Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-12
THE HOWGATE CASE.
The Trial Drags on It's Tedious Course
Today.

The trial Of Captain Henry w. Howgate
on the two indictments charging him with
embezzling the sum Of $11 800 September
6, 1879, and with forging the name Of
Treasurer Rochester Of the Western Union
Telegraph Company to a voucher for that
amount the following month was resumed
this morning. The attendance was again
very small, although the proceedings were
somewhat more interesting. 1t is doubtful
if there ever was a more tedious criminal
trial, and for that reason and because
about everything testified to so far was
developed two years ago in the case against
the defendants bondsmen, the present trial
appears to attract little public attention.
Messrs. Moffatt and Bone of the Treas
ury Department were recalled this morn
ing in reference to the disputed checks and
vouchers, but nothing materially new was
developed Henry L. Boyce of the signal
service office was also examined. as was
Mr.. Pliny M. Hough, formerly clerk in
the office The latter detailed the method
observed in making out vouchers and
checks, and said that while he was posi-
tive that on one occasion he saw no DIN
for a voucher made out by him. he could
not recall the amount, year or month. In
the course of business all clerks uSualiy
knew of the vouchers and bills, ana only
on exceptional occasions did one clerk
make out all papers In connection with an
also said that the defendant seldom visited
the room where the accounts were MADE up
more than about once month MI ). b.
Winner, who sometimes made out the
memoranda on which the vouchers and
checks were based, was, said MIR. Hough,
Gen. Myers confidential clerk.
About the Voucher.
VIM. r. Bushby, who was a clerk In the
signal service Office from 1871 to 1882, was
next examined on behalf of the prosecu-
ticn. He explained that he made out the
majority Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company's accounts, the bills coming from
New York through the Washington man.
ager Of the company. the late Leonard
Whitney. The. checks were also mostly
drawn by the witness, there being two
check bookstore for checks payable here
and the other for those payable at New
York. The defendant kept the first one
and Mr.. Winner the latter. Being shown
the disputed checks, Mr.. Bushby stated
that those for SI2. 4S012 81, 400, $4,000 and
the one mentioned in the two indictments
on which the defendant was now being
tried, 81 800, were drawn by him, while
the one for 81 800 was in the handwriting
Of the defendant.
The witness stated that he drew the
check for s11, 800 on the authority of a
memorandum from Mr.. Winner, but saw no
bill. The witness identified n memorandum
in the handwriting of the defendant, sent
in to Mr.. Winner in connection with the
S11 800 check. The memorandum was re-
quest of the defendants for a Washington
check with vouchers, similar to those for
"other extra payments The witness also
identified q memorandum written by Mr..
Winner to the defendant, calling the lat
ter's attention to the fact that no vouchers
for the check had been received. Suisse
quently, said the witness, the defendan,
sent in the voucher signed by him and Mr..
Rochester in blank wAereupOn the witness
filled it out. Such proceeding, he explain
ed, was q most unusual one.