Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-25
The German American B0nk Case.
CARD FROM DR. DONALDSON.

the court BY District Attorney Corkhfll. fell
tnat II was duty 1 owed my friends aud fam
iys 10 70 least of1sr protest against the con-
testimony, with regard To the conduct OF the
directors Of the late German American Bank.
without giving any one OF them an opportunity
70 explain or 0ner word In defence. And
more especially, to protest against the unwr.
ranfed assault upon their regulations In the re.
port alluded to-an assault made In sucn a
manner AZ to leave them powerless to counter
act the false Impressions It must necessarily
produce on the minds OF their fello citizens
circumstances over which had no control
probably should have let the matter pass and
borne the injustice quietly. go far "a was Der.
sonally concerned, had not noticed the severe
se1use 20 That grand Jury contained IN the In
on tuesday last, wherein he said: 1.-THE oath
Wnlcn you nave just taken Is the epitome of
yoor once In the first place you are to in :
qulfe into such matters as shall be brought be-
lore you. You Will bear In mind the dlsttnc-
tion between your functions and those OF the
petit jury. You are not to consider and deter.
preliminary proof that will be presented to you
IN support OF them. and II you think that, un-
eontradicted ard unexplained, is sufficient to
Charge SEND sna ger a eeors iSs the
jury OF this court. For this reason you VIII
erely listen to the proof adduced on the par
Who has no right TO present hts defense to yoI.
he Is entitled to fair and impartial trial
out Only to one trial, aud the pe:it jury Is the
Yau osa ees,gnated Dy law for that purposa
which may come under your knowledge In
some states It has been the custom to aIlo y
private persons tree access to the jury room to
prefer charges against persons. but It has oper-
ated badly. 1t has been found to give opportn-
mites to persons to vent their grievances ana
indulge their spite, and citizens have sometimes
OF en- 6Tra1gIed In criminal courts upon charges
not 1ndorsed oy responsible persons, and with
out any preliminary examina ion. and It ha,
resulted In hardship ana oppression that might
Go not know, nor have made any attempt
to ascertain the names OF those gentlemen VINO
composed the late grand jury nor have thought
port submitted by them. It Is sufficient for me
TO know that Col. Corkhill indorseo it by read
Log 1t TO the court, and that Judge Cox has CON
oemned II In the strongest manner!
TO assail the Character and motives OF pri-
Vate citizen when AID where he has no oppor
tunlty OF defending himself, seems to me, to
say ne least, most unwarranted ana inju5ti.
naoie proceeding; and 1t Is to be hoped for the
sake OF the high and important truss con-
m1tted to the grand jury and District attorney,
mat no low nor unworthy motive on the part
OF either 1mpelled the action Of which com
plain. but that 1t was only case where q too
great zeal was allowed to run away with both
Judgment and sense Of right It is no part Of
the fact that this report seems to be an apology
Which the grand jury through its mouth piece
district Attorney Corkhill, makes for finding
dRalllSt M6SSF6 HUI ana Pr6nClSS
Were the grand jury and the District attorney
afraid that they could not secure conviction
Without having the community at large {from
whom the jurors are drawn) pre1udiced In ad
the case?
Let 1t be borne Ia mind that am here Offer
ing no defense for Nessrs. Htiz aud PrenL,ss
,ss ae n the proper time emes they VIII doubt:
away or dtsproving ii they can 4. ny or ali OF the
tnaIges brought against them y, neither they
can make ga tsfactory explanations or offer good
evidence In their own favor or not. shon' Il be
matter for an unbiased Jury of their feiiSw at
ZelS TO decide. " -
1t win be noticed in the report of the grand
GIy s ID ds = miidly stated that the bank ex
amlner was deceived! But not word OF cen
sire IS uttered; no imputat1on Is cast unon his |
'-''''' f'r iNtfiuiness b. this grand Jury. And
Iet be was an expert" IN the examination OF /
banks: his special business it was to examine |
The internal workings Of these institutions; he |
was aid for doing it and for being able to do II
Tor incompetency and delinquency had been !
depending upon his statements. And yet this |
gentleman was "deceived!' Was it not possible |
to conceive of the possibility OF the directors |
having been deceived, also. While still faithful
70 those trusts which, on accepting their POSI- |
Ions, they had sworn dutifuliy and honestly to
administer" The bank examiner, MI B. Z. |
keyser, who had an opportunity to be heard In |
Ills own defence before the grand jury, was !
uliy exeu}pated, 1t appears He mad been "de- |
Tao no opportunity given them of being heard, |!
ire held morally responsible" for the failure OF
he bank. and are held up before the commu |
lity as mt. who were unfaithtul to their solemn
,tiigatiOnsl
speaking for myself. personally. can say |
hat from the time was first elected director |
II the now defuncr bank, up TO the time OF Its |
;losure, did endeavor, TO the best OF my abI |
ty, TO discharge faithfully and conscIen5iou5iy |
he duties devolving upon ne In connection
With that position. Private inIeres..n n higher
motive, would have prevented me from nestec |
n the bank than In my regular business, ana
t was natural that should at laaS5 attemp. 70 |
xeIcise the same 'sagaciry and vigilance" Id |
tie O..e csse as In the other! l very raren
missed being present at the bank prom )tly al
Lhe hour OF the weekly board meetings. AMI
when absent therefrOm the abse0ce Was ab,0-
uIely unavoidable. On some occasions there
was no quorum of the directors present, but the
grand jury states in its report that which is not
q fact, viz: that ''duIing these eight months
between March 1st and OCTOBER 30th. 1S7S) No
meeting Of the board Of directors can be shown
TO have taken place." TIE grand Jary only
heard one SIDE! 1t can be shown that many
Of the board were held during that
tims-that in no case did any very considera-
bic tine 60 by without such meetings; aud
too. 1t can be suoetsnuated that the Ioinutes
OF the preceding meeting were al ways read by
the cashier. Ii these minutes were destroyed
not found If after the bank
was no fault OF mine, nof SO rar as know, OF
any Of the directors. But II those minutes
should ever come to light they Will not show,
unless they have been falsined, q knowledge on
the part OF the board OF, or their consent TO.
aIy one OF the unlawful transactions specified
10 The report Of the grand jury.
l have lived in this community since my boy
hood, and have earnestly strtyen to do my duy
as a Just and upright man. Partly through
losses incurred by my unfortunate connection
with this bank. and through my TOO great trus,
IN the ability and integrity OF some with WHOM
have been associated, l stall have little TO
leave my children besiieS an unsul1ed reputa
ton In all the relations of life. seek no sym
patby for what have had TO bear personally
and, in many Instances, most undeserved'y-iD
with this bank matter; but do a k
that all fair-mnded men shall fr0wn down ali
such VI 1ustiflable actions on the part OF gran0
juries or District attorneys a5 may tend to
blast the character Of even the humolest indt
vidual without giving him an opportunity to De
heard. r. b. DONALDSON.
Excursions, &c.
The entertainments at Drivers summer gar
den are visited nightly by the best class OF
people, both ladies and gentlemen, and the
solos, Duets and concerted vocal sele,....SIs of
the BeethI ven quarte te have had the effect OF
Snp bn lNUo Ncfo tn ~