Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-05-01
Testimony in the Ketchum Trial
Concluded in United States
Court.
RESPONDENTS CAREER
Cross Examined on His Meteoric Rise
in the Business World While in the
Bank and His Sudden Fall When
the Bank Failed-Denies an
Alleged Confession.

Rutland April 2l.--Thc testimony in the
trial of John w Kctchum of Nergcnnos
for completely in Wrecking the Farmers
National bank of that place, was concluded
at the Federal Court room in this city late
this afternoon. The fourth day of the trial
was by far the most interesting aud not
the least feature was the description
brought out in the examination of
the respondent Of his career in Nergenncs.
The story of his mcteoric rise from abieCt
poverty to the heights of wealth and power
as told to-day sounded like u romance and
his rapid downfall leaving him in bank
ruptcY and following soon after the bank
closed was made more picturesque by tho
contrast. The respondent was subjected
to an unusually stiff DISCRIMINATION
through which he came with flying colors
as far ms his appearance on the stand went.
Not once did he lose the nonChalant air
which he has affected since the trial
started
This afternoon an alleged confession of
guilt made by kctchum was introduced by
the government in rcbuttal after it was
sworn to by the president of the bank and
another man. The respondent on the stand
emphatiCaly denied it. The progress of the
case was watched by u crowded court room
especially while the respondent was under
the district attorneys fire. The arguments
III the case will be maze when the court
comes in tomorrow morning.
THE OPENING or COURT.
Judge Wheeler entered the court room ut
s:O5 O'Clock and Immediately after Cricr L..
:. Whitaker had opened the district court
the respondent. John w. kCtChum, whose
examination hogau Wednesday afternoon,
took the stand. About 10 minutes later cX-
Cashier D. H. Lewis, who has been "A
faithful attendant at the Trial. entered the
court room in the company of Supcrinteu-
dent -. l.. Morgan OF the House of Corrcc-
ton. He took his usual scat on the east
side of the court room adjoining the jury
and listened with interest to the eXam,na-
ton Of his former assistant ut the bank.
The disposition of the banks checks
We're inquired into and in this connection
the respondent said he had no occasion to
handle them after listing them on tho jour-
nal, unless he wrote up pass book.
Did COY. Allen have Il pass book?'
''lIc did not"
"And Mr.. Ouinlan?"
"KnOw of only one"
He explained that to keep track Of their
accounts the men named occasionally ask
ed at the counter as to how they stood
and if their accounts We're oVcrdrawn Il
notice of the ovordraft was sent them from
the bank. Witness again denied cmphati-
caly having made any money by the false
entries brought out 10y the prosecution.
Did Mr. Lewis, so far YOU know,
have any of the money in his hands eX-
Ccpt as cashier of the bank
Il do not know that he did"
Did YOU ever know of his abstractine
any of the items mentioncd?'
81 did not"
Did you assist or abet him in either alb
stractng from the bank, embezzling OF
misapplYing them?''
81 did not"
"Nhon did you first learn that the items
were false
1t first came to my knowledge after the
bank closed
Did you learn of all of them soon af-
ter?'
" did not
"What first came to your notice them
"A few in the Allen account
Nov as to Qunlans account when did
It FIRST come to your knowledRc?'
Il cannot exactly state. | think it was
abou, the time the indictments were found
Some where about that time"
TABULATES INACCURATE ENTRIES
Witness stated that Of the 80 entries
on the ledger used in connection with the
false entries alleged by the prosecution, The
preceding day, 200 OF the posting figure,
pn the journal We're in his handwriting
he said the posting was done by him Il.
lines, by Lewis III and by Hill four times