The San Francisco call., 1897-07-20
VELBURu
Committed
FORGERY.
billiard Swore That He Was
Forced to Sign Akens'
Name.
SALARIES DRAWN BY PERJURY.
The Messenger Acted as Betting
Agent for Norton and
Welburn.
AKENS GOT TWENTY-FIVE A MONTH.
But His Salary of a Thousand a Year
Was Collected by We'll
burn.
lKENS GOT TWENTY-FIVE A MONTH.
But His Salary of a Thousand Year
Was Collected by We'll
burn.

When Clark E. C. Akens and William
H. billiard, the coIored messenger in the
Office of the Collector of Internal Revenue,
told their stories under oath yesterday
morning in United States Commissioner
Heacock's court, the crowded room was
as silent as though II were empty. Beads
of perspi-ation stood on the pailid face of
0. NJ. Welburn, the disgraced ex-Collector,
and his right hand nervously fumbled
around his right hip pocket.
Before the eyes of the specta tors loomed
the image of the penitentIary as the wit
nesses uniolded a tale of forgery, de-
bauchery ana embezzIement.
Welburn was represented by Gavin Nc
Nab, while Assistant United States Attor-
ney Schlesinger appeared for the Govern
ment.
Z. G. Akens, tall young man, % years
OLD, was called 10 the stand. He swore
that he had been appointed as a subordl-
date in the revenue service by Chief Dep
uty Loupe in September, 1895. He went
to work on a salary OF SIS per month. lie
had given no one perml ssion 20 collect his
salary and be had not signed any vouchers
for his salary.
Six salary checks calling for amounts
ranging from $50 to SS5 each were shown
the witness by Mr.. Schlesinger. Akens
swore that he never saw the checks, never
Indorsed them and never received the
money which they called for. He learned
only last month that he was on the pay
roll as receiving $1,000 per year, ana he
told Captain Youngberg about it.
He testified further that although he
was appointed in Septem IN Der. 1885, he did
not go to work until ADJUST, 1896.
William II. billiard, the colored me ssen-
ger, swore that o. NJ. WeIburn had fur
nished him copies OF the genuine sigma
ture of Z. c. Akens and had ordered him
to forge Akens name to the salary checks
OF Akens. billiard obeyed the orders of
his superior officer and forged ASens'
name to checks aggregating $3.50. The
witness collected the money and delivered
it to Welburn.
Welburn was very much agitated while
billiard was testifying. He rose from his
chair and shouted at the witness: What,
you -" but Lawyer McNab quieted
| him.
in answer to further questions billiard
swore that Welburn had ordered him to
| sign the name of Arthur q. Webb He
| signed the namss of many other pers ons
on different occasions, but they were so
numerous that he could not remem Der
! them.
A sensation was created by the follow
ing JeSumOny.
"Now, Mr. billiard, did you ever act as
betting agent at the racetrack for any
person in the office ?"
Eyes, sir"
"For whom ?"
For Isaac Norton"
For any one else?"
For Louis Loupe."
"For any one else?"
"For Clyde We!burn."
FOR any one elsef'
Yes, sir"
Name him."
Yes, sir; for o. NJ. Welburn. Also for
ladies in the department.
The witness said that Mr.. Loupe signed
the aft iavit attached to the vouchers, but
that he had not told Mr.. Loupe that the
vouchers were forgeries. Mr.. Loupe had
signed the atfidavits believing them to be
correct ana as routine matter.
This closed the testimony for the day.
Mr.. McNab announced that he proposed
to put Mr.. Loupe on the stand, but that
Mr.. Loupe was too sick to attend. He
therefore asked for continuance, which
was granted, and the case went over until
10:30 A. NJ. July 81.
The preliminary examination of We'll
burn on other charges of em bezzle ment
will begin before Judge Heacock at 10
O'Clock this morning.