The Cairo bulletin., 1909-05-02
STRONGLY RESISTED BY ATToR-
NEY BARROW BEFORE
BOARD OF PADoNs.
CREELMANCOTS $4,000
From Defunct Bank OF America
Which He Helped to Establish
and to Wreck-Smith
Got His Also.

the governor and state pardon board
at Springfield Friday when Ex-Judge
Abner Smith, convicted of fraud In
connection with the defunt Bank Of
America, pleaded for pardon. In
these parts the bank was more
Familiarity known as The Creelman
Bank because F. e. Creelman lead
ing spirit of the institution, was for
some years more or less prominent
figure in this city. In his statement
to the governor and the board. Elk
Judge Smith said he had put $4,000
into the bank and had lost it all. He
denied. any knowledge of the illegal
transactions.
sN Clarence barrow Protests.
When. he hal completed his case,
the old man. his hands trembling and
his voice quivering, sat down to await
the scathing arraignment that was to
follow from the lips of Clarence S.
barrow and other Laws ers of Chi
sago who have been prosecuting him.
Mr.. Healy,, the receiver of the bank,
vas present. b. A. Howe, who had
been involved in the payment of
money. was also there.
Mr. Darrow answered some of the
statements that Mr. Smith had
made. He declared it his opinion
hat MIR. Smith knew about every
transaction.
THAT is only your opinion" inter
POSED Mr.. Smith.
1T is my opinin, will be frank
with YOU" he replied, but 1t seems
10 have been the opinion that the
courts and the juries all got from the
evidence and the suspicious circum-
stances"
After repeated Interruptions Mr..
Darrow said:
II want IL understood | am not try
ing to send this man to the prison. \
wish this board could find some rea-
son for suspending the sentence. But
want to tell this board what we un-
ierstand to be the facts in the organi.
cation of this bank.
Lost Nothing, Says barrow.
Here is a bank that run only ten
weeks. II is true the depositors got
all their money, but the stockholders
lost all the money they had put in.
Smith tells you he has lost $780,
| 00O," exclaimed the lawyer. Il tell
you that he has not lost a single red
cent, but on the other hand has made
thousands of dollars.
| "He subscribed for 200 shares of
| the stock, but never paid a cent for
them. Before the bank had received
| It's certificate and had opened for bust
| ness he took sha.es OF stock to the
State Bank of Chicago. and upon
them as security got $4,000, placed
It to his credit in the Bank ofAmerica
and Immediately checked 1t out.
after the bank had opened he pre-
sented note signed by his servant
girl for $4,000 and secured by some
second mortgages and worthless
stuff, got the money, placed it to his
credit and checked it out A weel
later another note signed by his ser
want girl for $4,000 was presented
He gat the money and checked 1t ou
at once,
Judge Smith never paid for thu
stock that he sold and converted th'
cash to himself 1fe got this money
| He got $4,000 on his servants mote
and i0000 more on his own
At the afternoon session Attorne.
barrow and Judge Smith came dan
gerously near passing the lie on sev
era occasions.
creelman Got $4,000.
Governor Deneen frequently ques
ltioned barrow and Smith in an effor
Ito get at concrete facts in the case
After the governor asked barrow Il
state lust where the money went tn
attorney said that Creelman go
slS3.O0O, Pierce $4,000 and Smit
$50 coo. Darrow declared that Gus
tav Sorrow, who is in the penitentiar.
got nothing.
Edgar l.. Masters, law partner o
barrow, made a strong argument tina
was calculated to hurt the chances o
pardon. and Smith replied briefly.
If the state pardon board does no
take favorable action on the petition
of former Judge Smith by Monday n
will he taken into custody by Deput,