The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-07
N TRIAL FOR FORGERY
Experts Testify in the Case Against
Gilbert TOWles.
The Prisoner Accused by His brother
and Others of "Raisiug, Certain
Notes-Chemicafs Used to Show the
Dates and Amounts Had Been Tam
Pered With-Mr- Birncy's Statement

Gilbert r. Towles. well-known local
| patent attorney, and brother of Henry O.
| Towles, of this city was put on trial yes
terday in Criminal Court No. 2 before
| Justice Cole on charge of forgery. Since
! the indictment of Towles. nearly a year
| ago, the trial has been looked forward to
with much interest. This fact was evil
| denced yesterday by the large number OF
| prominent attorneys and business men
who were present during the proceedings
| The accused is represented by Attoi neys
| Birney and willard, and the Government
by Assistant District Attorney Ashley NJ.
Gould
There was very little delay in COM
mencing the trial. A few minutes sufficed
for the selection Of the following named
persons as jurors to pass upon the limo
cence or guilt of the defendant: Robert R.
Johnson, John ]. Fegan, Lee r. Martin,
Owen Niece, T. H. Johnson, Joseph e.
Fowler, Francis Endres, Joseph T. Tury-
man. S. a. Reeves, Robert A. Dow, Louis
kurtz, and Philip E. Muth.
Several witnesses were examined on te-
half of the Government. Among these
were David n. Carvalho, who figured con-
spicuously in the trial of Roland Moli-
neaux in New York.
Prof. Carvalho testified as an expert in
handwriting, and stated that the checks
Gilbert b. Towles was accused of having
raised and changed were tempered with,
and not only were the dates and amounts
changed, but also the place of payment.
Before Prof Carvalho concluded his tes-
tlmony the court took a short recess in
order that he might experiment with the
checks in question. Counsel On either
side, the expert Mr. Towles, the accused,
and few others adjourned to Justice
Coles private office, and there the expert
ments were made, with the aid of chemi-
Gals.
In his statement of the case to the jury
Mr.. Gould said that the indictment which
was found against Towles contained ten
counts, the first, third. fifth, seventh, and
ninth counts referring to notes alleged
10 have been forged, and the other counts
to the uttering or negotiating the
notes The notes in question are drawn
for the following amounts: Eight hundred
dollars, s1.0e0, 81, 500, 81 900 and IS 600. 1t
is claimed by the Government that chemi-
calls were used by the defendant in chang
ing the dates, amounts, and the places Of
payment originally entered upon the
would be shown that the defendant admit
ted at least to three persons that he had
raised" the amounts of the notes.
In his opening statement to the jury
on behalf of the defendant MIR. Birney
said:
THE case is an important one-impor-
tant not only 10 the people on the one side
and Gilbert B. Towles on the other. but
it is important TO certain other persons
who will appear here as witnesses and
whose names appear Oh the back OF this
Indictment; important to them in a finan-
cial way. and | want you TO bear in mind
that question when you are trying the
matter of the guilt or innocence of this
defendant. II will be brought 10 your ct
tention in the trial OF this case that sew
eral actions are pending against the men
who will appear here and whose names
already appear as witnesses against Gil
bsrt B. Towles, and 1t will Be to their in
terest that Towles should be convicted.
gilbert b. Towles a number of years
ago came in contact with ZeDas c. Rob
bins, one of the prosecuting witnesses
here Mr.. Towles became the business
agent of Mr.. Robbins for the collection OF
his rent. They endorsed, as / have said,
for each other-Robbins endorsed for
Towles and Towles helped Mr. Robbins
out from time to time-almost constantly
him.
In 1891 Mr. Towles became interested
as the agent or broker in the attempt to
promote may say as promoter, if that
term will have greater significance in
your ears-with one Mr.. Talmage, of this
city being owner of a large tract of land
at Gettysburg which falls within what is
known as the Confederate lines-the lat
tlefield of Gettysburg-the lines which h.
~ I'D.
memorable battle. II was supposed, and
with good reason, that the National Cow
eminent would, wish to enlarge the bounds
OF the National Cemetery at Gettysburg,
and would certainly purchase or desire TO |
purchase this property.
"In February 1892, as will be developed
to you, Mr.. Zenas c. Robbins acquired an
interest in that property. Later than that
Henry o. Towles. brother of Gilbert,
and one Of the witnesses, whose names
appear on the back OF the in
the grand jury against his broth
er, became also interested in that
property, and Charles C. Bryan became
q director Of the company. and his name
also appears here having appeared be-
fore the grand jury as a witness. He be- |
came a director of the company, the for |
tunes of which were to rise or sink with |
their ability to sell the property to the |
Government of the United States.
We shall lay before you gentlemen a
statement showing all the notes that ever
went into that enterprise endorsed by |
Henry O. Towles. by c. C. Bryan, and by |
Zeuas &. Robbins, and endorsed by Gilbert |
were made by them and |
some Of them merely endorsed Those notes |
went alcng for a series of years, and |
gradually mounted up to a very consider |
able sum, and as they mounted up the |
of sale to the Government Of |
the United States became perhaps no |
mere likely TO be realized than they did |
at first Mr. Robbins, during all this time, |
took an interest in the affairs of this |
syndicate-if l may call II such-or this |
II was known to him that IF |
those nnias shnull 90 10 urnIest OF h.. |