Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-08
Make Little Headway.

Make Little Heauway.
Slow progress, and that apparently of a
backward character, was made in the Sud
borough trial in the afternoon. The prose-
Cution managed to introduce as evidence a
lot of the auditors statements covering
months in 1894 and the first part of 1895,
with corresponding entries in the classi-
fication books of the Pacific Express COM
pany, for the purpose of showing that in
each instance there was a discrepancy of
81 900; that is to say, that the entries in
the classification books were Invariably
s. 900 short. In this way something like
an alleged shortage Of $4,000 was traced
previous to the time covered by the statute
Of limitation.
The most strenuous efforts were made by
Sudborough's lawyers to keep out this testi-
mony. Judge Baker said it would be ad-
mitted only for the purpose of showing
Sudborough's knowledge and criminal in
tent, if any.
Hunt was permitted to go into the state
of affairs of the auditing department when
he first took hold of the "office bank" He
said he then called the attention OF Sud
borough to certain items on the cash books
which he did not understand, but Sudbor-
ough assured him that they would be ulti-
mately explained. conversation relative
itor Bechel participated as well as Sudbor-
ough To quote Hunt on this:
'Bechel said to me, What are the items
to which you refer?' 1 opened the books
and pointed to an item OF about $4,000
Bechel said to Sudborough, What does this
mean?' Then Bechel and Sudborough al
the latter's suggestion went into Mr.. Bech,
els private Office and later Bechel re.
| appeared and went out and Sudborough fol,
lowed in short time. Sudborough said tC
me, Well, it's all right and he went ou,
and ! put the book away
Company Books in Evidence.
| Books of the company were placed in the
| hands of the witness and as he identified
certain entries they were offered in cvl.
| dence singly, the defense objected at every
step. The amount Of the particular item q
| shortage ulnded to by Hunt was given a!
I $14, 1924. County Attorney Shields drew
out CT the witness the substance of certai il
other conversations, despite the objection!
! from the Other side that they could no
properly be received as admission or con,
fessions of their client toGching things be
fore the three years Hunt said that during
| one of the conversations with Sudborougl
| the latter dyised him that "by maxim,
fictitious entries in the classification books
be reduced from month to month" i.
charge Of $1,000 to the advance account
of date July o1, 1894, for example, was mad
in the Classification book and this amOun
/ was then deducted from the balance carri;
j by the cash hook
The auditors statements for 1894 and 1S9
and the corresponding entries, each shown
an entry $1,000 less than the statemen
called for were admitted in evidence on
after another the court overruling the re
peated objections Of the defense and eX
cepticns being taken with formal preciso
every time. The effect of each discrepancy
explained Hunt, was to reduce the earning
of the company that much and, at eac
time, to lessen the shortage Thus a
item from an auditors statement shown
cash receipts amounting to $3,6O6.56, date
February rs, 1894, was entered on the class
ifcation book as 81, ,606.56 and likewise
statement showing an amount of SO 1854 8,
March 81, was entered as 81 ,5G4 Sc and so or
In little while the shortage was reduce
to $lOj64.l9 10. Hunt testified further that a
these false entries We're made by means
drafts, for which there were no vouchers
under the instructions of both Audito
Bechel and Chief Clerk Scarborough
A batch of drafts were received coverin