The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-15
GUILTY OF FIRST CHARGE.
HAUPT RECOMMENDED TO THE
MERCY OF THE COURT.

The Jury on the Forgery Charge
brings in n Verdict of Guilty, But
Recommends That He lie Punished
as for a Nisdemcn nor-HenrIng of
EmbezzIement Charges Begun.
HauDt's Shortage With Georgia
Pine Hallway Company S3,OS4.71.
Drew Checks in Excess over Sight
Drafts and POcketed the Differ
ence-Jurymcn Furnished With
Pencil and Paper to Take Down
Figures.
The jury in the forgery case against
George w. Haupt, returned a verdict at
o'clock Yesterday afternoon after having
been out over seventeen hours. The YER
dict was guilty, with the recommendation
for punishment as for a misdemeanor and
a further RECOMMENDATION TO the mercy OF
the court.
1t Is not compulsory upon the judge to
obey a recommendation of this kind In
felony case. II punished for misdemean-
or however, the sentence can be a fine
not exceeding $1,000. imprisonment not eX-
ceeding six months and confinement at
labor not to exceed twelve months, one or
all in the discretion of the court. 1t is not
likely that sentence will be passed against
MIR. Haupt until all the cases against him
have been heard
The hearing of the second charge against
Mr.. Haupt that of embezzlement, was be-
gun in the Superior Court. MI.
Haupt is charged with the EN-
bezzlement of $3,OS4.71 from the Georgia
Pine Railway Company, of which he was
treasurer The prosecutor is Mr. j. P.
Williams, president of the company. The
entire day was consumed in the work OF
securing a jury and taking the evidence
of Mr.. Williams and of Mr.. W. E. McCol-
lum, who succeeded Mr.. Haupt as treas
urer of the railway company. Both were
examined at length and in detail as to the
various transactions which had occurred
and upon which are based the charge of
embezzlement.
Mr. Haupts attorney Mr.. Walter Z.
Hartridge objected at the beginning of
the case to proceeding with the hearing
on the ground that a jury had already
been impaneled to try his client upon
charge of forgery and was at that time
celebrating on this case, and to put the
defendant on trial upon another charge at
this term of the court would be manifest
ly unfair and unjust The objection was
oral and was overruled by the court. La
ter, after Mr.. Williams testimony had
been taken, Mr.. Hartridge filed a writ
ten objection to the same effect, which was
also overruled.
Mr.. HartTidge then filed a demurrer TO
the Indictment on the ground that he did
not think It was perfect. The demurrer
was overrued. A plea df not guilty was
entered, and the case proceeded.
Some time was occupied In the selection
of a jury IL being necessary for the court
to take a recess in order that more tales
men might be drawn and summoned. The
defense struck nineteen and the state
eight, while fifteen went off for cause the
number who confessed that they had form
ed an opinion concerning the case or were
prejudice for or against the defendant be-
ing especially noticeable.
The following jury was finally impanel-
ed Robert II. Griffith. Arthur c. Craig
d. q. Purse. Jr, N. T. Pinder, Fred H.
Jachens, W. II. Mccarthy, Robert Law.
colored, william J. Douberly. Julius b.
Gaudry, Daniel L. Jackson, c. r. Holmes
and Jacob Gardner.
Solicitor General Osborne stated to the
jury that II was the purpose of the state
to show that Mr. Haupt was the treas
urer of the Georgia Pine Railway Com
pany, a corporation whose HEADQUARTERS
were located in cambridge, but whose
financial affairs were conducted in Savan-
nah. The bills for the railway company
were paid in Savannah. this method of
transacting this business being for the
officers of the company at cambridge to
forward TO Savannah vouchers for the
bills with sight draft attached Mr. VIII
Hams was president of the corporation.
and being frequently out of the city, was
In the habit Of leaving blank checks coun-
tersigned to pay these drafts, it being the
duty of the treasurer to fill in the amounts
and sign the checks. 1t would be shown
the solicitor said, that the defendant pur-
sued system of making out checks In
excess of the amounts OF the drafts and
obtaining the difference between drafts
and checks in currency. This was done
repeatedly by the defendant, and the
money so secured was used by him. This
money, the solicitor contended. was stolen
by the defendant. and the state would so
prove.
Mr.. Williams was put up bv the
state and testified to his relations and
those of Mr. Haupt to the Georgia Pine
Railway Company. When the solicitor
asked Mr.. Williams If the defendant had
not admitted 90 him that he had taken
money belongin to the railroad MIR. Hart
ridge entered an objection to the admis-
sion OF such testimony The jury was
Withdrawn, and the solicitors questions
were answered by Mr. Williams for the
information of the court.
Mr.. Williams stated that he had spoken
to Mr.. Haupt about his accounts with
the Georgia Pine Railway Company. ana
that Mr.. Haupt had admitted that there
might be $3.50 or $500 short lie was posi-
tive that ii could not be more than tbe
latter amount
Il told him" said Mr.. Williams. "thot
It would be better for him to make a clean
breast of it, That the full truth would
be known later. and that il would be bel
ter for him to tel the truth than a per
version of it,"
MI Williams said he also told Mr. Haup,
that an expert accountant would be pui
10 work upon the books, but Mr. Ham,
was SIN positive that the shortage couId
not 30 be over 5000. Mr.. McColhr
an expert accountant, who has since sue.
ceeded Mr.. Haupt as treasurer of the rail.