Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-17
BIC LOANS TO DUMMY
Youth Tells His Share in Morse
Financing.
HE COULD NOT HAVE PAID
Whiting Is Star Witness in Bank of
North America Case.
ANOTHER CLERK IN SAME BOAT
Boy of Nineteen Once Owed Institu-
ton $4,000 and Earned
$12 Per Week.
ANOTHER CLERK IN SAME BOAT

NEW YORK. October IA tow headed
youth of nineteen. until recently a $12-a-
week clerk in brokers' office was the
star witness yesterday at the trial. I'm the
criminal branch of the United States
and promoter. who. with Alfred H. Cur
It's. former president of the National Bank
of North America. is charged with having
violated the national banking laws.
In the testimony of Edward 2. MoXey,
a government bank examiner it had been
revealed that a person by the name of
Leslie +. Whiting had been one OF the
heaviest borrowers from the National
Bank of North America. at one time ow-
ing the institution as much as $4,000.
There was hardly a week went by in
the year OF 1907. the testimony showed.
that Whiting did not borrow 100000 or
more. giving ice stock principally. as Sc
curity. 1t always appeared on the rec
ords as presented however. that the
enormous sums of money borrowed by
Whiting were credited to the account of
Charles w. Morse.
Whiting Tells of Loans.
At the conclusion of Examiner Moxey's
testimony Leslie Whiting was called to
the stand. Those in the courtroom, who
had expected to see a dignified, shrewd
looking business man step forward, We're
astonished to see a smootf-cheeked boy
of under twenty years walk nervously
to the chair. A smile swept the room
and Judge HOugh raped sharply for
order.
After Whiting had been made to de-
scribe how he had come to sign the notes
which made him indebted to the bank for
such large amounts he was asked:
Gould you have paid this note I hold
here for $50 OOO?''
What, me?' answered the startled boy.
NO. no: couldn't
Gould you have paid a one-thouSand-
dollar note?" pressed the attorney for the
prosecution.
NO. SIR responded the boy. trife
more assured
Letters Signed by Him.
For half an hour longer the youth was
kept on the stand, while a bunch of let
ters bearing the signature Leslie E.
Whiting and directed to the National
Bank of North America were read These
letters. couched in businesslike terms.
gave orders to the bank for transferring
collateral, charges and renewals of notes.
A sentence in one letter read:
Enclosed please find my check for
100000. which apply to my account
The witness explained in answer to ques-
tons. that he had been sent to the bank
by his employers to sign the notes. He
said he knew he was mourning an obliga-
ton but felt sure his employers would
protect the notes
Whiting testified that he had never
talked with Morse or Curtis concerning
the signing of notes or the putting up OF
collateral. The boy also said he did not
think his employer knew that he was not
of age.
Dawson Brown, another brokers' clerk.
was also witness to tell of having
signed notes for loans for more than
100000 Brown had a bad memory. His
testimony was of little value.
The afternoon session was almost en-
tirely devoted to tracing the loans made
in the name of Whiting. Bank Exam
liner Moxey started with loans made in
June last year and showed how the
loans were repeatedly renewed.
1t was brought out that at one time the
bank made profit of S132.OOO on the
loans. The profit was on paper only,
MoXey said.
The testimony led up to the testimony
Of young Whiting. After Whiting had
testified the case was adjourned tor the
day. The jury was kept under guard
last night.