National Republican., 1874-07-11
TESTIMONY For DEFENCE.


Mr.. Evans rested the prosecution at this
point.
TESTIMONY FOR DEFENCE.
A. H. Underwood, for defence, stated that
he was employed as messenger at Mr.. Baker
office; was there at the time Of the issuing of the
order; witness filled up the order at the re-
quest of a fireman whom he could not remem-
Der; he came there and gave the name of
Steele, saying there was $50 due him; witness
looked over The payroll, and found the State
ment to be correct, and drew the order; this
was a common practice.
Cross-examined. He was authorized by Mr.
Baker to fill out orders for any one who applied
when pay was due; all he remembered was
that the man had on 8 freman's uniform; he
did the same thing with policemen; had filled
up many to parties he did not know in this
way; he did not know who Endorsed the order.
Col. W. N. BTamhall was sworn, and, on
looking at the order, testified that he was IA
miliar with that sort of order; had purchased
many of them; it was the custom to have
them properly filled up before stamping them;
had known Warrick ever since 1871, when he
was appointed temporary clerk in the col
lector's Office, and afterwards made permanent
clerk; his reputation was good; had never
heard of any act of his which would reflect on
his good charactery witness knew that Warrick
had been engaged in the business of dealing in
these orders.
Cross-examined. The only means he had OF
telling the genulneness of the order was the
stamp of the comptroller; did not know until
the discovery of these forgeries that the orders
were stamped in black in the comptroller's Of
fce.
After some further testimony was intro
duced, most Of which was for the purpose of
establishing the good character of the defend
ant, Mr.. Ennis rested his case, stating to the
court that he had proved the forgery; that the
defendant did present It for payment, and that
It was for him to show how he got It, and from
whom.
The Judgment was reserved until the other
case had been tried.
UNDERWOOD ARRAIGNED.
A. H. Underwood was here arraiEned on the
same charge Of forging the name OF J. D. Angel
to = similar order.
Mr. Angel being called TO testify, Mr.. Bond
raised the point that parties interested II a
forged paper could not be called upon TO testify.
The point was oVeTTuled, and Mr.. Angel, after
looking at the order, testified that his name
upon il was a forgery, and that he never had
authorized any one to sign it. Witness had sold
his pay on similar orders for several months
eight in all. He had been in the habit of going
to the controllers Office and obtaining blank
him. Col. ", o. Drew generally went with
him to identify him; sometimes Chief Engineer
Cronin. His custom was 10 sign the roll when
he received his certificate. Witness here eX-
hibited list of the months for which he had
procured orders, but had not sold his pay for
November, the mouth for which the forged
order was drawn.
Cross-sxamined Had never authorized Mr.
Underwood to fill up an order for him, and
1naFn r,Fon ~h,N Rad
him.
Comptroller Baker was called, and testified
that Mr.. Warrick presented Angell's order for
November in March last, and that he received
a tax-len certificate for it; the pay-rolls were
generally where Mr.. Underwood had access TO
them; Mr.. Underwood was permitted 10 fill
out orders for the iremen when they desired
them filed; these forged certificates amounted
to less than one thousand dollars, and were
mostly issued in misunderstanding the most
busy season; as soon as discovered witness took
measures TO have the blanks aud pay-rolls
properly secured and identification of persons
to whom payments were made, and explana-
lions made as to possession, &c. In this order
in question the order appears to be filed out
by Underwood with the exception of the sig
nature, and in that there is certainly a great
similarity in certain letters to his writing, yet
he was not able to say that Underwood wrote
il; it was not Mr.. Angells writing. Witness
pointed out the letters alluded to; the pay-rolls
containing the true signature of Angel were
before them, and he had the advantage Of COM
pairing, if SO inclined.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Bond Cases had oc-
CURED, one at least, that of Robert johnson,
who had had himself drawn pay twice for one
month.
Mr.. Warrick took the stand and testified
that he bought the certificate from a fireman
who pretended to be Mr.. Angel, and with
other papers turned it over to the comptroller
and took tax liens for the same.
Cross-eXamiBed Could not say where he
was when he bought the certificate; it was
from a fireman as he thought from his dress
a freman's dress-it was in the collectors
Office, and the man pretended TO be Mr..
Angel.
Here Mr.. Angel was called and witness
said he was not the man. The man from
whom he bought il was q larger maD-a
white man, smooth face, and did not look like
him. &. - IS .Es- TSS-S
Mr.. H. c. GIL, clerk in the Office of the comp
trOller, testified that he knew Of the certificates
being given Of the character of the Que in
question. Mr.. Hopkins gave them first, Mr..
Underwood next, and others; had known of
parties selling duplicate certificates for the
same months pay on several occasions.
Several witnesses were called TO prove a good
character for the defendant, among whom was
the pastor of the Nineteenth-stFeet Baptist
church. After these were heard the prosecu-
tiOn rested the case, and the court reserved its
judgment.