The age-herald., 1902-02-21
Hearing of Petition for Re- ceiver Set for March
 24
BOOKKEEPER'S DEPOSITION
Tells of Burned Books and SchuIers Being Credited With Certain Patents-Wire Trust May
 Be Interested.

day, March 24 at noon.
 The case promises to be one of the hardest fought in any of the local courts for years. Both sides have employed ad- ditional counsel, and in court yesterday Thomas Crafty of Chicago appeared for the petitioner. besides Cabaniss and Weakley, and MT. Hamlin of Chicago of the firm of Hamlin Scott and Loyd ap- peared for the defendants in addition to their local counsel, Walker, Tiilman, Campbell and Walker.
 No answer has yet been filed to the petition by the defendants. The only ad- ditional documents filed yesterday were two affidavits on behalf of the petitioner. One of these was by Mir. w. J. Frazer who was formerly bookkeeper for the Alabama Steel and Wire Company. and who deposed to certain items which ap- peared on the burned books, and the en- tries concerning the $2110o which defend ants claim was paid for certain stock of the Joliet Wire Company sold W. J. Rich. The other affidavit was by J. w. liar grove and related to the payment of costs by the defendants in the contempt pro- ceedings.
 Bookkeeper for Wire Go,
 The affidavit of Frazer states that he knows George H. Schuler, E. T. Schuler, C. b. Robinson and R. D. Carver. That he was bookkeeper for the Alabama Steel and Wire Company for 16 months, en- tering its employment April 1, 1900, and as such he kept the construction books which were intended to show expenditures of money in building the plant. That they were kept in the vault at night: that the last time he saw them was in June, 1901.
 That when the plant began operation in April or May, 1900 he opened the oper- ating books consisting of journal, cash book and ledger. That when he left the employment of the company these books were in good condition, only partly used up and with enough space left to last many months. That he never heard George H. Schuler or E. T. Schuler ex- press any purpose of burning or destroy- ing said books.
 Credited Certain Patterns.
 That in the latter part of 1900 he was directed by F. T. Schuler to charge the patterns and drawings account with $92OO, and to credit s46OO each to the personal account of E. T. Schuler and George H. Schuer, telling affiant to make no expla- nations further than this entry; that sub sequently the patterns and drawings &C., count was absorbed by the plant account, and that the balance of the plant &C., chOUUU trftc was carried forward to the operating books, so that when the construction books were burned. there was no record left in the company's possession show ing this transaction. Affiant does not know of the existence of any patterns or drawings for which the Schulers were entitled to any credit as aforesaid.
 Affiant further states that about April, 1901, the account of the Joliet Wire Com pany was credited with $25, 100 and the said sum was finally charged up to two fictitious banks-that is to say, two odd accounts aggregating this sum, were placed to the debit of the Union National Bank, no place being given, and the oth- CTS to the debit of the First National Bank of Norton-the said two odd amounts being given him by E. T. Schu- Ter, and the same were so carried on the books when he left the employment of the company.
 Money Not On Deposit.
 That there were no such sums of money on deposit in either of said banks, and that the result of all the entries was that the sum of money named had been taken out of the Joliet Wire Company stock account and transferred as debits against the said two named banks, and that these entries were directed to be made so as to make 1t apepar that sale of the Joliet Wire Company stock had been made to w. J. Rich, and cash received therefor, when in fact no such cash had been re- ceived. That these entries were inter- lined after the page had been balanced and the months business closed, and 1t would have been very apparent upon an inspection of the said books.
 Affiant further states that up to the time he left the employment of the com pany he never saw nor heard of any notes being given by W. J. Rich, or money paid for said Joliet stock. and that no entries were made upon the books show ing any such payment. or the giving of any such notes.
 The affidavit of J. W. Hargrove. deputy clerk of the City Court. states that the costs in the mandamus suit of c. E. Rob- inson vs. E. T. Schuler. George H. Schu- Ter and R. D. Garner amounting to $37 45 had been paid by the voucher of the Ala bama Steel and Wire Company; that the cost in the contempt proceedings on the relation of c. E. Robinson vs. E. T. Schuler, George II. Schuler and R. D. Garner amounting to $4260 Exclusive of witness fees of Charles Fitzgerald. MT. Leach. T. R. Thompson, Bryant Thomp- son and Mir. Jones) were also paid by the voucher of the Alabama Steel and Wire Company: that the fines of the two Schu- lers of $50 each in said contempt case were paid by the individual clerks of the said E. T. and c. H. pcnuler.
 Trust May Be Interested. In connection with this litigation there is rumor to the. effect that the steel wire trust is interested in the case. The Alabama Steel and Wire Conn pany is ont of the largest plants in the country which is outside of the trust and the latter is