Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-13
THE NORFOLK BANK CASES.
Mr.. John II. Whitehead on Trial Yes
teYAuY.
Ispecial telegram to tbe DIspateh.l

Especial telegram 10 the Dlstatcu.l
NORFOLK, November 12.-The United
STATES courtroom was well crowded this
morning by tbrong anxious TO hear what
NJ. John Il. Whitehead would have % say In
regard 10 the failure Of the great bank Of
which he was for 50 many years the presi-
dent. and which was wrecked under hi
administration.
When the court opened the ueHirc not 10
usc we've discharged by the court, except
those v no were challenged, and they We're
ordered O. appear on November 23d.
Dir. K. II. Wright was recalled. and testi
fed a. 10 the business matters. the bank
being conducted almost entirely los the
cashier, and the defence sought TO prove
that Nj. Whitehead, though the president.
did not know o. many Of the important
mOncyed transactions 81 the bank.
Colonel " lillian b. Rogers and George
II. Newton, ESQ. were successfully placed
on the wltness-staDd and testified 90 the ex-
cellent character horne by the accused
when president of the bank.
Mr.. Whitehead was next placed on the
witness-stand, and sat al the elbow OF Hon.
J. Randolph Tucker. He stated al length
what he had done In the way OF cOnvevn.
by deed all his property TO the bank 10 se-
cure WHIST he owed the institution, and he
lievcd the bank wa fully secured against
los by any OF the transactions In which he
was individually responsible.
Nh. wHITEHEAD's STATEMENT.
just before the crash came, early in
March, Mr.. Whitehead said he wrote TO
Washington for blanks in order 10 renew
the charter ~ the bank, which expired
April -. 1885 He received an answer
from the Comptroller that certain lrregu-
l1rities. apparent by the report OF the
examiner. Is. l. keyser, would have
10 be made good NJ once, pariicu-
larry the immense loan TO Balm x
Brother Of $4,000. Witness wa,
utterly COMPOUNDED al that state OF affairs.
lie asked George VI. Balm il the statement
was true. Hanging bis head on his breast
Nr. Balm said Il wa. Witness demanded
that Mr. Balm al once send for bis brother.
X. = i. Balm. who, when he appeared, did
not seem % consider the sublec, q, deeply
important ~ il really wa, and remarked
ihai il "COuld Doe made al right and
that there would be no difficulty.
This did not satisfy wines. and
be went 10 Washington at once
10 see the Comptroller who advised witness
90 come home and secure from Balm 3 Bro
Their all the good notes. bonds, and ~ecIri-
ties ~ secure the bank, which was done.
Il. T. +. Dlin promised 10 make deed
which be did not make. and Or. Melon
eld. WHO promised TO advance sjj0,0OU In
he emergency. also failed to iull THAI pro-
mise. Wines was mentally and png-i-
caliy Frustrated 10y hi efforts and the con
ditiOn OF affairs and was compelled 10 ,-se
10 III bed. he sent for bis counsel and in
structcd him 10 make deed OF trust OF all
the property owned hy witness 90 secure
an II lis credilors-the bank particularly.
Certain checks Of Whitehead and BsiI.
drawn ty George NJ. Bain. Jr., were ex-
Lititcd 60 witness and he stated tnat bee
never had seen them before and did not
know what they were for or hOw issued.
ON crOs.-cX animation. o. answer % Que--
ton whether De did not know be- was WOO
laiing the law Ia 0yerGrlwn= Ai- account.
witness stated be- always had ample cpilate
Tal- 10 cover such ovcTdrai.s.
Witness stated that the transactions OF
Whitehead ana Balm were IN every in-tan poe
in the interest 81 The hank whore be- pr
@aEally signed The check, but that there
were many checks q that nsme signed Boy
George ~. Balm. Jr., thr cashle-, taa, he
lad never seen before.
ARGUMENT.
The testimony being closed, the argu-
meut commenced by Mr. jaime, Lyons
ouenng ior the Government, and be- Wa
followed hy Alfred i. Thorn and J. ".
n. &. Eli. for the defence.
1T $50 O'Clock tonight the court adj