The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-16
hly told Mr. + A. COok about the first of

ably told Mr.. F. A. Cook about the first of
March this year that Mr. SIbcrIs character
was good until this report. had always had
d high regard for him. but before that there
was ruInor about him. AS far as my lndi-
vidUal knowledge was concerned his charac-
ter was good But before that had heard OF
Il breach of trust case, and did not believe
IL, and In nvestlgated IT,, and found that IL was
for school teacher. Miss Nora Marshall, and
he did not turn the money over 10 her, but
appropriated it. Two years nilerward she
collected 1t hy law. Now, understand inc, he
collected The money. and appropriated 1t for
another purpose than IL was collected for, and
1t WAS afterwards collected uy law. l found
out that since thiS case WAS started.
On the redirect the witness said that he
does not know whether Mr.. Siprrt stated TO
Miss Marshall wh..ther kr had Collected it or
not, but that was my understanding.
Geo. B. McCnslnlI. sworn:
Lives near Troy; knows the plaintiffs char
| acler for honest dealing To be bad.
! On cross -eNn1ni inatiUn lie said he had
known MIR. Sibnrt twenty-five or thirty year..
| His character has been bad since about 50.
left some tuition money, with Mr.: Cresswel
| and told him To get receipt from Mr.. s'iUert,
treasurer of board of trustees, and he brought
Inc lhe receipt from S!bcrt, and several
months after mat Miss Nora Morshall came
to me Tor the money. told her | had paid
the money To- Mr. Sibert: l showed the re-
ccipt for it. / showed Mr.. Cresswell the re-
! Gel pt and after that SIbprL was sued. squire
| McCHSltiD lOIu me ne ldu got lle uIpuCy. ~
was in 'SB he gave ME the receipt, and lhi ink
IT WAS In IS the suit was brought. The affair
| was talked OF all over the country. Before
this never had heard anything about him.
| His reputation up To that time was good, as
| far as know.
w. W. Weeu, sworn: r.
Lives near Troy; has known Mr.. Sihert
twenty-five years; don't know his general
| reputation.
w. Fl Kennedy, sworn:
Lives four miles from Troy; known Sibert
fifteen years; from general reputation, char
! actrr bad.
On cross-exam inalion witness said: Had
(. heard several rumOrS before this one. Have
never charged Wideman with cheating mo
out of S.. He made Il mistake; that was all.
r. P: Cresswell sworn:
Lives near Troy: known Sibert twenty five
years; general reputation bad.
| On cross. examination witness said he had
| heard Of the school business and OF bis keep
! ing back money IN the church. Miss Mar
/, shall bad written 10 me from Ohio for her
money and said that Mr. Sibcrt had not sent
! her the MONEY.
Re .direc-T went 10 Mr.. Geo. 3. McCaslan
to get the school money from him; he told
me lie had u receipt from Sibert for his share
! of the tuition. and that II / would go to Wide
! mans store, would see where the money
had been applied on MIR. Sibert's account.
TT. White, sworn:
Lives near Troy; known Mr.. Shcrt four
! teen or fifteen years; opinion divided as TO
| Mr.. Siberts reputation.
John F. CreSswell, sworn:
Lives near Troy: has known Sibert from n
! boy: think thrt his general reputation for
! honest dealing is bad.
! On cross-exnminalion witness said he would
not like for his TO ue as bad.
]. r. Crawford. sworn:
Lives near Troy; Mr.. Sibert's character for
! honest dealing Is not good. according to re-
| ports
David ". Dnwtin. sworn:
Doesn't think Sbcrt's character Is good
nOw.
In Reply.
| Bud Cresswell, sworn:
Lives near Troy; known Sibert all his life;
takes his character to be good.
! On cross. examination he said he didn't hear
| other matters un al this trouble come up.
Re-direct-Mr. Wideman brought mo here.
Ben Chles, sworn:
Lives in Troy has known Mr.. Sibert thirty.
five years; nothing between us but plank
| fence; his character Is good. heard or some
| difference between them about he school
business, but didn't attach any importance TO
II, was subpoenaed. | did not tell
| Mr.. Smart and Mr.. Fulton Clinkscales
short from the collection plate. My
| wifeand Mr.. Siherrs wife are cousins, and
my wife and Mr.. Wideman are cousins. lam
friendly TO both.
J. W. Ltes. sworn:
Lives Mt Greenwood, used to live ut Troy |;
have known Mr.. Sibrrt fifteen or twenty
years. We belong To the same church. AS
for as know, his reputation IL pretty good.
| / have heard Of these transactions Would
believe him on Outh. Parker McGoWan
summoned ME here.
J. r. Youngblood, sworn:
Lives in Greenwood; left May two years
| ago: have known Mr.. SiuerL since 'S3: his
reputation was very good when l lett Troy.
| Parker Il MCGOWAN summoned me here.
1T. Solomons, re. called:
Have known Mr.. Sbert for seven years ; his
reputation for honesty and fair dealing is
good. When Mr.. Wideman made the re-
marks about making Sbert wear stripes, he
Was speaking entirely about this matter.
Samuel o. Young, sworn:
Lives near Troy; have known Mr.. SIbert
forty.years; his reputation FOR honesty and
| drpd yards OF where / was born.
! On cross-cxamlnati the witness was ask
/ ed If he knew the witnesses who had sworn
! adversely to the character OF Mr.. Sibert he
| answered that he did, and that they are WOr-
| thy OF belief. heard of thu church matter
! some time ago. hut never heard OF the crt-
| ION lnatLcf uulll NOW.
THE DEFENDANT GOES On THE STAND IN
HIS OWN BEHALF.
George NJ. Sibert, plaintiff, sworn:
live In four miles OF where was horn; 1
am fifty one years old, and have lived there
all my life; married Miss Lyon In 1866, n
sister Of Capt. John Lyon: have eight chill
drcn my eldest is a daught who was born
| in 1867.
Q. Is it true or not that you stole that mon
ey?
a. II Is not true. sir.
| heard the witnesses refer to the Miss Mar
shall school. was treasurer OF the board OF
trustees OF the Troy high school. and Miss
Marshall was engaged to teach there for nine
months for sou, and we made out the ac-
counts TO serve on the patrons. At the end of
the school term they were given TO me TO col
lect The accounts did not belong 10 Miss
| Marshall, but 10 the board OF trustees, and
there was one against Mr.. George Il. Mc('aS-
Ian, for something over SD, think. He was
not willing 10 pay the full account, but WAS
only willing 10 pay $50. Hc left so in the
hands Of Mr.. Jim Kennedy, a partner of Mr..
John +. Wldeman, and for him TO pay over
10 us, II we would give clear receipt.
told him could not do that, and would cred
| 1t him with $50. put the matter before the
board Of trustees, and they would not accept
IL us the others hnd paid their full accounts.
THE mat a. Stuul that Way time, Il