The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-03-06
Mr.. ZIMMERMAN GOhFESSES.
HE TELLS HOW HE TOOK BONDS
FROM TREASURER's OFFICE.
Daniel Zimmerman Took the Stand in
the Gibson Case, and Told in De-
tail OF His Nrone-Doings in the Alb
stractien of State Bonds From the
State Treasurers Office and How
Gibson Was implicated.


State Treasurer's Office and How
Gibson Was Implicated.
Columbia, Feb 26.-Daniel Zin-
norman took the stand today in the
trial of Tt. J. Gibson, and confessed
fully and freely how he had -sstract-
ed from the State Trecsurer's Office
the bonds Of the State. It was a pitt
ful scene. The ~1tness said he was
over e6 years old and the defendant is
over rs. Standing each Of them on
the brink of eternity. Zimmerman
stood upon the witness stand and con-
fessed his sins, accusing the still old
er man Of being his tempter.
Mr.. Zimmerman, on questions from
the prosecuting attorney, recounted
the transactions and seemed to be
holding nothing back.
When Zimmerman was offered as a
witness, the counsel for Gibson, Mr..
Andrew Crawford, objected on the
ground that he had within less than
"a hours pleaded guilty to the charge
Of forgery and conspiracy. Judge
Crawford was asked by Judge Prince
to produce his authorities and he did
so, reading from Greealeaf, on evi-
dsnce. and from decision of the late
Chief Justice MeIver, to show that
such a plea. would bar a witness as
incompetent The Judge overruled
the objection, saying that the rule is
that a witness who has been convicted
or pleaded guilty is competent until
sentence has been passed upon him,
ard sentence has not been yet passed
on Zimmerman. The plea Of guilty
might affect the witnesses credibility,
but not his. competency to testify.
Mr.. Zimmerman in response to Mr.
Thurnond's questions told Of his en-
tering the ,Treasurer's Office during
the administration Of DR.. Bates, con-
tinuing therein during the adnainistra-
ton Of Dr. Zimmerman and for one
year under Capt Jennings. He went
over the books to show how the bonds
were recorded when sent back for
cancellation or for exchange for State
stock certificates. He was referred to
the bond book and pointed out where
bonds Nos. 744 and z45 had been re-
ceived in 1900 and recorded in the
book. Then, in 1901, May, bonds Nos.
ESQ and LAS were sent in, but the
books showed again that Nos. IA
and 745 were received. Frankly the
witness owned up to this forged en-
try in his own handwriting. He said
there we're other entries of the same
sort, how many he did not remember.
Mr.. Zimmerman, in the course Of
his testimony, said that in order that
the abstraction of the bonds should
not be detected he advised Gibson to
purchase coupons, which Gibson turn
ed over to him, and which he kept
for some time, then turned them over
to Gibson, who cashed them through
the banks. IN this way the coupons
were held out, and the failure to
balance the interest account was not
detected in the Teasurer's Office. 1t
did not matter to what bonds the
coupons belonged, as there is no way
to ascertain this fact when they are
presented for payment.
He was asked how he came to COM
NIT this wrong, and replied that for
two years Mr.. Gibson urged him to
get some bonds for him; that he
kept putting him off, but finally the
temptation was too grea- and he.
yielded. He got out a bond and turn
ed it over to Mr.. Gibson Then he
got others. Arr. Gibson got the pre-
MUM on the bonds, which was about
$40 on the $500 each, and $50 on
each $1,000 bond. Then later Gloson
began to demand money from him
and he gave him small amounts from
tine to time, say from IS to s25
week.
On cross-examination Mr.. thinner
man was subjected to very severe
ordeal. Mr.. Crawford piled him
with question after question, woreed
in sarcastic style and intended to show
that although Zimmerman claimed
Gibson to be the author Of his wrong
doing, yet ne gave Gibson merely a
pittance, small share of the pro-
ceeds Of their conspiracy.
Mr.. crawford's examination Of the
witness was one of the best things of
the kind that has been heard in the
Richland court room for long time.
% CjhC0n