The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-12

Precisely at o CLOCK yesterday after
noon, Levi G. Bird, Esq, and United
States Senator Gray, counsel for Col
Ezekiel T. Cooper, charged with. aiding
and abetting William N. Boggs in de-
fraudirg tile First National Bank o
Dover out of $l07, 900, closed the case
for the defence in the United States Dis
trict Court.
The case has now been in progress
since Thursday morning of last week and
as soon as the defence rested yesterday
afternoon, United States District Attorney
Lewis c. Vandegrift gave notice to the
court and counsel for the defendant that
he had a few witnesses to call in re-
brttal and that this would consume
about two hours at this mornings ses.
sion.
Ever since the trial has been in pro-
gress the interest has increased, and
when it became known yesterday that
the defence would open its case, persons
who seldom attend court thronged the
Federal Court room and standing room
was at premium throughout the day.
Colonel Ezekiel 7. Cooper, the defend
ant, was the first witness called, and
during his examination he claimed that
the first time he knew of the looting of
the bank was May Is, 1897.
In the afternoon United States Senator
Richard Rollins kenney was the princi-
pal witness, and he denied in toto that
he knew anything of the defalcation,
although he admitted that on one occa-
sion he had let Mr. Boggs have is per-
sonal check for $500 or 5000 Che forgot
which) on the First National Bank of
Dover, when he, Mr.. Kenney, had no
money in the bank.
Senator kenney was rather dramatic
at times and his countenance occasional
Iy glowcd with righteous" Indignation.
1t is not believed that the defence has
strengthened its case as the government
apparently scored a number Of good
points yesterday.
At 0.40 O'Clock, Mr. Bird began out
lining the defence. He reviewed the evil
dence produced by the rosecution, and
said: We are prepared for the onslaught
made on the defendant. You know that
no conviction can be made unless Cooper
had full knowledge that the money used
in paying the checks was taken from the
bank. Graveyards are full of mounds
over such men who tried to do what
Cooper tried to do. There was a craze in
the two lower counties over Bay State
Gas stock. While speculatine in his own
behalf, Boggs met Cooper and inquired
about the firm of T.. B. Cuthbert 4 Co.
Boggs said that he was in close cummun-
ion with the Bay State tias people, and
asked Cooper how he would like to do
some business for him (Boggs). Boggs
asked Cooper to let him use his Coop
er's) checks, and Cooper consented.
Cooper supposed that Boggs was paying
them with his Boegs' own money. Mr..
Bird consumed twenty-five minutes in
outlining the defence.
Colonel Cooper was examined by Sena-
tor Gray.
"How long have you known William
n. Boggs?'
''Some ten or twelve years.
"Mr. Boggs has been indicted for steal
ing money from the First National Bank.
Ion heard his story"
81 have"
"Tell the jury in your own way of
he transaction you had with Cuthbert
\ Co. and Mr.. Boggs."
an the early part of 1895 and the early !
Dart of '96, | began to deal in grain from
y. b. Cuthbert < Co. ais, began to
lea in Santa Fe and st. Paul, and one
lay met William n. Boggs. who said
I | wanted to make money | should 20
nto Bay State. asked Boygs how he
>new, and he said that J. II. Bateman,
J. Frank Alice and Mr.. Richardson were
lcaling in Bay State. went to the An
lerson building in Philadelphia and met
,Ir. Addicks and asked him if he had
my shares to sell in Bay State. and he
ald that he had POO shares and that the
Standard Oil Company held the rest.
Addicks said that Alice was in the
'thcr room and had bought POO shares.
went back to Dover and saw. Bogss,
nd he said that he was in syndicate
which would buy some of A lees shares,
'nt Boggs refused to say who was in the
indicate. A few days after that | went
o Philadelphia and met Addicks and. his
'ary ut the Pennsylvania railroad sta (
ion there. They were going to the st. ,
Iruis convention that eerted Mckinley.
Allee said go back to Drl,ware and tell
our people not to sell Bay State, as it
vas going to advance to 81 told my
'eople." {
Sci ator Gray-"Dd you know {
whether Boggs had any money or t
ot?
II thought SO. He said that he had c
'lenty, and everybody in Dover said that {