The San Francisco call., 1904-07-21
EPPINGER CLAIMS PARTNER
is RESPONSIBLE FOR FRAUD
Bernard Ettnger Is Accused of Having Negotiated Loan
From the international Banking Corporation for Which
Aged Grain Broker Is Now Being Tried on Felony Charge

Jacob Eppinger, who for a quarter
of a century enjoyed the fullest con-
fidence of the business men of the
State. leaning heavily on the arm of
his son, Joseph, walked to the witness
stand yesterday to tesury in his own
defense on a charge of defrauding the
International Banking Corporation.
knowledge of the fact that one of the
former rulers of the grain market Of
the world was to take the stand at
tracted a crowd of onlookers to the
courtroom. They were not men of the
ordinary "bench warmer class, but
men prominent in the business COM
munity, who stood on tiptoes at the
rear of the courtroom m or strained their
necks from less advantageous posi-
tions in the low seats, eager to hear
every word spoken by the accused man.
Eppinger's plea, briefly summed up,
was that it must have been Bernard
Ettlinger, the missing partner, who ne
gotiated the loan on the fraudulent
warehouse receipts.
Joseph Eppinger, the last witness for
the defense. following in the footsteps
of his father, also laid all sins of
omission or commission at the door of
Ettlinger.
And Ettlinger is not here to clear
himself of the charges made against
him.
PLAYED THE RACES.
Joseph's manner of recalling specific
transa actiotns created considerable mer-
riment in the courtroom. Although he
had worked for the firm for eighteen
years the only business transaction he
could distinctly recall was the one on
which his father was being tried. He
remembered it because on that day he
had asked Ettlinger to give him a
check. Ettlinger, refused and Joe took
$50 from the cash drawer, charged it
to his father and played it on a horse
at the Oakland track. The horse came
in third.
AT the morning session little was
accomplished Frank 5. Mitchell was
recalled to the stand and gave further
testimony regarding the books. This
SnOWGu IQdI SAfU,VOV filcQ Otcn ul II
from the firms funds by Jacob Ep
pinger which was not charged to him.
An early recess was taken that the ex
animation Of the defendant might be
proceeded with uninterruptedly and at
2 o'clock he was called to the stand.
Attorney Dunno conducted the direct
examination and his first move was to
impress upon the jurors the age and
feebleness of the defendant. When Ep
pinger's name was called he turned to
Joe and said: Joe, help your father
to the witness stand" Joe complied
readily with the request and in few
moments the elder Eppinger was seat
ed on the stand, nervously twirling his
handkerchief and fumbling his cane at
intervals. When the questioning began
all signs of nervousness vanished. In
answer to preliminary inquiries he
gave his nativity as Germany, his age
as 81 years and said he came to this
country in 1855. He first worked in
Sacramento as butcher boy and later,
in company with his brother and Ber-
nard Ettlinger, embarked in the gen.
eral merchandise business, first in Ell
Dorado County, later in Solano County,
and opened up an office in San Fran
cisco in 1866, which was continued until
the failure of the firm on June 6 of last
year.
CONTRADICTS BECK.
Regarding his relations with Colonel
Beck the witness testimony was
flat contradiction of that given by Beck
and Cashier Eastwick of the bank.
Eppineer said that he had known Beck
for about ten years prior to April,
1903. Shortly after the international
Banking Cor Grafton opened for busi-
ness in September, 1902, Beck and Ep-
pinger met on the street and Beck ask
ed Eppinger to give him some business,
to which the letter replied that he
would if he could
"About the 26th Of February" con-
tinued the witness, II saw Colonel
Reck alone in the office of his bank.
Tn substance 1 told him that I was
now in a position to give him some
business as the London, Paris and
American Bank wished me to take up
a loan of 5000 before March 1 in or
/ der to avoid paying taxes on it. He
asked what the loan was on and / told
him on grain in Portland. We then
q discussed the rate of interest. l did
not want to pay over 5 per cent, but
he wanted 6. He finally agreed to lei
me have the money at 51S with the
proviso that l should give him the bill
of exchange when the grain was
shipped AS / was going out Beck
I