The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-27
TRIAL OF OLIVEROS
FORMER CASHIER OF A. C. L. TO
BE TRIED TO-DAY
FOR LARCENY AFTER TRUST.
AMOUNT SAID TO HAVE BEEN EN-
BEZZLED S5,SS3.74.

Indictment Is Lengthy One Con-
tnining Five COunts-NOt ImprOb-
able Tint Some Preliminary Mo-
tiOns or Dem1rrers viii he Heard.
Trial of the Case viii Attract
Much Attention-Accused a Man of
Exemplary Habits-StubbOrn De-
Tense viii Be Made.
John B. Oliveros, until a short time
ago cashier of the Atlantic Coast Line,
win be tried in the Superior Court to-
day on the charge of larceny after
trust the amount of his alleged de-
falcation being $5,SS3.74 Owing to the
prominence of Mr.. Oliveros the case
attracts unusual attention, and prom
Uses to be interesting.
The case will be called directly after
the assignment of cases for next week.
1t is not improbable that some pre-
lminary motions or demurrers may en-
gage the attention of the court before
the merits of the case are reached. Mr..
Oliveros will be represented by Twiggs
& Oliver and the state by Solicitor
General Osborne.
last, on a charge of embezzlement from
the Atlantic Coast Line, while acting
as the company's cashier. Pending
further investigation, no indictment
was returned until June 10. At that
time he was indicted on FIVE counts.
On this indictment he will be tried.
Charge Against OIiVerOs.
March II, after having been entrust-
ed with $5,SS3.74 funds of the Allan
tic Coast Line he appropriated them
to his own use. The other counts
charge the transportation of the sew
eral amounts which aggregate the
whole, the date of the defalcations be-
ing in each case designated as March
12
The state will produce as witnesses
w. w. HARRISON, accountant, and
Bradberry Williams, representing the
trust company in which Mr.. Oliveros
is bonded, and will endeavor to prove
the misrepresentation of the several
amounts. The case has been carefully
worked up and will be hard fought.
Mr.. Oliveros denies the indebtedness,
and says that if there is any discrep-
ancy in his accounts it is the result
OF the many changes III Tic dCCOuilb-
ants office, since he took charge of 1t.
These consist of the transfer from the
Savannah, Florida and Western to the
Plant System, and later the transfer
of the Plant System to the Atlantic
SCoast Line.
Theory of Defense.
he will contend that he endeavored
to discover the discrepancy in his ac-
counts when the matter was brought
to his attention, but failing to find GER
tain papers in his office, took for
granted that they had been transferred
to Wilmington. and went there in an
effort to locate them. Being unsuccess-
full, he offered to audit his accounts
provided, should any shortage be
| found, he be allowed to settle the mat
ter without publicity. This proposition
was rejected by the company, and he
resigned March %.
The case is an unusual one. Even
the agent who checked up the ac-
counts reported, after a thorough in
Vestigation, that from all he could
learn Mr.. OHveros had led a quiet and
exemplary life. No theory has vet
been advanced by which the missing
funds may be accounted for. The de-
Tense will contend, and confidently ex-
pect to prove, that the irregularities, if
any exist, are the result of a compli-
Gated system of bookkeeping.
The defense will also contend that
Haskins & Sells. the firm of expert ac-
countans who are now negotiating with
the city to establish a new system of
| bookkeeping, have examined the books
of Mr.. OliVeros for the past five or six
years and found no errors in them. The
defendants mode of living will also be
brought into evidence, and it will be
| commended that his economical habits
argue his innocence, since it is usually
the man who leads double life who is
! guilty of embezzlement.