The record-union., 1892-11-30
CHARLES WEIGER ON TRIAL.
The Merchant Charged With Making
False Representations.
Testimony of the Manager of Sharpless
Brothers of PhiIadelphia-Wei
gcr's Alleged Wealth.

The trial of Charles Weiger, charged
with obtaining property by false pre-
lenses, was commenced in Superior
Judge Catlin's court yesterday.
The defendant was well-known dry
goods merchant in this city for a long
time and has many friends. He was one
OF the owners of the "NonpareiP' store, at
Fifth and streets, for several years, and
afterwards went into business for him
self, hut with disastrous results. The
charge for which he is now on trial grew
out of his failure in his second enter
prise.
A jury was impaneled to hear the evil
dence, consisting of the following-named
citizens: A. t. j. Reynolds, C. z. Brock
way, William Tibbitts, Levi Ankner,
Rufus Butterfield, John Kerwin, Alex
ander Williams, f. II. Joy, Samuel
Kingsbury, James Welsh, A. Grubbs and
Joseph Guth, Jr. Ex-Judge HOlI ap-
peared as counsel for Weiger and Dis
trict Attorney Ryan and Hiram johnson
represented the people, the latter having
been retained as special counsel for the
prosecution.
The prosecutors are Sharpless Bros of
Philadelphia, an old-established whole
sale dry goods firm. Their manager, y.
I. Flower, is in this city, and appears as
the principal complaining witness against
Neiger. lie took the Wltness-sand yes
terday and testified that the firm received
an order from its Pacific Coast agent, B.
L. ,Iuttle, for bill OF goods for Weiger
early in 1891. The firm took the usual
course Of inquiring into Weigers tinan-
clal standing before sending the invoice
A voluntary letter, he said, was received
from Weiger, in which the latter asked
for credit with Sharpless Bros. and stated
that he was worth $4,000 in cash, and had
no debts. The witness forwarded a blank
to Neiger, asking the latter to fill it out
and sign it. This blank was Tor the pur-
pose OF getting Weiger's statement as to
his financial standing. He again set forth,
so the witness said (and the blank as well
IS Weiger's letter was produced in court,
that he was worth ST., 900 in cash and had
no liabilities. On the strength of this
statement, testified Mr.. Flower, the goods
were sent, as well as several other in
voices, from time to time, to the value of
about 81 800. Mr.. Weiger made several
small payments, said the witness, but
lett balance unpaid of 81 ,0S3 20. Weiger's
failure in business caused the firm to in
vestigate, and it was ascertained, so the
witness set forth, that at the time Weiger
declared himself to be worth Sl2, 600 in
cash, free of all debts, he was really
deeply in debt, owing to one person on
promissory note the sum of 81, l20, besides
owing other amounts.
Carl kaufman, of the firm of Nasser-
man, Davis d Co., took the witness-stand
and identified the handwriting of Weiger
in the letter to Sharpiess Brothers, and
also in the blank statement which he is
alleged to have filled out
B. F. Tuttle, Pacific Coast agent of the
Philadelphia house, testified that Weiger
told him he was worth 900 and had no
debts. He also testified that the mer-
chant received the goods ordered from
the Eastern house.
District Attorney Ryan read the testi-
mony taken at the insolvency proceed
ings for the purpose of showing that
Weigers statement to Sharpless Brothers
was not correct.
The case was not finished when ad-
iOurnment time arrived, and it went over
until to-day, when the defense will be
heard.