Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-08

ing teller at Lewis johnson 4 Co.'S bank, was
called to the stand. He identified the check
for 5000 rs having been paid by Lewis johnson
! d Go. After referring to his bank blotter,
which he had with him on the stand, Mr.. WASH
ington said that it was handed into the bank on
May by White and went to his credit in the
account that he kept with the bank. Accord
| ingto the banks custom the check was sent
out next morning.
The second check was placed to tine defend
| ants credit on May IL in the witness own
| handwriting. The $500 check was credited on
June 30 Whites entire credit on that day be-
ing $500. Mr.. Washington identified Whites
signature on the back of the checks
Riggs Go. paid the money for the checks
| back to Lewis Johnson 4 Co., but the witness
did not know that the latter firm had ever paid
AID rec or any one else the sum involved In
| those checks
Mr.. JOHN HERBERT CORNING.
Mr.. John Herbert Corning, in whose employ
White was at the time Of the alleged forgeries,
was next called by the government to testify.
He described the business arrangements that
existed between Albree and himself. Mr.. Corn
| ing would secure contracts for iron work, Mr..
Aibree furnishing the estimates upon the
figures given to him from the Washington
Office
Mr.. Corning stated that he first became &C.
quainfed with White in 1887. The latter was q
salesman in his employ with an idea of learn
weekly salary. White, he said, was acting in
bis interest, presumably, in the work of putting
the iron IRE escapes on the Arlington and the
Louise Home. The work was finished in July
or August, and he remembered that ne said to
! Whlte that owing to the delay in finishing
| the work he would not ask for a payment until
after 1t was finished. as he did not wish to
make any more trouble than he could help.
In the spring OF 1880 witness was away for
about SIX weeks, but he had a conversation
IN .1,.,,A H.
this work Nothing was said about any pay
ment having been made nor did he ever author
lze white to make any demand upon Messrs.
Hyde and Matthews for payment.
AS to the checks upon which his name was
written Mr.. Corning said that he had not
written the name. did not know who did write
1t nor had he ever authorized any one to sign
his name upon the back Of those checks.
Mr.. Corning said he was acquainted with
Whites handwriting and identified letter
which he received on July ~, 1880. as having
been written by White. While thu counsel for
the defense was looking over the letter Mr.
Corning stated that he had paid Albree the
money for the checks. He received this from
Lewis johnson 4 Co. through his attorneys
and transmitted it to AIbree
Mr.. Clagett then read the letter which White
mad written to Corning. 1t was tho one that
has already been published, in which White
stated that he would soon be at the bottom of
the Potomac. He regretted that be had signed
expectation OF being able to refund the money.
T. PERCY MYERS
I. Percy Myers, clerk in Lewis johnson
Co.'S bank. followed Mr.. Corning upon the
stand. He identified the first check as one
that had been presented to him on May or 2.
1890. as to whether il was properly in
dorsed. He returned it for Albree's
signature to make it correspond with
the face. as it was made payable to Albree per
Al
was not in town and could not be reached, but
the check came back that day or the next with
Albree's name on it all right.
MR., FRANK H. BARBARIS.
MIR. Frank H. Barbarin, who was at that time
a bookkeeper with LOWS johnson & Co., keep
ing the individual ledgers testified that after
drawing a check for 500 on July IL White still
had credit of $50 10 on the books. Witness
showed from copy Of his ledger the sew
was credited with the deposit of the
checks. Thisirst credit was for $780, on May
]. The check bore the banks stamp of May 2,
but this was usual as the checks are not gener-
ally stamped until they are sent out for col
lection. Mr.. Barbarin explained how the firms
of Lewis johnson & Co. were composed.
This concluded Mr.. Barbarin's testimony and
Mr.. Cole announced that it also closed the gov
ernment's case SO far as they could then tell.
1t was by this time 12:15 o'clock and at Mr..
SolO puSscctiou IeCcob Was tdheu until
o'clock.
When the court convened after recess Mr..
Clagett announced for the government that
their case was closed.
WHITE TELLS HIS OWN STORY.
B. Shepard White was then placed upon the
stand to testify in his own behalf He was
fairly calm and collected and gave his testi-
mony in a clear and concise manner.
He gave hisage as twenty-three and told how
t,nx,
a business way. With reference to the
first check White said that he was
asked By MIR. Corning about the progress
of the work on the fire escape and
told him to go to see Messrs. Matthews and
Hyde and get check on account He
din SO and Mr.. Matthews refused until
he was given certificate from the
inspector White said that be saw the
inspector and the certificate was furnished.
Mr.. Corning was in Boston when Burgin, Mr..
Albree's foreman, asked for $50 to pay his
workmen. White did not have the money in
the Office and the two went to see Mr.. Hyde
The latter oagreed to furnish check.
White said that 500 would be enough for him
then. and asked Mr. Hyde to make out the
check in such manner that he could cash IT.
He testified that he had general supervision of
MIR. Corning business in his absence.
Mr.. Hyde drew up the check in a peculiar
manner 1t was payable to Corning per Aibree
Witness spoke of it to Mr.. Hyde and the latter
eoiu IL WAC legal
representative he could get the money
on it. He took the check to the
bank and the teller said that it needed the in
dorsement agent" Later in the day he paid
Mr. Burgin some money and returned the check
to the bank properly Endorsed.
Mr.. Corning had his account at Riggs 4 Co.'S,
but White said that he did not deposit the
check to Mr.. Corninss credit, but to his own,
because while he could deposit to Mr.. Corn
ing's credit he could not draw on his account
and he thought he might need the money in
the business before Mr. Corning came back
frcm Boston.
White testified that he was obliged to 90 to
New York on business about this time, and
whilc he was gone drew out most of this money
for his expenses. He then called for another
check and inasmuch as he had had some
difficulty in cashing the first he asked that the
second be made out to Mr.. Albree, as Mr.
Corning WAS Mr.. Albree's legal representative
and in his absence White acted for him.
He WENT TO KENTUCKY.
White. telling the story Of his departure from
Washington, said that after making some
trifing purchases here he took the train and
went to Kentucky, where had friend An officer
met him and asked him il he was B. Shepard
White of Washington. and he said that he was
E. Franklin White of New York. Near Licking
ton he was arrested on the train. The officer
told him that there was indictment against
him there and he could rot hold him. but
White agreed to come back without making
any trouble.
White SAID he did not finally decide to leave
town until he was at the Belyedere Hotel. His