Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-09-22
CASE IS ABANDONED
Government Found No
Proof of POtter'S Guilt.
VERDICT FOR DEFENDANT
Which Was Rendered by the Jury
Without Leaving Their Seats.

BDSTON, Sept. SS.-AIUer nlno uhJs Va
effort by the United States government,
represented by District Attorney Hoar,
Ex-Governor Robinson and Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Thompson, to convict Asa
p. Potter Of making false entries In the
books of the Maverick National bank. all
attempts have failed and Mr.. Potter Is
declared not guilty by order Of the court.
There were no demonstrations aud little
surprise was manifested. as IL had been
rumored about the courtroom during the
recess that the district attorney and his
associate, ex. Governor Robinson, had be-
come 30 discouraged by the adverse rul-
ings of the court that had met every at
tempt to connect Potter with the crime,
that they had TO abandon the case a. q
'lost cause" which 1t was hopeless to try
to save.
When the court came in at 2:30 Judge
Putnam read from the stenographic re-
port Of the case extracts from the testi-
mony Of Cashier Work. by which 1t was
attempted by the district attorney to show
that Potter had authorized the falsifica-
ton Of the reports of the bank to the clear
ing house The court then said that the
evidence so far produced In the case failed
to show any connection between Potter
and the paying teller who made up the re-
ports to the clearing house.
"The evidence of Cashier Work." the
court continued, has not connected the
accused with the acts Of the paying teller,
and so far as can see, from information
that the district attorney has given me Of
what it Is possible for him to prove, the
accused cannot be connected with the
natter"
No Further Trouble for Potter.
This disposes Of the last indictment
against the accused, and II the exceptions
taken by him at the trial at which he was
convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of
$500 and serve three months in the house
of correction are sustained by the supreme
court at Washington Mr.. Potter will
probably never receive punishment for any
of the offenses which have been charged
against him.
The failure Of the prosecution Is in no
sense due to neglect or inefliciency OF the
governments attorneys. The indictment
was as good a one as could be drawn un-
der the statute. and all the law that could
be found favoring the governmen It's side
of the case had been found out and pre-
sented to the court.
First, there Is no statute adequate to meet
second, it was impossible to produce proof
that Mr.. Potter himself actually ordered
the false entries to be made in the books.
OF course, no one ever contended that Mr..
Potter himself actually took u pen and
tampered with the books.
A Lack of Proof
The question OF the admissibility of evil
dence which would tend to show direc-
tion by Mr.. Potter to have the false entries
made was argued for more than an entire
| day by counsel. and Judge Putnam de-
cded late Wednesday that the prosecution
might introduce evidence II conversations
be tween Mr.. Potter and Mr.. Work rela-
tive to changes in the statement to the
| clearing house which would make the re-
serve "look better" or look well" the
court saying that, in order to make such
evidence of value, 1t must he followed by
| proof which would connect Mr.. Potter
with the orders given by Cashier Work to
| the men who made the false entries.
After trying all the forenoon to get any
thing out Of Mr.. Work which would meet
| the requirements of the courts decision,
District Attorney Hoar said that he could
| not produce proof to meet the require
ment, and would submit to any verdict
| that the court might see ft to order.
Judge Putnam then said that the gov
ernment had done all that IL could; that it
| had been diigent and faithful; but II
| could not supply evidence or make law,
| and that under the circumstances he must
order verdict for the defendant, which he
| did.
/ a A.
| defendant and Mr.. Potter went out Of the
II fraa