No. did not; nor 40 / know now, only except
what Bowen says himself
Two checks were here produced by the prosecution
which the Clerk Of olice marked =" Exhibit aud y
The checks both GATED 5tk August. 1851. one for
$1,000 and the other for $40 00o payable at the Ner
chants Bank, to the oroer OF d. Comstock and fed
Up ana sigbed ny A. G NJ. Bowen. Tn snown TO
Mr.. Brown, who tad, think the endorse ths
back that Of D. Comstock the other writing is That
Of Bowen whose checks have boon paid INK ana
the cancelled marx If the bank made upon them "
Odd yoa or any one Of your firm know of this
loan!
Al did not ncr any Of the firm to my knowledge; in
fact know they cid oot.
The two checks alluded to above bear the numbers
Of % iO6 - l2l: the former for the $40
d the latter SO co.
MIR Brown here Produced the cash check book He said
The Handwriting was BoEens In the margin Of this book
opposite the amounts carried out, was as follows
No. % log August s. 1851.
. s. & g, in ink with the dash Of pen run through
/ 1t. J.. Lbbets & 90 uaSed in the ssme In
pencil mark was ID A. Q ana the amount carried
out. $4,000.
lhe other cheek was as follows on the marsn:-
Augult 1851
Change ,.,. IA
Wi,refs--I should say that the I'd A c." in pencil
max, IN the hand writing OF Mr. Bowen; the word
change" on the margin. should ray implies TO be
money 10 be placed in The cash drawer to be paid
out in Fmsll sums for daily nee.
The clerk here marked The check book Exhibit D."
ANoIBER CHEcK PBoDUcEp MARKED n II
No. s21s3 August II, 1851
Payable 70 the order Of D A. oomstock on tho Mcr-
chsnts Bank for $500 This check had bsen endorsed
ana paid by the bank.
CnreK Book PRoDucEp.
Margin
ON the 4th of August 1851 three checks drawn
to the order Of Comstock one check no 220sS, for
$500 the second Ne % 03 for So 000 and the thr L.
No % OIL, for So COO all endorsed by d. A Comstock
and paid by the bank.
The witness exhibited the check book, and shows BIZ
Check No. ZZUSS August lth
&C.. ...s......,............. IS 900
\
D. A Comstock, written in full) So coo
No 22,1o3 August 4td
Another CHECK,
No 22157. August sth 1851
For 500 payable TO Comsock endorsed and paid
CHEcE Book.
On the margin.
| No 20 157 August sth.
TX Change chs $4,000
The witness here stated that il have been or9i
naly Chspge,n and afterwards in my opinion
ters Ex" have been prefxed, as the Change us writ
ten with a caDbai g. that is my tor thinking
it Is also dmeren coored ink The $40 600 appears
10 have been originally made 500. ami subsequently
made S20CO0 the all Grafton has evidently
made into o. and 20 inserted before 1t, making it
| appear $4,000.
AroTurR CHEcK.
No 22,172. August 9th 1851
Payable to the order Of d. A. Comstock SIS GOO
EHEcK Book.
No % ia August 9th
Tx Chs ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $4,000
ANOTHER CHEcE.
Made payable In the Others for S250o
CHEcK Book.
No % 2e6 August 10th
No Other entry made except the amount carried out,
$500.
No a27s. August 10Th
Mgde payable in the like manner a. the Aforesaid for
$40 Geo.
CIircK BooS.
No. para August goth
Cbsree Gu email writing. 10) $40 900
Mr. brown ssd that IL appears In tho check book that