The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-12
SENSATIONAL TESTIMONY
MAKES STIR IN BANK CASE
Walter Brown Charged by Hand
writing Expert with Altering
Record of Stock Certificate.
DEFENSE DENIES CHARGE
Argument Begins with Effort to
Prove Browns Connection
with Brodrick's OffenSeS.

afternoon at 3 o'clock after both sides had
closed their cases, so far as evidence was
concerned, with brief but stubbornly con-
tended rebuttals.
Assistant District Attorney j. La Toilette
began the argument for the government
and from o'clock until the adjournment
of court at o'clock walked the floor be-
fore the apathetic jurors forcibly and vehe-
mently bringing out the points Of the case
against Brown as substantiated by the
prosecutions evidence.
Attorneys for both sides ended their evil
dence shortly after o'clock yesterday
afternoon, after which District Attorney
Healing arose and said the government dis
missed the following counts of the indict-
ment against Brown-20, %, "a, S3, as 80, 81,
50 and 50. The original indictment included
sixty-seven counts and those mentioned
were dismissed because the charges con-
tanned in them are embodied in other
counts.
DID BROWN ERASE SIGNATURE?
The defense rested its case a few min
utes after 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
having introduced as final witnesses sew
eral well-known men of the State, among
them William L. Taylor, candidate from
this district for the Republican gubernator-
ial nomination. and John B. Cockrum,
former assistant district attorney.
The evidence which has been piled up on
both sides of the case for the past two
weeks closed yesterday amid a scene of
excitement and hot contentious. AT the
outset of the session, when Walter Brown
himself was placed on the stand for a few
minutes, Healing again brought into play
the stock certificate book of the Consoli-
dated Paper and Bag Company, which
Brown swore he had signed in blank to the
Indiana National Bank. and substantiated
his claim by introducing the stock certi-
ficate book showing the stubs bearing the
entries, although the certificates were miss
ing.
Healing indirectly charged Brown with
erasing his own signature On the first stub
and of writing in its place the name of
&. Il. BrOdr1ck. Brown at once burned with
resentment and his temples colored deeply
he warmly and emphatically denied the
charge.
EXPERT HURRY ON STAND.
However. following out this line. the gov
eminent introduced as its first witness on
the rebuttal DR.. John n. Hurry, secretary
of the State Board of Health, to testify to
the erasure on the stock certificates stub
and the writing He was shown the stock
certificate book and asked by Healing:
'Dr. Hurry. can you distinguish certain
erasures and signs of writing underneath
this name of c. 3. Brodrick on the first
stub of this book?"
Il made a minute study of the stub yes
terday under the microscope, replied Dr.
Hurry, land l am almost certain that there
has been an erasure here and other writing
under this name.
Can you distinguish any of the letters?"
asked Healing.
mo, not satisfactorily enough to speak
certainly
Now, Dr. Hurry. compare the signature
of the name G.. B. Brodrick on these last
two stubs with the signature the first
stub and state If 1t is the same handwrit-
ing
the person who wrote the name on the last
two stubs did not write the name on the
first stub.
BANK CLERKS IN DENIAL.
This unexpected introduction of serious
evidence by the prosecution threw the de-
Tense into no little excitement. Attorney
Ketcham questioned Dr. Hurry vigorously
but when he had the witness hold the stub
page up to the light Hurry swore he could
see the letter wv" plainly under the name
of Brodrick. Immediately after the noon
recess the defense had two witnesses on
hand to testify that no erasure had been
made and that the signatures were made
by man.
The witnesses were Ralph Smith, of the
Fletcher bank of this city and William
l.. Harris, of the Indiana National Bank
of Indianapolis Both men swOre that the
signature was made by the same man, but
al different times. hence the slight differ
ence in writing, and that signs of what DR..
Hurry termed erasures were due to the
book having remained tightly closed for
some time. The letter w, they testified,
was an imprint from the signature on the
following page.
Bank Examiner James Mcintosh was the
last witness put on the stand for the gov
eminent. He testified to a conversation
which he had held with Brown in which
he warned the latter as to the condition
of the bank. Brown, in his testimony, had
denied that he had ever talked with Mr.
Mcintosh about the status of the bank
The introduction OF McIntosh's testimony
was opposed holly by Attorney Ketcham,
vino declared the bank examiner had al
ready testified on the point. Judge Ander-
son. however, overruled the objection.
FINAL WITNESSES INTRODUCED.
When Healing had concluded his ques-
toning Ketcham went at Mcintosh rough
shod. asking. him among other things if
he had not gone to Justus l.. BrOdrick
within the last few days and asked him
to testify in the case against Brown. Nc
Int0sh admitted that he had gone TO Brod-
rick. but denied asking him appear
against Brown, although he minated that
he had talked on the subject
The final witnesses introduced by the de-
Tense were Miss Beryl Tousley, Frank CT.
Sage, assistant cashier of the st. Joseph
Valley Bank of Elkhart and Louis c.
Richardson, of the Central Union Telephone
Company. Sage testified that he was at the
bank on the night of Nov. IS when the
bankers held their meeting. and that Brown
took no part in the conference.
In his two hours of forcible argument
La Toilette propounded to the jurors the
main points of the evidence introduced
against Brown. He told the jurors that
they must first establish in their minds
the guilt of Brodrick and then that Brown
knowingly and intentionally aided and
abetted Brodriek.
ARGUMENTS ARE LIMITED.
La Toilette further said that he believed
Brown at the bank on the night o.
Nov. l6 and aided in making entries, a
charge which the defendant had denied.
He said Browns own evidence corroborat-
ed C0llinss statement that he was there
as the note which Brown said he gave
Sunday afternoon TO take up the Afford
notes was dated Nov. l6.
1t Is believed that both Brodrick and Col
ms viii fare badly in the arguments. as
the governments case rests upon Brodick'
guilt, and the defense will use Collinss ad-
mission of misstatements a proof OF
his unrelia bility OF testimony.
Arguments will continue throughout to-
morrow morning. Judge Van Fleet will
make the first argument for the defense
this morning. after which Healing will
speak for the government, and ketcham
Will close the argument for the defense
Judge Anderson has limited the argument
TO five hours for each side.
Husband Fined for Abusing Bride.