The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-13
EVIDENCE BURNED.
Fifty Books of the Peoples Bank
Have Been Destroyed.

Philadelphia April 13--The fourth
day in the trial of ex-U- s Senator
Quay on the charge of conspiracy began
promptly at 10 O'Clock
The prospect OF an endless line of
testimony relative to the identification
of entries in the more than one hun
dred books of the Peoples bank through
the expected inability of counsel to de-
eide upon a plan to pick out certain
books and thus save time. was respon-
sible for a light attendance at the OPEN
ing hour. Mr.. Quay arrived early and
still wore the same look of unconcern-
He busted himself for about five min
utes in looking over some mail Counsel
on both sides informed Judge BiddIe
that they had agreed on plan re-
garding the identification of the entries
in the mass of books which would save
considerable time II, pursuance of this
all the books were brought into court.
A L Tabor. receiving teller of the
bank. testified TO the period of time in
which he made entries in the banks
books, when respectively boOkkeeper
and receiving teller He said he had
tries in the receiving teller's credit
book and that the cashier had made
entries in other books The witness
testified to the correctness of his entries
except upon occasions when he made
clerical errors These were always cor
rected- During the examination of this
sci on both sides had agreed to abide
by testimony as to periods of time COW
cred in the books instead of the per-
sona1 Identification of the entries them
selves Under cross examination by
Mr.. Shields, the witness said Mr. Hop
kins made entries in the cash book
general ledger, discount book. foreign
and domestic bill books and cashiers
check book The books are incomplete
more than fifty dating prior to 1894. be
ing missing Mr. Shields intimated that
they had been burned
1t was evident from the district attOr-
7 ney's questioning that he was leading
to connection between the red book
which has not been admitted and the
other books of the bank The LAWYERS
for the defense were on the alert and
every question leading in this direction
was fought against
Mr. Tabor would not swear to the
correctness of deposit slip amounts en-
tered by him as bOokkeeper. except he
/ had entered them as receiver
Upon redirect examination the dis
trict attorney brought out the fact that
all deposit entries made during his ten
ure as receiving teller were correct Mr.
/ Tabor then went over the list of miss
ing books These were OF a large var
tety and were principally memorandum
books No especial significance seemed
to be attached by the defense to the
| fact that the books are missing.
c H Woodruff. one of the bank book
! keepers, was next sworn He gave sub
staQuauy the same testimony as the
previous witness, stating his profession
al knowledge of the manner in which
entries were made in the books
Mr. WOOdruf's discrimination fol-
/ lowed in the line of the previous wit
ness examination It developed that
! the witness had charge of the ledger
! in which Mr. Quay's deposits were en-
tered from 1891 to the end Of 1886 He
never, as far as his knowledge went,
knew Mr. Quay to have a deposit book
Edward r Marsh. receiving teller of
the Peoples bank from 1875 to 1896. and
paying teller from 1886 until the bank
! closed. was the next witness. From
1891 until the failure he had charge of
! the general ledger cash book He tes-
tries relative to his duties as receiving
and paying teller. Referring TO the gen
era1 ledger cash book. the witness said
! the entries there were made from the
checks themselves and not from mem
oranda.
Nothing additional developed during
/ Mr. Marsh's cross examination
Harry s Walker, a bookkeeper for
the bank for about eight years, had
! charge OF the individual ledger from L
to T. His entries cOrreSponded to the
deposit slips and checks received by
him
The witness, under cross examination
said he had charge Of Mr.. Quay's ac-
count, but had never seen the senators
deposit book and did not know that he
had one.
W. K Goldenburg, bookkeeper. who
had charge Of Senator Quay's account
from January. 1897. until the bank
closed, verified the correctness of the
never saw a deposit book in Senator
Ouay'S name