The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-03-01

to the bond book and pointed out
where bonds Nos. 744 and 745 had
been received in 1895 and recorded
in the book. Then, in 1901, May,
bonds Nos. $50 and LAS were sent
I'M, but the books showed again that
Nos. 744 and 745 ,wer received. Frank
lys the witness owned up to this forg-
ed entry in his own handwriting. He
said there were other entries Of the
same sort, how many he did not re-
member. =, Y. :5
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 bal
ance the interest account was not de-
tected in the treasurer office. 1t
did not matter to what bonds the cou-
pons belonged, as there is no way to
ascertain this fact when they are pre-
sented 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 temp
tation was too great, and he yielded.
He got out bond and turned it over
to Mr.. Gibson. Then he got others.
Mr.. Gibson got the premium on the
bonds, which was about $40 on the
$500 bonds each, and $50 on each
ST. 900 bond. Then later Gibson be:
gan to demand money from him and
he gave him small amounts from time
to time, say from SIS to $25 a week.
Subjected to Severe Ordeal.
On cross-examination Mr.. Zimmer-
man was subjected to a very severe
ordeal. Mr.. Crawford piled him with
question after question, worded in
sarcastic style and intended to show
that although Zimmerman claimed
Gibson to be the author of his wrong
doing, yet he gave Gibson merely a
pittance, a 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
He endeavored to- show. that Gibson as
bond broker had no means Of know
ing that the bonds he received from
Zimmerman were stolen; that he
merely sold them and received the
premium as commission, while Zim-
norman retained the principal; that
he conducted his negotiations with
Zimmerman in the office Of Gibson
and in public places and there was n1
secrecy, about it. Witness said he
knew Gibson had beeu for years &
bond broker and he never told him
that the bonds were stolen. Gibsor
said Zimmerman had disposed Of ali
the bonds which he purloined except
one, and that one he sent to his OWE
nephew in Washington, who sold il
and sent him the proceeds less The
prmium, which was the nephew 's
commission. His nephew did not, he
said, know that the bond was stolen
and thought it an honest transaction
Gibson sold the other purloined bonds
and Mr.. Crawford wanted to know
why Gibson should not have thought
all the transactions honest also.
Mr.. Crawford asked Zimmerman il
he had been advised to plead guilty
yesterday and he said that he hat
and that the suggestion met with his
hearty approval. He was asked if the
hope had been held out to him thai
lathe plea would lessen his punishment
and he said he had been. told it would
be better for him to do so. His at
torneys and his son had so advised
him, but no assurance of this sort haC
been given him by the prosecution
He did not know he would lie put ur
rs witness against Gibson until af
ter his plea of guilty.
Judge Prince Objects.
Judge Prince objected to the ma
ture of Mr.. Crawford's question anG
interrupted to say that if any one ha(
promised the witness anything in re-
gard to the sentence the court would
impose they had reckoned without
their host; that no one could speak
e., Al, ,o,,,t ...