The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-04-04
FRANCIS HELDF0R TRIAL
Bail For Promoter Of Storey Cotton
Company Fixed az $4,000.
EMPLOYEES TESTIFY AGAINST HIM

federal Authorities Present Evidence
Aeainet "Get.Rch-ouick" Concern,
Showing Francis Was a Party 70
Conspiracy to Defraud.
Philadelphia. April l.-On the testi-
nony OF TWO former employees Of tho
dcfunct Storey Cotton company stan
ley Francis. accused OF being one OF
The promoters and directors az the con
Germ. was remanded for trial by United
States Commissioner Craig with bail
fixed M So. 900. The original charge
agaiust Francis was using the mails
for fraudulent purposes. and ne was
arrested at the instigation OF the pos
tai authorities. The two important Will
ncsses against the accused were
Miss Margaret Hope. a stenosrapner
and Miss Gertrude Sundheim, a book
keeper. who gave testimony which
Commissioner Craig said was sufficient
10 convince him that the defendant
was party to a conspiracy to defraud.
James II. Clark. an expert account
ant employed 10y counsel for Senator
Bradley. of Camden, receiver OF the
Storey Cotton company. also testified
concerning his examination OF the
comuany's books. lie based his tcsti-
mony on his examination OF the cash
hook. whios he aid contained an en-
fry OF S2ot30l as receipts from cotton
Investments. which was the only indl-
cation in the book OF am investments
by the company 4 statement OF the
concerns business. showing assets OF
500 Geo. was produced by United states
District Attorney Thompson and, al
ter examining il, the witness said there
was nothing on the cash book TO show
such assets. The book did show. how
ever. that The company had lost 81
17S.u7. but there was no indication
that this sum was lost in cotton trans
actions
Miss Hope said she had known Fran
els since 1902. and she had always be-
uevod him 10 be- the advertising man
ager of the Storey Cotton company
She knew that he carried key to the
room in which the directors OF the
company held their meetings. and she
testified further that he attended many
OF the meetings OF the board. Others
who attended the meetings she said
we're Messrs. Storey. Quinlan and Har-
per The latter is Frank c. Marin. also
known as Judge" Franklin Stone.
Miss Hope said that Francis was pres
ent when the company declared its
dividends. although she was not sure
he attended the meetings at which the
dividends were declared. The witness
said Francis wrote many OF the cir
culars that were sent out by the com
pany. and that he gave the manuscript
10 her TO be transcribed on the type
writer She told OF our occasion when
Francis dictated TO her a letter 10 Pro-
lessor Langdon Thompson president
OF the New Jersey Teachers AssOcia-
ton. in answer to a letter from Thomp-
son TO Francis.
Miss Sundheim in her testimony said
that she had been instructed by Fran
els to change her method of calcula-
ton. II had been customary. she said.
when 500 earned $3.50 or over to
credit It as a profit of s.. but Francis
told her to change the calculations so
that when 500 failed to earn s. to
throw it back TO the principal account.
She said that Francis had given her
various instructions. and on being
asked whether he had given instruc-
lions to any other employees. she said
Yes. | have seen him giving instruc-
tons to Miss Collins and others.
Miss Collins is Sophie Beck. Tor
whom the authorities are searching.
Several additional witnesses were
called. who testified that they had lost
money entrusted with the company for
investment.