The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-02-05

Alton Gregg Miller, which has been
before the United States Court since
Tuesday of last week.
Messrs. Chas. w. Rhodes, of the
Treasury Department of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company, r. P.
Storm, clerk of the United States Ex-
press Company, William H. Miller,
assistant cashier of the Central Ma
tional Bank of Frederick, Charles w.
Ross, president of the bank, State
Senator Frank c. Norwood, William
E. Cannon, driver of the delivery
wagon of the Adams Express Com
pany, and DR.. Fairfax Schley, one of
president In the absence of President
Ross, at the time the alleged defalca-
lions were discovered, we're upon the
witness stand on Friday. Their testi-
mony in full is too lengthy toreprint in
these columns. Mr. w. III. Miller stated
that on February 10Th, 1896, in check
ing off the items of the current account,
the item of $1,000 was discovered. 1t
was the mysterious draft. He did not
remember whether he had signed it or
not Miller told him he laid the
money he got from cashier Duvall, of
the Farmers and Mechanics Bank,
somewhere on the desk. The $3.50
credited on Phoebus' bank book and
not on the ledger or cash book which
Miller kept, had not been turned into
the bank funds, Mr.. Miller said. He
was cross-examined and some favora-
BILE points to the prisoner was revealed.
Mr.. Ross, the next witness, went over
the details of the case after he returned
home from California some weeks
later. He had a talk with Miller, who
said that the bank would not lose any
thing and that the Baltimore and Ohio
accounts were all straight. Miller de-
MED the implied charge that he signed
the draft and said that w. H. Miller
signed it, although the latter denied it.
He could not produce the draft. Some
other securities were missing and he
asked him about. them, and also
found the memorandum slip in his of
flee coat pocket. When asked as to
his making some remarks charged to
him he denied the allegation. Here
the prosecution rested their case.
Several witnesses were produced by
the defence, who testified to the repu-
tation borne by the accused prior to
his dismissal from the bank.
William E. Cannon, driver of the
delivery wagon for the Adams Ex-
press Company, of Frederick, proved
the delivery of the packages which
should have contained the missing
check to Mr.. George M. Potts, another
officer of the bank, on February 9th,
1896.
DIR. Schley said he was called to the
bank on March End, in regard to the
matter, and that he had conversation
with Miller, who at first disclaiued
any knowledge of the draft, but after
wards said he remembered it, and said
he put the money on the desk. He
told DR.. Schley that it would be all
right. After some questioning as to
miuor matters such as the location of
| the furniture of the bank and safe de-
posit boxes, the court adjourned until
Monday, when the accused was heard
On his own behalf.
At ten o'clock on Monday morning
last, Mr.. Alton Gregg Miller went
upon the witness stand in the United
States Court in Baltimore, and until
four o'clock in the afternoon testified
in his own defence. He went through
the case in a perfectly natural manner
and the inquiries and interruptions of
the prosecuting attorneys did not seem
to disturb him. He was under cross
examination nearly two hours. Miller
stated that he had been with the Cen
trail National Bank since 1884 up to his
suspension; that he had performed his
duties to the best of his ability; that he
had complete knowledge of the func-
tons of every officer in the bank and
at times helped in each capacity. He
told how he lived modestly on his
income from the bank of $3.50 per
year, and also said that few years
ago he had received 5000 from rela-
tive who had died. He said that he
never gambled nor specialized, nor in
any way spent money lavishly or fool
isbly. He was always at his desk ex-
cept when away on vacation and
never before had been accused of any
looseness in money matters. He was
entrusted with the duty of arranging
for shipments of currency when de-
manded by outside dep0sitors. But
eye sight had been so bad during re-
cent y ears that when auy amount over
81 900 which could conveniently be
placed in one express envelope was or
dered, such packages were made up by
| Teller Storm, because special pack
age had to be made up and sealed.
He, however. was generally requested
to make the entries in the scratcher by
Mr.. Storm, even for these packages,
and to write up the Express Company
receipt, while Storm would take the
package for delivery to the Express
Company. Examined as to the methods
of the bookkeeping, the witness said
he never made an entry beyond the
"scratcher." Beyond that point the
book keeper alone was responsible for
entries.
Here he was asked how he could re.
tain such an array OF counsel for his de-
fence when he was himself without
friends, to which he replied that hi;
uncle and aunt, assisted by his father,
were helping him in this case.
When suspended from the bank he
had borrowed $40 from Mr.. Williams
the cashier, and repaid the same aftel
his arrest. He said that although the
bank owed him two months salary al
the time, he was not allowed to draw
even $40 to pay expenses to his fathers
house iG Washington. He had asked
the bank officials to notify him at any
time and he would return and explain
anything. They never sent him word
and, when he notified the bank tha
he was about to come to Frederick, they
sent an officer and arrested him wher
on his way.