The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-14
RED BOOK in EVIDENCE
ITS CONTENTS READ DESPITE PRO-
TESTS OF QUAY'S COUNSEL.
Minute Book of Peoples Bank Admit
ted as Testimony, and an Incrim-
mating Letter Introduced.

PHILADELPHIA, April 13.-Proceedings
in the trial of ex-senator Quay were tedious.
but nevertheless interesting in their bear
ing on the future of the case. District At
torney Rothermel placed on the stand in
succession the paying teller, receiving teller
and bookkeepers OF the broken Peoples
Bank to prove the books. All of these in
answer to questions made reference to Sen
ator Quay's account, and the bookkeepers
said they had entered the figures, but none
of the books was opened to show what the
nature of the account was. This will be
done later. All of the bank employees on
cross-examination stated they had never
seen Senator Quay's deposit book, and they
did not believe there was one. 1t had been
limited that the defense will claim that Sen
ator ouays accounts in the ledger were
fictitious as far as he was concerned and the
senator's name was used by Hopkins as
cloak for his own personal transactions.
The cross-eXcmination to-day would seem
TO bear out this theory.
The 'red book was a big feature of the
days proceedings. figuring indirectly in the
testimony Of several witnesses. Its pages
were gone over repeatedly and the question
Of its identification with the business of the
bank was discussed, and when court ad
iourned handwriting expert was on the
stand identifying the writing in it as the
work of Hopkins. AL of this was accom-
plished by the district attorney in spite OF
the protests Of three acute, aggressive law
yers employed by Senator Quay, who fought
in vain against the web of circumstantial
evidence involving the red book TO such
an extent that it seems almost certain this
necessary piece of evidence will have to be
admitted after all. 1t was evident from the
district attorneys attitude to-day that he
proposes to formally offer the book in evil
dence in day two, and he appears conf
dent of his ability to introduce the testi-
mony which its pages contain and which is
so vital in the establishment of the charge
of conspiracy between Quay, Haywood and
Hopkins to use the money of the State for
Illicit gain.
The most interesting witness of the day
was Clay Kemble. son of w. III. Kemble,
deceased. the founder of the Peoples Bank.
Mr.. Kemble was assistant cashier and di-
rector as we'll. He did not take a very act
i've part in the operation of the bank, be-
ing there as a representative of his fathers
estate. On crosse xamination he denied
having any bias against anybody connected
with the failure of the bank and said neither
he nor his mother behind the prosecu-
II.
were he replied: He was the whole bank"
While this witness was on the stand the
district attorney gained a signal victory by
securing the admission of the minute book
of the bank, in which Cashier Hopkins kept
record of the meetings of the board of
directors. The particular entry bearing on
the QUAY case which the district attorney
was anxious to get in is under date of Aug.
8. 1896 Ii reads: THE only Offering for a
loan before the board was the note of (Sen-
ator) Arthur Kennedy and r. r. Quay, in
dorsed by NJ. S. Quay with stock of --
attached 1t was agreed TO make this loan
provided L. r. Quay complied with the
presidents request for certain letter."
The certain letter. is the one which is re-
garded as the most damaging evidence
against Senator Quays son. II is dated:
commonwealth Of Pennsylvania Treasury
Department. Harrisburg. Pa, July 81, 1895"
and is addressed TO James McManus. Esq,
Peoples Bank. Philadelphia" 1t reads:
Dear Sir-on Monday we will mail you
check for $4,000 for credit of commonwealth
of Pennsylvania general fund. which will
make a creoit to our account of 100000 The
| understanding is that i am not TO draw
against any part of this deposit until r. r.
Quay has paid or arranged satisfactory to
you the loan of 10000 which you are TO
make him next week. Very truly.
.'B J. HAYWOOD, State Treasurer
The defense objected strenuously TO the
minute book. saying that although the slG0,-
coo note bears Senator Quay's Endorsement
he knew nothing whatever of the letter
from Haywood and had nothing to do with
the Juggling of state money indicated by
it. The district attorney claimed that the
loan was virtually made 10 Senator Quay
and that Haywood received interest on the
| deposit Judge Biddle said he would over
rule the objection, as the offer tended TO
prove the existence of a conspiracy.