The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-15
TESTIMONY rs ALL in
WIMAN CASE WILL PROBABLY GO
TO THE JURY THIS EVENING.
Several Admissions by the Defenda m L
Under Cross ExaminatiOn-Mr.
Dun Recalled to the Stand.

NEW YORK, June 14.-The testimony for
the defense in the case of Erastus Wiman,
trial for forgery, was closed this after
noon and the case is expected to go TO the
jury at the close of to-morrow's session.
The defendant himself on the stand
most OF the time, and made many admis-
sions under cross-examination of the re-
peated use of funds belonging TO X. G. Dun
& Co. These were called overdrafts by
the witness. He produced letter written
by himself to Dun Jan. 13, 1893, in which
letter Wiman explained his financial condi-
ton at length and informed Dun that IL he
had had Is per cent. of the profits since
January, 1889, instead of IL per cent. the
additional income TO him would have COW
cred the overdrawals. 1t was on Jan. /.
1889, that the agreement between Dun, Wi
man. King and Douglass was made, in
cordance with which Mr. Wiman was TO
get " per cent. of the yearly profits, in
stead of the 20 per cent. that he had hith-
erto received. The letter was introduced
TO show more clearly that Dun knew all
about Wimans overdrawals.
General Tracy tried to show that Dun,
by arresting WiIhan. prevented a financial
move on Wiman's part which would have
helped to extricate himself from his diff
cultes.
Justice Ingraham ruled out all the ques-
tions, saying that they had no bearing on
the alleged forging OF the check in suit.
Mr.. Wellman then arose to cross-exam-
inc the witness. He began by getting Wi
man to say that he had been the brains of
r. G. Dun & Co. why is it, then" said
Mr.. Wellman, that of all the businesses
in which you have been interested the
business of r. G. Dun & Co. alone has
been success, while the others We're total
wreckS?''
Perhaps because | was better suited to
the mercantile agency business than TO any
other" Mr.. Wellmans incisive questions
caused Wiman to brighten up and retort
Mr.. Wellman referred to the statements
Of profits Of r &. Dun q Co. submitted
by General Tracy earlier in the morning.
The statement showed that in 1889 the
profits were ss45, 7SO.S9 They increased stead
ily until in 1892 they were $o2o 900. The total
from 1885 TO 1852, inclusive, was 8, SOC. .53.
In reply to MIR. Wellmans questions, the
defendant admitted several instances In
the firms agents, urging quick remittances
on one preteXt or another, and then had
apDd h ,ba fSs & 59 f d % te the 1t S% sS
York Press Club, though accredited to
Wiman personally. was charged against the
Wimsn's Win an sI method of drawing on the agents
of the firm and diverting their remttances
to his own private account had resulted ,a
Francis b. Thurber the well known
wholesale grocer; Robert j. Kimball, stock
broker; Frank 5. Cannon, superintendent Of
the Staten Island Rapid Transit Company;
John ]. Withrow. president of the Indus
trial Institute, of Toronto, Canada, and
TO Mr. Wimans high reputation for honesty
and integrity, after which General Tracy
said: THAT is our case"
Welman, who asked him: rs ii true that
you were in the habit of loaning money!
II was not" answered Mr. Bullinger.
did you ever loan any money to Mr..
Wiman%'
"Once only"
Tint is ALL" said Mr.. wellman. tri-
Mr. Dun was then recalled to the stand
by Mr.. Wellman TO tell the circumstances of
the $4,000 note and the Sl35,0Oo check. He
asserted that he knew nothing about these
until they were called to his attention by
his associates. Before this he thought Wi
mans overdraft amounted to only $4,000
''Did you make yourself acquainted with
the value of Mr.. Wimans real estate?"
II did not"
did you look TO his real estate as secur-
ity for his overdrafts?
II never so regarded II.
Mr.. Dun admitted knowing that Mr. Wi
man had overdrawn his account for the
last two three years but never sus-
pected the amount involved was so large.
Cross-examined by General Tracy, Mr..
Dun SAID that he had handed TO the dis
trict attorney the letters OF confession
written by Wiman to himself and wife.
did you give Mcfarland any instruc-
tions as to the letter he advised Mr.. Wi
man to write?"
'I gave him no instructions whatever"
Mr. Dun denied that the prosecution was
prompted by any fear OF Mr.. Wiman. as
intimated by Mr.. Boardman In his opening
address TO the jury.
when the time comes to charge the
Jury" said Justice Ingraham, "I shall tell
them that Mr. Dun would not have done
his duty as a citizen had he not aided in
the prosecution of Dir. Wiman." At this
point court adjourned until tomorrow
morning. Judge lngraham said he should
limit each side TO ninety minutes in their
addresses TO the jury. The case must
90 10 the fury before night"