Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-28
DAN WILLIAMS TRIAL
Evidence Given That He Confessed to En-.
bezslement,
Counsel Objects to It's Admission
Omcers Of Police Department
ON Witness Stand.

when tne tr1al OF eX-Poltceman Dan
Williams. charged with the embezzlement
OF several thousand dollars Of fines. which
was his duty to collect in the Police
Court for the District. between May / and
August 15 1896. was resumed before Judge
Bradley in Criminal Court No. today,
Hack Inspector S. A. Groff, a member of
the District police force, was called as
witness On behalf of the government
Mr.. Croft testified that he at times as
sisted Williams in his duties at the Police
Court, and sometimes collected the. fines
and collaterals in the absence of Williams,
placing them in envelopes and deposited
them in the safe at police headquarters, to
which Williams had access, the date and
amount of the collections being stated on
the envelopes
sistants of the attorney for the District
the next witness, testified as to Williams
duties as fine clerk, explaining that the
defendant collected the amounts forfeited
sometimes assisted by Mr.. Croft and by
Policeman Chas. =. Elliott. Mr.. Elliott
also testified, his evidence being similar to
that given by Mr.. Groff.
The Defeninnts Confession.
Detective Geo. w. Boyd testified that he
was ordered to go to st. Louis after Will
hams the 18th of August 1885, the de-
PENDANT having been arrested there after
MS flight from here. Williams he found in
bad physical and mental condition, the
man admitting his guilt and threatening to
commit suicide. Williams was DESTROYS of
knowing what people here thought of his
case, and remarked that he did not believe
that the shortage would exceed $1,000.
Williams counsel objected to the adniis-
sion OF the defendant, claiming that he
was mentally irresponsible, but Judge
bradley admitted it, saying it was matter
for the jury to determine
Mr.. Sylvester n Witness.
Chief Clerk Richard Sylvester of the DO
lice department also testified as to Will
Hams duties, and explained that the de-
PENDANT was permitted by the chief of
police to deposit the fines and collaterals
collected by him in the Police Court In the
safe at police headquarters until the de-
iendant deposited them with the collector
OF taxes.
No deposits were made therein in An
gust. 1886, however and Mr. Sylvester ex-
planned that his office had objected to be-
coming In that way responsible for the
safe keeping of the money.
In other words" remarked Mr. Jef-
lords, Of counsel for the defendant there
was no business in the world for the money
being placed in your safe
Ye s,> Sir; that is it, replied Mr. Sylves-
ter.
Mr.. Sylvester said that when Williams
reached here and was taken before the
chief of police he expressed great sorrow
fer what he had done, fully acknowledge
Ing his guilt. and offering to make good the
shortage, which he thought would be 81, 600
or 5000. Williams. said Mr.. Sylvester at
tributed his trouble to betting on horse
races.
The defendant also stated that had the
auditor of the District called earlier for
the deposits his (defendant's) shortage
would rot have been SO large. Mr.. Syl-
yeSter said Williams located in
Louis by a telegram to his wife, which
Mrs. Williams handed to the chief of police
and the defendant voluntarily returned to
Washington.
Receiving and Disbursing.
District Cashier ]. M. Chamberlain, Lii
cense Clerk VIM. u. Montague and Book
keeper William Wocdville of the assessors
office, testified as to the manner of recev-
ing and disbursng the moneys collected by
Williams, it appearing that after April 1,
1896, the defendants deposits and state
mentS were very irregular.