Evening star., 1901-02-06
ALLEGED FORGERY
Gilbert O. TowIss Answers to the
Charge in Court.
STATEMENT BY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Outline of the Defense Made by
Defendants Counsel.
THE EVIDENCE SUBMITTED

Gilbert B. Towles. a well-Snown citizen
and business man of this city. was placed
on trial today before Justice Cole and
Jury in Criminal Court. No. .. under an in
d.ctment alleging forgery. The case is one
that has attracted widespread Attention by
reason of the prominence OF the parties
connected with 1t. Attorneys Birney and
Woodard appear for the defendant the
government be ne represented by Assistant
United States Attorney GoBld. The follow
ing were impaneed as a jury:
Messrs Robert r. Johnson. John j.
Fegan Lee r. Martin. owen McGce. 7. II.
johnson. JOSEPH Z. Fowler francis En-
dres. Joseph T. TurSman. S. A Reeves
Robert A. Daw. Louis kurt2 and Philip r.
Muth.
In an explanatory address to the jury As
sistant United States Attorney Could stated
that the indictment against Mr.. Towies con-
sisty Of ten counts The first. third, fifth.
seventh and ninth counts refer To proInis-
sorry notes charged TO have been forged ~
the defendant while the second. fourth
sixth. eighth and tenth counts apply to the
uttering of the notes. IN the first count.
according to MIR. Gould. il is charged that
the defendant forged note for $500 drawn
hy G.. c. Bryan ana indprsed by Zenas L.
Robbins and Henry O. T3wles. the latter
brother of the defendant. The forgery. 50
said the prosecuting attorney, was involved
in. the alteration If the note after it had
been inGorsed. BY the use of chemicals so
said Mr.. Gould. the defendant obliterated
the original amount of the note, ohliterated
the date and the plic. Of payment, and put
the note in circulation. not disturbing the
Endorsements.
The third count Of the Indictment refers
10 q note for 81 900. the fifth count to
note for $3.50. the seventh count to a note
for $1,000 and the ninth count TO note for
5000. All these notes, so declared the as
sistant United States attorney. had been
forged, through chemical alteration. by the
defendant. The government would prove,
the jury Informed. that the defendant
had possession of chemicals that would
oblterate ink marks BY the testimony of
a famous expert ON handwriting and the
use Of chemicals. it was added, the govern
ment expected to show that the alteration
was made after the Endorsements had been
placed on the note Further. explained Mr.
Could. the defendant admitted to three per-
sons. who would be called witnesses,
that he had changed the amounts the
face of. the notes.
For the Defense.
Attorney Birney of counsel for the de-
fondant. followed Mr.. Gould before the
jury. He said. in opening. that the trial
was of Importance, in financial way, to
certain witnesses for the government,
civil action is pending against them. and it
Is TO their interest to secure a conviction
of the defendant.
The government must prove, continued
Mr.. Birney, that the alteration of the notes
was made with fraudulent intent He went
on to say that Gilbert Il. ToWles is patent
attorney of this city and u lawyer Of re-
pUte Some years ago he became acquaint-
ed with Zenas c. Robbins
In course Gf time bus ness arrangements
sprung up between the two. and each in
dorsed paper for the other Ultimately Gil
bert B. Towles became the agent of Mr..
Robbins to look after the business affairs
of the latter. In 1891. the attorney went
to say. Gilbert r. Towles became inter-
ested with Fl. H. Tallnladgc in a large
tract of land near Gettysburg, Pa 1t was
believed that the government would GER
Iafnly desire to secure possession of this
land for use in enlarstng the national GEM
etery at Gettysburg. Early in February.
1S92. the attorney explained, ZenaS c. Z OBJ
bins acquired an interest ip the property.
and in connection with the payment there
fore 1t was necessary to give certain prom
isSory notes
Later Henry o. Towles became interested
IN the land and c. c. Bryan elected
director of the company purcAas ng it. Ow-
ing to the financial panic Of 1885,. it was
stated. Congress declined to make approprl-
alton for anyth ng but necessary expenses.
therefore tie company found 1t Impossible
to sell the Gettysburg tract Of land TO the
government The members Of the company
however. had to make provision for con-
tinu'ng payments on account Cf their pur-
chase Of the land. Gilbert 3. TowIes mort
gagged his property and. said Attorney BIZ
ney. the others took equally important
steps. The parties kept giving notes ard
notes in the hone that Congress would uti-
mateIy purchase the land.
Continuing. Attorney Brney declared
that Mr.. Robbins during II this time knew
that if the notes went % protest the enter
prise would fail. Therefore to guard
against any of the notes falling due during
his frequent absences from the city Mr.
Robbins left a number of blank notes, bear
ing his Endorsement, with Gilbert B.
Towles.
Alleged to He Innocenty Done
The supply of blank notes becoming ex-
haUSted," stated Attorney HrueV "a nd his
authority remaining complete as he be-
lieved. Gilbert Il. Towles merely made
blank notes from notes that had been
drawn. AMI flied out those blanks as he
had been authorized to do.
Henry O. TOwleS stood by and saw at
least one note altered" " Attorney B!rney
went on to say. Upon certain of the notes
going TO protest the parties interested in
this land enterprise were issued on the civil
side of this court. and then they turned on
Gilbert Il. Tow;es. In the hope of escaping
their financial Obligations. We will show
that when accounts are balanced the syn-
dicate owes Gilbert B. Towes more than
$1,000"
Testimony Introduced
The introduction of testimony was then
begun. the government calling as witnesses
Messrs Edmund Brand, Samuel H. Walker.
Henry III. Mckee. Fred. ~. Pratt Thomas
W. Smith and Samuel Bieber. in the order
named. Their evidence was mercy that
they had handled the notes referred to in
one way or another Next to take the
stand was Mr.. David n. Carva,ho of New
YORK, an expert examiner OF questioned
handwriting. inks and paper. He explained
in detail how the notes that hgured in the
case had been altered
The examination of MIR. Carvalhn was In
progress when this report closed. During
the afternoon the expert applied chemicals
to four notes shown in cour. for the pur-
pose OF reproducing the wiring uDOn them