The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-18

ton and New York branches by showing
how they were conducted and what dis
position was made of the proceeds. The
government had established the fact by
witnesses (until proven otherwiSe) that
the sales of the two branch concerns 10
the irresponsible employees Of the cabinet
company were mere Subterfuge, and 1t
now took up the tracing of the notes
which were given for the two concerns.
Donald remembered the sale of the
two patches OF notes and had made men,
oranda from which he stated that he
had, on Aug. 10, 1893, sold the Clark notes
given for the New York branch and the
Pierce notes given for the Boston branch
at public auction. That he had sold the
notes at the instance of r. s. Harrison,
a lawyer Of New York, and that they
had been bought BY A H. Buird who
was a clerk in Harrfson's office. There
were fifteen Of the Pierce notes sold by
him and they had been bought for 800
Their face value was $40, 397.72 There
were twenty of the Pierce notes with a
face value of s1,477.76 and they had been
bought by the same man for 800 The
croSS-eXamination merely revealed that
he did not know why the notes were
sold or who Harrison was acting for.
A '.sick Man" on the stand.
The last witness was Alfred H. Buird.
who had sent word that he was sick and
couldn't possibly be present to testify
This was seen through by the ATTORNEYS
for the government. and when a telegram
was sent him notifying him that If he
did not appear here to testify yesterday
an attachment would be issued he
showed UP in good shape and on time.
He said he was practicing attorney
in New York and acting as the manag-
ing clerk for Robert L. Harrison, a law
yer with an office at SO Wall-st He
bought the Pierce notes at the auction
and they were Endorsed in blank by the
Indiana cabinet company. The notes
were dated, but no place was given in
the date. They were made payable at
the State Bank of Indiana
Mr.. Burke-"I see endorsed on the
back of the enevelOpe in which YOU
brought these notes, Coffin notes. why
is that?''
Mr.. Buird-"well. that is long story.
Do you want me to tell you?''
Mr.. Burke-"I most certainly do"
Mr.. Buird-"WeY. it is a long story
1 learned some time after 1 bought
them that the notes were being held as
collateral for a demand note given TO
Mrs. Lydia Z. Coffin. wife OF w e
Coffin, a banker in New York, who un-
derstand is a brother Of the defendant
have seen F. 4. Coffin three times;
the second time in regard to these notes
l paid SlO0 for the Pierce notes and have
realized so far about 500 on them
4 also bought the Clark notes They
were signed by Charles r. Clark and
Endorsed by the Indiana cabinet COM
pany. They were also given to Mrs
w. z. Coffin as collateral for demand
note she held for $1,000 against the IN
dianapolis cabinet company. On these [
have realized about $4,000 1 paid 800
for them: In doing so | gave my check
and Mr.. Harrison returned the money
to me. OF the proceeds from the Clark
notes 1 paid a draft drawn on me by a
man named James living out West here
some place, and with some Of the bal
ance purchased other of the Clark notes
and paid some to w E Coffin I have
still about $4,000 in money in my hands
which l have received from the Clark
notes. 1 guess I must have secured
about $4,000 on them altogether"
Witness said, in answer to close ques-
tioning, that he had been endeavoring
to purchase all he could and locate all
the notes. He bought $4,000 from a man
named Smith living at Seymour, Ind,
paying % cents on the dollar for them
The draft he had paid had been drawn
on him by man he had never seen and
had merely paid it because Mr.. Harrison
had told him to. After close cross-ex-
animation he admitted that he was act
ing in the matter under the direction Of
Mr. Harrison and was merely his tool
Harrison had told him to buy the notes.
had given him the money and then told
him how 10 pay II out. harrison was
acting in the matter for Mrs. w. z.
Coffin, who had held the notes col
lateral to secure a note held by her
against the cabinet company for Sill 000
Witness had seen F. a. Coffin in his
office He had telephOned W. f. Coffin
asking as to the honesty Of Clark who
was in charge Of the property and the
result was that F. a. Coffin came to
assure him that Clark was honest and
the man to have charge of the property.
The goods of the New York branch had
been sold about two months ago. and
on March 10, 1894. Clark had paid him
on the notes 1854. The money now in
his hands, he said, was subject to the
order Of Harrison. The demand note
from the cabinet company to Mrs. w. e.
Coffin is now in the Office of Harrison.
One hundred and twenty dollars had
been credited on it not long ago from
money received from the sale of the
notes. He had telephoned w. z. Coffin
that he had the money, but it had not
as yet been paid over to him on the
note.
On cross-examination nothing further
was revealed and on redirect eXamina-
ton witness said he didn't known
whether w. L. Coffin and wife We're di-
rectors or stockholders in the Indian
apolis cabinet company or not. The
examina ton then closed and the witness
was excused. Court then adjourned.