The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-11
HARDING RELATES
CH|SOLM'S STORY
$4,000 Taken from Box in
Fifteen Minutes
LOSSESMADE HIM RECKLESS
Key Accidentally Left In Lock of Re-
serve Box Presented Temptation.
Bank Examiners Did Not
Detect the Shortage.
-OSSESMADE HIM RECKLESS

| In the federal court yesterday morning
| the trial of Alexander r. Chisolm,
| charged with embezzling the funds of tho
| First National ban kof Birmingham, was
resumed before Judge Thomas G. Jones
| and jury
The government was represented by
District Attorney Thomas r. Roulhac, As
sstant District Attorney N. L. Steele, As
sstant District Attorney w. II. Standife-
and Attorney Lee C. Bradley; the defend
ant was represented by Attorneys Capt
Frank S. White and John London.
| District Attorney T. r. Roulhac con-
Quoted the prosecution, and Captain White
| conducted the defense.
At 10 o'clock, the hour set for the COM
mencement of the trial, a large number
| of interested spectators were present in
court, several ladies occupying seats in
side the bar. Judge Jones entered the
court at 1O:15 and Immediately thereafter
w. p u. Harding. president of the First
| National bank, was called as a witness.
Before proceeding with the trial. the
jurors not engaged on the case We're eN-
cused by the court until 10 o'clock on
Monday morning.
| President Harding Testfies.
| In answer to District Attorney Roulhac,
President Harding testified; That he had
| lived in Birmingham about twenty years,
and was president of the First National
bank of Birmingham since June, 1902;
| that he was president of said bank during
the months of February and october i'll
| I. n -
PENDANT Alexander R. Chisolm that
| Chisolm had been in the service of the
bank as paying teller since 1906 that
| Chisolm's office was at the back end or
| the bank, about So feet from the en-
| trance on Twentieth street CThe witness
here explained to the jury the position or
Chsolm's office and the general arrange
ment of the various offices from plan
of the first floor of the bank building.
The paying tellers office, witness stated,
/ is Il feet wide in front and 16 feet deep,
surrounded with metal cage. 1t has
two doors that lock from the inside.
Money could be paid to the paying telleg
from adjoining offices Of receiving teller.
4 mere were three receiving tellers en-
ployed in the bank The paying teller
paid out cash on the presentation OF
checks, paid it through hand hole in
front of his office. The paying teller re-
ceved his money from other officers oil
the bankg who charged him with the
amount and afterwards would balance UP
his cash With the checks paid out.
Witness was shown two photographs OF
vault, one with doors open, showing safe
and one with doors closed, which witness
explained to jury. Continuing his testi-
! monv the witness said that admission TO
| the vault was to be had only through
paying tellers office.
Money Reported Missing.
Witness testified that about 4:30 p. m.
! on August he was informed that there
was a shortage of 100000 in the reserve
! fund. The money in the reserve box was
counted up and 100000 was found to be
| missing Witness did not know when or
for what purpose the money was taken
Witness stated emphatically that the
money had not been taken or used Tor
any purpose with which he was connect
ed. Chisolm was not on duty at that
| time; he had gone on his vacation on
! July 81 did not see him again until Au-
/ gust 81, when he saw him in Walker
| Percy's office. At that time Walker Percy,
| Culpepper Exum, Erskine Ramsay and
w. II. Hassinger were present; also de-
tective from st. Louis; had conversa-
ton with Chisolm, but did not use threats
or promises.
Confesses to Harding.
"At that time testified the witness,
| "Chisolm said: I'm sorry to hear about
this trouble in the bank since l left. When
! I went away everything was all right,
and there was s150,OOO in the reserve box
He denied all knowledge about the short
age and stuck to it." Witness saw Chisolm
on Thursday evening at the Birmingham
| hotel and he then admitted that he had
/ taken $4,000 out of the reserve box, that
! he alone had done it and there was no
one else connected with it. He said he had
meant to tell witness about 1t, but could
not get up his nerve; he also stated he
would make 1t good soon, that it had
been used in specializing in cotton. He
said he started cut with his own money,
which he lost and ne then used the
money OF the bank in April and May he
became reckless. Chlsolm told witness he
had transactions with Gilbert & Clay, but
lid not say to what amount. "Chisolm
said that he found my keys one day i'll
the lock of the reserve box" said the
witness, land that he took out $4,000 on
that occasion and then returned the keys
10 me. He said he didn't spend the money
all at once but put it away in lower
box in the vault, to which he had access
at all times" Witness said 1t was about
June when the $4,000 was taken, as 1t
was at that time that Chisolm gave him
the keys. Chisolm told witness that he
had taken small amount before Christ
mas.
Captain White objected to any testi-
mony relating to any transactions not in
cluded In the indictment upon the ground
that it was irrelevant and immaterial. In
reply to defendants objection. Attorney
/ Bradley asked to be allowed to submit au-
thorties In support of the question,