Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-19
LARGE BATCH OF CHECKS.


offered in Evidence In the suit Of the
National Dredging Go. the Farmers
Rank.
At the resumption OF the case oi the
National Dredging 20. We. the Farmers
Bank, in the Superior Court, this
morning, William s. hilles, counsel
fer the plaintiff, who on Saturday
offered voucher books Nos 4 and ia
evidence, which caused an argument
as TO their admission. Withdrew the
books and nsked chat they be marked
for Identification only, which was
granted. President George q. Barker
was recalled and testified that an effort
had been made TO recover all Of the
checks paid from 501 to February let,
1908, but some Of them have been
lost. The stubs Of the checks drawn
between April lith, 1891, and April
9th, 1898, we're produced and identified
by Mr. barker. Inc witness was asked
0hat certain rotations uIon the back
Of the stubs meant. This, he said was
for the purpose Of keeping tab on the
deposits and Withdrawals. Stubs Of
checks from April 9th, 1910 to Sep
temuer 1903 we're produced. All OF
these checks, he said, had been drawn
Witness testified that the National
Dredging Go. had a certain form OF
printed checks, which u used.
Mr.. Barker was asked 10 turn TO
stub No. l5, l32 and state whether a
check Of corresponding number had
been torn from that stub. This was
objected to by tho defence on the
ground that the book had not yet been
admitted IN evidence. II was contend
ed that witness couli not possibly
know. The question was withdrawn.
MF. Barker WAS handed check No.
l3, SOB and identified his signature.
The check, be said, had been changed
the words "the trder of had been
stricken out ano tie words or bearer"
written in different INK. The present
condition Of the check be said, had
not been noticed 10y him until Januaty
1903. Check No. l3, 933 also had heen
in the same manner changed since he
signed 1t. Witness said Mr. Church
man was dead when the oiscovsry was
made that the checks had been altered.
When the defence found that Nj.
hillea had about l25 Of this series Of
checks it was suggested that be read
each one by number and date and let
Mr.. Barker examine them later. The
suggestion was acted upon MT. Hilles
read the checks by dates ana numbers,
but was not allowed TO state the
amounts,
Witness said be signed every one OF
the checks. They are checks drawn
on the account Of the plaintiff in
Farmers Bank. Not one Of the checks,
he said, was in the condition that they
I were wheu he signed them. Two pen
/ strokes, be alleged, bad been drawn
! through the words "order Of and
the words "to bearer" written in.
Witness said such change was not made
before he signed the checks.
Mr.. Ward objected to the admission
Of check No. 10 sl3, 10 the Barney Cava-
naugh Hardware Co., for S464. l6.
The amount, he said, was not the same
as set out in the bill OF particulars,
but the date, number and payee wers
the same. The objection was over
ruled.
Objection also was made to the ad
mission Of check No. IA S)I, on ac
count Of the date differing from tina
n the bill Of particulars. The mum
Der, amount and payee being similar
the obieotion was overruled.
Witness testified that the dTedRin
/ III luhy ANQ ADA oAhhAAAA~ uhI " Atf
officials to make changes in tn
checks
The following six checks, be said
we're not written by Mr.. ChuTohman
J NOS. 1854 1883, Is, 596, 15,60l
10, 6ls and Is, 6l9. The ''oI bearer" il
checks Nos. 10, 594, 10, 596. l5,eOl ant
10 6lS, he said, was written by Mr.
ChuEchman, but in the other two b
did not recognize the handwriting.
Mr.. Barker, - said Mr.. Hilles
'Ehen did you discover that thes
checks had been altered ?"
After Mr. Churchman's death, >
be said ''while ! was going over thl
last checks in the list. 1t was Januai.
l4th OF 18th, 1903. -
When did you got your bank bool
balanced p
81 took the book to the bank on tn
day after bis death. "
What did you do when you founl
out that chec6B had been changed 81
Il went 10 see Mr.. Higgins, M
attorney, He sent for Mr.. Carpenter
the president of the Farmers Bank an
told him that forged checks had beel