The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-01
WHITES TRIAL.
His Confessions Of How He
Took The Calls Money.
The Story CT PeculatiOns "a Told by Himself
and By Him Reduced to Writing and
signed-where the Money Went.

Juror c. n. Streght having recovered
sufficiently the trial of John White, charged
with having embezzled S65,0O) from the
San Francisco CALL Company, was re-
sumed in Department Of the Superior
Court yesterday morning.
Assistant District Attorney Hinkle made
the opening statement for the prosecution.
He said that evidence would be introduced
to show that the defendant was employed
by Tee Morning Call Company as busi-
ness manager for many years; that in
June. 1859 j. z. Kerr, the cashier OF the
company. resigned and left the office, after
when White received all the money, kept
the books and had the only key of the safe
in which the funds were deposited. From
June, 1852, u February, 1890, when White
was discharged, a period OF nine months,
the books show that there was a deficiency
Of SlS.3o0. After his dismissal White made
voluntary confessions and two written
statements in which he confessed losing
much money in years past in gambling, in
po0l-roons and on horse-raceS; that lie mad
LIST S7o00 in a patent medicine speculation
and much more in Inyo lands, all in money
taken from Tine Call Company. This.
Mr.. Hinkle contended, would prove clear
case OF embezzlement, aud it only remained
for the jurors to do their duty by returning
q verdict OF guilty.
LORlNG PICKERING TESTIFIES.
Ioring Pickering. one of the proprietors
of THE CALL, was sworn as a witness.
"WhGt is your occupation?" asked Mr..
Hinkle.
Publisher Of The MORNING CALL with
George X. Fitch and tie estate Of J. w.
Simonion."
DO you know the defendant John
White?"
Yes. sir; have known him twenty or
twenty-five years"
How long had he been employed by The
Call Company"
lie must have been employed there
nearly twenty or twenty-five years"
"What was his position there2"
General manager il the business de-
paTtmeat'
How long did he maintain that POSI-
ton -
q He worked as such manager from the
day he went in. Mr.. Kerr took charge of
tho finances on a certain date
DO you know what that date was ?"
Kerr acted as cashier from June 1, 1878,
to June s 1889. Kerr then left the Office
ana White performed The duties Of cash
Ter"
What were his duties as cashier?"
80 receive all cash, deposit it in the
bank and pay all bills"
From whom did lie receive the cash?"
From various clerks IN the office"
How many clerks were there receiving
cAsh?"
There must have been four or five"
Who was entitled to the money received
over the counter2"
The Call Company"
"Who had the care and custody of the
money?"
When did Mr. White quit the service Of
THE CALF"
February 81, 1890"
After Kerr left White was business
manager and cashier and received all the
money. He attended to all matters except
important ones, when | was consulted. All
minor matters were left to White"
Were you present 10 the editorial rooms
OF the Buletin on February a 1890, when a
conversation with Mr.. White took p.ace?'
"A the first conversation no one was
present except Mr.. White and myself. For
the second conversation l sent for Msssrs
Fitch Ctotners, Aasuck and Boyle. A
statement free and voluntary was made BY
W bite 10 reference 10 his defalcatiOns No
reward OF Immunity was offered or threats
made"
Was what White said reduced to writ
ayes, sir"
Would you recognize it?" and the wit
ness was handed paper.
~ es, that is it"
WHILE DNFESSION.
Then this paper, which is n statement
dated February %. 1890. was offered in eyl-
deuce, and G. b. Darwin, attorney for
White, consumed ten minutes in perusing
the document. He had 10 sooner finished
reading than he began to offer objections to
It's introduction. The objection was based
on the allegation that the statement was
made under promise and that ii should only
be used TO trace the deficit. Darwin wanted
10 show that S2S,500 had been actually re-
stored. he asked permission to place the
defendant on the stand.
Judge Trout con sented to this course. and
Mr.. Pickering was excused.
Upon being sworn White testified that the
statement introduced was in the handWrit-
ing oil r A. Crothers. 81 signed it." said
bite, under promise that the company
would not prosecute me for any shortages
That might be discovered. At a conference
OF February 22d il was agreed that there
should be no criminal prosecution"
Attorney Darwin asked as to the prop
erty turned over to the Call Company by
hitc, but Mr.. Hinkle objected, on the
ground that such testimony was Irrelevant
Even If payments were made il was no de-
tense Tor embezzlemeht. but it might miti-
gate in the punishment.
Judge Trout sustained the objection, and
the witness then detailed the circumstances
under which the alleged promises OF i'm
mEnlty were made. White said that Mr.,
Pickering had questioned him concerning a
house and lot on Cough street, owned by
defendants wife, and asked II she wOuld
turn that over to pay his indebtedness
W bite SAID he thought she would il no
crlmlna! prosecution would ensue, but IL he
was 10 be prosecuted and if she was to be
deprived OF his services as a husband prob
ably she would refuse. a meeting was held
at the ONCE OF MIR. MaStiCk, where the mat
Ter was discussed. The witness then said
he thought his wife, to save herself, the
children and himself from disgrace would
deed over the house and lot on Cough street
II given guarantee that no criminal prose-
We can't do that; it would be compound
ing felony" Mr. Fitch then said. lyon
leave that TO u.s." and from that he inferred
that there would not be criminal prosecu-
ton.
DEED.
White then told how he went with Mr..
CrOthers TO his home to induce his wife to
make the deed. She demurred at first, but
finally agreed to save herself and chill
dren from the disgrace and exposure
and signed the deed, He further testi-
ned that he was told that IL hin
wife decided the property over that would
end the matter. White said he turned over
his land in Inyo County, some lots in
Irayer, Kern County. and building and
loan stock. He declared that Messrs. Pick
ering, Fitch, Crothers and Mastick were
present when the promise Of immunity was
made on February I'D in the editorial rooms
of the Bulletin.
During bis rigid cross examination by Mr..
Hinkle the witness said that at the inter
view 10 the Bulletin office Mr. Mastick said
they could not promise not to prosecute him
because 1t would be compromising a felony,
Mr. Fitch said. White, leave that to us.'
1 hat was all the guarantee Of immunity he
received. None of the parsons present said
IN express words that there should be no
criminal prosecution, but White inferred
there was to be none.
The second statement was written by
" mite himself as supplementary Of the first.
lie had been told that it WAS the belief that
Kerr was more TO blame than White. and
he was asked 10 put down Kerr's connec-
ton with the matter
George K. Fitch was called as a witness
and deposed that he was one of the suryiy-
ing partners of the Call Company. In
answer 10 other questions Mr.. Fitch said
Il was present on February %, 1890. at a
conversation in the Bulletin Office, in which
White took part. No promises of immu-
nifty from criminal prosecution were
made. On the contrary Mr. Whita ,yas