The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-04-30

Teller Hill it was established that all |
three of the bank employees had made |
incorrect entries Oh the books
The cross examination of Mr.. Hill
by Attorney Brown disclosed the fact
that all the recharging of the checks
was not in Ketchum's handwriting
and that several entries had been
made by Hill himself. He finally
testified that he had according to the
books charged the same account twice
after they had been once charged by
Ketchum.
Lieut. Gov. Allen testified regard
ing his business connection with the
bank method of drawing checks and
other similar details. He was Oh the
stand about twenty minutes and was
followed by State Inspector of Saw
ings banks f. l.. Platt of Poultney
who told in detail how the bank S
books were falsfied as far as the &C
counts of Mr. Allen and J. j. Quin-
Ian showed
He was the last witness of the day
| but before the court adjourned until
9 10 today Attorney Cushman stated
that the defense claimed the banks
accounts had been falsified by some
one other than the respondent to
cover the falsifier's stealings He said
| IIlt uuIluG htlCllull >
| services were simply the carrying
along of transactions begun years be-
| fore
The third day of the trial of John
w. Ketchum for alleged completely in
wrecking the Farmers National bank
of Vergennes was by far the most in
teresting and eventful thus far. The
defence in cross examining f. S.
| Plat, a government witness, ascer
tanned that at least $40, 600 had been
padded on Martin f. Aliens account
in Cashier Lewis handwriting before
the respondent came to the bank.
The president and two directors of the
bank testified that they knew nothing
of it's weak condition until it was
closed by government employees
President Dunshee was subjected to
rather a stiff cross examination by At
torney Brown
The prosecution rested its case about
noon and the defense moved to dis
miss three indictments against Ketch-
um The motion was overruled. The
respondent was the first and only wit
ness for the defense on Wednesday,
occupying the stand all the afternoon.
His testimony was interesting and
somewhat unfavorable in spots to ex
cashier Lewis. The apparent inten-
ton of the defense is to show Ketch-
um as the innocent tool of Lewis, who
is now serving a seven years sentence
on plea of guilty.
The first witness for the defense was
the respondent who took the stand at
80 o. clock and had not finished when
he court adjourned Thursday. He
told in detail of his connection with
the bank and his duties therein. He
said that it was his first experience
at book keeping and his instructions
came from Lewis. He denied collec-
lively and repeatedly having know
ingly made the false entries alleged
by the prosecution and by his testi-
mony attempted to show how it might
have been done by him at Lewis di-
rection and without Ketchum' knowl-
: edge of the fraud. In telling how the
J cash book balanced he said he never
knew an instance where in reality it
did balance 1t always appeared to
balance on the book however, for in
making up the cash slip if the amounts
, did not balance the necessary sum
was added when required and an ap-
parent balance established. He denied
that he stood in with Lewis or that
the latter even urged him to make a
! false entry, so far as he knew at the
time. He said the bank was in a bad
} condition for the three last years of
its life, borrowing money when and
; where it could and at times unable to
pay checks when presented Ketch-
um resumed his testimony at nine
O'Clock Thursday morning.
The testimony III the trial of John
| W. Ketchum of Vergennes for COM
plicity in wrecking the Farmers Ma
! ha, af hot nj
J cluded at the Federal court room in
this city late Thursday afternoon.
: The fourth day of the trial was by
far-.,the most interesting and not the
least feature was the description
brought out in the cross examination
of the respondent of his career in Yer.
gennes. The story of his meteoriC
rise from abject poverty to the heights
of wealth and power as told ther
sounded like romance and his rapid
downfall leaving him in bankruptcy
and following soon after the bank
closed was made more picturesque by
,, the contrast The respondent was
subjected to an unusually stiff cross
examination through which he came
with flying colors, as far as his APP.
pearance on the stand went. Not
once did he lose the nonchalant all
which he has affected since the trial
F started.
Thursday afternoon an alleged con.
fession of guilt made by Ketchum was
introduced by the Government in re-
buttal after it was sworn to by the
president of the bank and another
man. The respondent on the stand
| emphatically denied it, The progress
of the case was watched by a crowded
court room esDeciaally when the re.
! spondent was under the district at.
i torney's fire. The arguments in the
! case were begun when court came in
this morning.