The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-13
APPROPRIATED DUN's MONEY
And Then Committed Errors to
Cover the Crime.
SHOWING OF THE PROSECUTION.
Although Defended by General Tracy
the Accused Makes a Poor
Showing in Court.

New YORK, June 12.-In Erastus WI
mans trial to-day Assistant Government
Attorney Welman related that Wlman
went to Bookkeeper Wheeler of R. G. Dun
& Co. and asked him for check for $4,000,
payable to E. w. Bullinger. Bullipger
never got the check, but Wiman deposited
it in his own bank to his private account.
Wellman said that he could show that
Wiman knew Bullinger's signature was
forged.
General Tracy Interrupted with, ave
concede that Wiman wrote the name Of
Bullinger on the back of this check and
deposited it to his own account. CONNER
cial law justified him in so doing"
Wellman then went on to explain what
object Wiman had in obtaining such COM
paratively small amounts as $4,000 bv for
gerry when he was receiving from r. G.
Dunn & Co. $4,000 year. ut was be-
cause" said Wellman. ''he was at that
time in arrears to r. q. Dun s. Co., to the
extent Of $4,000. Not that the books of
the business showed this; this was only
shown by the investigation of the books
for several years back. Then it was
learned that during these years Wiman
had been in the habit of coming to the
Office before any one else, taking checks
which had arrived by mail, indorsing them
and putting them in the bank to his per-
sonal account. When at the close OF
year the bookkeeper told him he could not
make the accounts of the business balance
by $3.50 Wiman gave his personal
check for that amount on bank where he
had money and told him net to use 1t until
he (Wiman) told him to do so, and thus it
was for fourteen months that Wiman'S
worthless check covered on the books his
shortage of $135,000."
The first witness was James HarraI,
cashier for r. G. Dun & Co. He identified
the check in question, and said that he,
under the order of Wiman, who had come
to him and saiG they must owe Bullinger
some money and that he had better draw a
check for $4,000. drew the check. He also
Identified the signature on the back Of
the Bullinger check as that of WimaTa.
On cross-examinatien General Tracy
tried to show that Wiman had been In the
habit of drawing nearly all the checks for
the concern.
The next witness was Edward w. Bull
lnger, the publisher of a railway guide.
Builinger said all his business relations
with r. G. Dun & Co. had been done
through Wiman. At the period under con-
sideration BuIlinger said the firm of r. q.
Dun & Go. owed him S15o.00O.
Wellman handed BulIinger the $1,000
check and asked if the signature was his
Witness said it was not; that the writing
was n OF at all like his own.
In answer to Wellman's question the
witness said he had never authorized
Wimau 10 use his name to any Instrument.
Augustus 81. Wheeler, a public aceOun-
tant. said that for seven years prior to
February, 1898. he had been bookkeeper
for R. G. Dun & Co. Wellman wanted to
know how Wiman's account with r. G.
Dun q Co. had stood on December 81, 1893
The witness said there was n balance of
S2886 80 due Wiman. This balance was
not found, however. until after Wiman had
handed witness his cheek for S135, 900.
This check Wiman told the witness to hold
until he (Wiman) told him to deposit it To
the witness knowledge the check had
never been deposited. Wiman was in the
firms debt to the extent of S24, ,290 "a. At
this time the $685. check was still In the
witness possession. Witness had never
told any one about the check.
General Tracy brought out the fact that
the Sl35.000 check bad been entered on the