The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-24
TRIAL OF Ex-AUDIT0R HUNTER.
CHARGED WITH EMBEZZLEMENT
OF RAILROAD FUNDS.

said to Have Received About 3d.
GOO of the Atlanta and West Points
Money - President Smith and an
Expert Accountant on the stand.
Clerk Testified That Ledger Bal
unces Had Been Changed.
Atlanta. April 23.-The trial Of Thomas
] Hunter. the ex-auditor of the Atlanta
ana West Point Railroad, for emoezzlins
the funds Of that road, began to-day be-
fore Judge Gambler.
The case Of Col. Albert Howell, Sr, in
dicted for the same offense, was called
first. but was postponed on account Of the
illness Of his LAWYER. Mr.. T. Il. Rosser
Hunter IS represented by Judge Henry
b. Tompkins and Mr.. Robert c. Aston
SoAcitor c. D. Hill will be assisted in the
prosecution by his brother, J. G. Hill,
and. Gen. George II. Harrison of Ope.ika,
Ala.
The entire day was consumed in the
trial and evidence is about half taken
Hunters attorneys demurred 10 the inoict-
ments on nine grounds which Judge
Gambler overruled.
President smiths Testimony.
lapta and West Point Road was the first
witness. He testified that the prisoner had
been in the employ OF the road as audi
tor with the duty of keeping the ac-
counts of the company. Mr.. Smith SAID
that among the duties of the auditor was
that of sending out travelling auditors TO
check uD the different Offices on the com
panys line.
MT. Smith said he had never instructed
the auditor or his travelling men to col
lect money or not to collect 1t. The pres
ident was not aware that money was be-
ing collected by the auditor until it was
reported TO MIN by the experts.
The witness said that Col. Albert How
ell. Sr.. was Joint ticket agent at the
union depot in Atlanta in September, 1891,
when the witness took charge Of the rail-
road AS the JOINT agent 1t was Col. How
ellis duty TO report 10 each of the four
railroads interested in the ticket office.
the amount of tickets sold and amount OF
money collected for excess baggage.
In October, 1889 Mr.. Smith secured the
services of Haskins and Sells to check up
the auditors Office. Mr.. Zero of that firm
came to Atlanta Monday, Oct l6. Mr.
Smith was absent from the city until
Thursday He never saw Hunter after
the expert came. When Mr.. Smith re-
turned home Hunter was gone.
Mr.. Smith told of employing the Pinker-
ton agency to search for Hunter of Mr..
W. p Hills being sent to identify him,
and of Hunters return to Atlanta, ac-
companied by Mr.. Hin and Detective
Rogers
on Cross-Examfnntion.
The REORGANIZATION was conducted
by Judge T0mpkins. In reply to questions,
Mr.. Smith said that he did not make per-
sonal examinations of the books in the
auditors office. If money was collected
from the agents and turned over to the
auditor by travelling auditors, Mr.. Smith
had no knowledge of such a practice un-
til the experts informed him of it last
October Money could have been collect
ed in that manner without his knowl
edge.
A letter addressed to Agent G. B. Barr,
Newman, Ga, with the names of Presi-
dent Smith, and ex-Auditor Hunter sign
ed thereto, was shown Mr.. Smith. and
he pronounced the names as forgeries.
The letter authorized the payment Of
funds to the auditor.
An Expert Accountant.
At the afternoon session. f. w. Sells,
of Haskins and Sells, expert accountants,
was put on the stand for the state He
said he made a cursory examination of
the auditors books to get the scope of
the work, but MIR. Zero had done most
of the work. Mr.. Sells identified a num-
Der of papers exhibited to him, and said
he got them from Col. Howell.
Other papers We're identified as having
been obtained from L. p. Grice, clerk
In the auditors office. Signatures to
checks and other papers were identified
as Hunters
Mr. Sells Identified four bank books as
having been given TO him by Col Howell.
MT Hill then read to the jury a large
number of checks on the Lowry Banking
1eHfrr
r. ]. Hunter
The checks varied in amounts from so
TO $3.50, The total amount represented by
the checks was about $3.50. With the ex-
ception of two or three, the checks had
never been presented at the bank for pay
ment. Mr.. Hill said he expected to prove
that Hunter obtained money from Col
Howell on the checks and there was no
intention that the checks should be de-
posted. In a letter to Col Howell,
claimed TO have been from Hunter. was
the following:
II advanced $3.50 to that expert when he
was here, but / think the loan viii be paid
as I got a first-class report"
Mr.. Hill claimed that the man to whom
the $50 was loaned was w. NJ. Basley. the
former expert examiner for the railroad
company.
Changes In the Balances.
l.. P. Grice voucher clerk in the audit
or's office said he had worked under Hun
ter and had been a general utility man.
He explained that the station agents
ledger showed the debts and credits of
all ticket agents of he road. 1t showed
the account of Albert Howell, Sr
AT times, when experts would come
Mr. Hunter would have the balances
changed" said the witness For instance,
say the balance against Col Howell was
$500 and some odd dollars. the odd dol
lars were left against Col Howell, and
the $500 was distributed among other
agents OF the companies.
Changes in balances were made two or
three times in the last three or four
nights, always before verihcation of
the books"
The bookkeeper in the auditors office
told of the changes made in the balance
against Col. Howell, and said that he
made the changes at the instance Of Au-
ditor Hunter.
The trial is attracting considerable at
tention because Of the prominence of the
parties. Hunter was a club and society
man and for years cut a wide swath here.
He is alleged to have received between
yl2, 900 and $1,000 OF the funds
Hunter was brought here a few weeks
ago from Morocco, where he started just