The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-04-15
The Alleged Swindler of the
Second National Bank
at Last on Trial.
Mr.. HOGENCAMP'S EVIDENCE
How the Ledger Entries We're Sys-
tematically Raised by Book
keeper Van Loan.

hurried examination OF Lno DOCKS Gne QlS-
crepencies in them were exposed. In the
A to L, . ledger particularly were irregn-
larities found and the bookkeeper who
had charge of this book was John A. Van
Loan, young man in whom the bank
officials had the greatest confidence. He
was at the time on weeks vacation at
the Catskills with his wife and child. The
band directors teiegraphed him to return
but when they received no answer they
became convinced of his guilt and noti-
fed Chief Murphy of the facts Van Loan
has thus far eluded arrest, and it is COM
mon gossip that this is because the bank
authorities did not want him arrested.
He was a member of the Jersey City Ath-
letic Club and was very popular. He was
not known as an expensive liver, and his
home at No. 90 Astor Place, was d modest
one.
His friends have thought thus far that
he was simply the tool of Nelson H. Coy
kendall, a grocer, of No. 1S1 Monticello
avenue, and w. H. Leeker, butcher, of
No. 129 Monticello avenue. Leeker and
Coykendall were arrested on q charge of
conspiracy and were held for trial. The
case has been set down for trial a number
of times, but has been at each time post
poned.
THE SYSTEM OF FRAUD.
C0ykendalls giving checks to Leeker,
who took them to the bank where they
were cashed by Van Loan, who changed
the figures of the deposits made by Coy
kendall. For instance if $50 was depos-
tied, he would put the figure one in front
of it and also made fictitious entries to
carry out the deception.
When Prosecutor Winfield related this
history in court this morning Coykendall,
a large, healthy looking man, sat beside
ex-Judge Garrick, ex Mayor Collins and
Charles Corbin. He seemed unconcerned,
and when the following jury was asked
by Mr. Collins if any of them were stock
holders in the bank he calmly surveyed
them:- ~
Cortlandt H. Braisted, foreman; David
Gordon, jeremiah Mahoney, Asa III.
Leonard, Patrick Walsh, Henry Meyer.
Louis Lane. Owen Havill, Henry Wag-
ner, William Ryan, Hugh Mulligan and
Bernard Kelly.
s. THE TESTIMONY.
Then the taking OF the testimony be-
gan. President Hogencamp testified
that in 1873 Van Loan was employed at
the bank and for ten years back had
charge OF the "A 81 L. y ledger book. He
did not know. where Van Loan was at
present and had not seen him since the
trouble took place in June, 1888. Coy
kendall deposited in his wife's name. 1t
was about June ~ when witness first
suspected something wrong in Coyken-
dali He called on MIN at MS house and
told MIN tnere was uenclency ana asked
for his books. He said he had not given
any checks to Van Loan but later he pro-
duced some These were taken TO the
bank and thorough investigation was
made.
THE BOOKS.
At this point the Prosecutor asked for
the Cnecks books and deposit slips that
had been referred 70, ana huge book
and number or smaller ones were
luggeu Ia py Ine court 0ncers MI.
Hogencamp. explained: -" First the de-
posit ticket Is made out with the date and
amount, anG then the ticket goes TO The
receiving Teller, VINO puts IL on tne pass
book, and then 1t goes to the Dookkeeper
for entry
When tne witness opened Inc "A 70 ~
ledger, which was IN charge OF Van Loan,
he sald the nrst discrepancy was on June
~ 1888; the amount marked as naving
been deposited was $ou 81 on Ihe ueposlJ
slip apd pass book. but the ledger showed
deposit OF $l60.Sl.
The book was examined backward by
Mr. Hogencamp, and when ne reached
the date May 20. 1885 ne said the slip and
pass book both called for SsS. %, but the
ledger showed 20, which showed an
increase OF SlOO IN each case. April "a
there was entered on the pass Dook sos
99 the STUD called lor sluov put there
was no slip and on that same day de-
posit OF $oS was made put there was no
ticket OF deposit Iounu
There was another deposit made April
1S. The ticket called for S63 90 and the
STUB ulu Lne same; the ledger showed
$2S3 So The next account referred to
was February ", the slip ana stub
showed y95 and the ledger Sl9o. There
was Ii the same month deposit OF $60,
which was raised on the ledger $l60:
April ~ the tickes showed deposit OF
sos, the pass-Dook 800; tneledger In this
case was correct.
dozen or more other cases OF this ma
ture We're tesEned 70 ny Mr. aogencamp
as ne examined the ledger ana otner
BOOKS, al OF which showed tnat tne &C e
counts OF CoyKendait nad oeen raised IN
each instance from 500 to 5000 by Van
y LOAN OF some one else
van Loan nau charge OF tne BOOKS, ne
sald. During tne examlnatlon counsellor
Corpin STOOD Deslde tne Wltness ana scru-
tlnized every item ne reaa OH.
THE TOTAL "a IhEFI.
MI. Hogehcamp Iurther sala tnat tne
amount obtained Dy Coykenuall oy py these
raised cnecKs WI n, 4ov puI ne also sald
Lha5 yan Loan nag oDlasnea IL from the
pank py o.n cr mesnons s, slo'MO, IN re-