Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-04-25
j. w. KETCHUM ON TRIAL.


III speaking VI Jlc DdidEClIlR VI CdSll,
which used to take place each noon, the
witness said he always did this work
when at the bank, but reiterated several
times that he was not always there.
"Do you remember many instances |
when the cash didn't balance?" asked |
Mr.. Cushman.
"Yes, sir"
"IIow frequently did 1t not balance?"
"More often than otherwise"
"It was quite novelty to have the
cash balance, was it not?"
"Yes, SIR"
"In regard to the posting from the
journal to the deposit ledger, Lewis
said there were times when it was not
done every day. He later said that
Ketchum often posted the books and
told Lewis they were all posted when he
returned
Another point brought out was that
If two persons were posting, one calling
of check numbers and amounts, the
person recording them in the ledger
would have no means of knowing
whether numbers or amounts were as
they actually appeared on the checks or
not. The checks were kept on an arrow
head spindle until posted, and no other
precaution was taken TO prevent their
being entered twice.
One of the cash slips used at the bank
was put in evidence by the respondents
counsel after it had been explained in
detail by Mr.. Lewis. He said that al
though nothing on the cash book of the
bank would show why the cash didn't
balance, it,would probably be explained
by the cash slip. lie attempted to give
the meaning of the various items on the
slip, but could not account for two or
three of them.
"Did you," asked Mr.. Cushman sud-
denly, "have practice of carrying your
personal bills in your cash items on the
| slip?"
, Lewis hesitated a minute and looked
, at the questioner as though in doubt
, whether to answer or not. Finally he
said, Eyes, sir"
"If you paid a tailor's bill, that bill
appeared in the cash items in the bank?"
Until | made out a check and took 1t
: up"
: Mr.. Martins examination in rebuttal
, showed that Ketchum had access to the
checks on the spindle.
l "When he had access to the books and
q in your absence posted them, who had
the handling of the checks"
!. "ketchum."
Estate whether or not at all times when
Ketchum was in the bank he had access
to the checks and tooks?"
a "At all times"
4 Attorney Cushman elicted the inform
t alton that Lewis was left alone in the
4 bank at noon between the time the checks
). were posted ON the journal and entered
6 on the deposit ledger.
:, Howard j. Hill of Bristol, who fol
= lowed Lewis on the witness stand, said
II he had been teller of the Vergenne:
u bank from July, 1898, to February, 1901
o that he was familiar with the books, anG
e handwriting of the bank employees
e Ex.Gov. f. j. Ormsbee of Brandon, who
d is entered as a special assistant prosecu
:. tor in the Vergennes cases, conducted
4 the teller's examination. He brough
out in the testimony the elaborate sys
1t TEN of padding" which the banks
/ books disclose. Hills testimony showed
II in effect that the account of NJ. f. AlleI
and j. j. Quinlan for example, were ap
parantly padded" on the ledger to the
:. extent of thousands of dollars, either il
p favor of or against the respective de
% positOr's credit and this in the hand
10 writing of John w. Ketchum.
After citing illustrations the witness
i, testified that the journal, ledger ant
IL posting figures were all in the hand
J. writing of Ketchum.
is Lieut.-Gov. Allen was the next wit
ness. He testified regarding the bust
ness connection with the bank, methot
p of drawing checks ana other simia
&c details. He was on the stand about y
minutes and was followed by State In
spector of Savings Banks F. l.. Plat o
" Poultney, who told in detail how tn
u banks books were falsified as far as thu
N accounts of Mr.. Allen and j. j. Quinlal
re showed.
He was the last witness of the day, bu
before the court adjourned until Wed
j. nesday morning Attorney Cushmal
# stated that the defense claimed tn
=. banks accounts had been falsified by
" some one other than the respondent, Il
: cover the falsifyer's stealings. He salt
l. the manipulations during Ketchum'
IL services were simply the carrying along
of transactions begun years before.
The first witness on the stand Wednes
e. day morning was F. S. Plat, who wa
IN recalled for further cross-eXamnation
~ He stated that he had not given in hi
previous testimony all the instances o
"padding" that he had discovered, blu
y only such items as had been charged il
posting or checks recharged. He sait
that there was no recharging of check
previous to Feb. 10, 1899, but that pre-
vious to that date $1,000 had been addeI
d to Gov. Aliens account in Lewiss hand
- writing.
y, The district attorney examined tn,
IS witness in regard 10 the checks draw
4. by Mr.. Allen on the bank. Witness sale