The Washington herald., 1909-05-14
GRAND JURY HOLDS
DAYISES FOR COURT
Brothers Must Stand Trial
on Ten Indictments.
MORE MAY BE RETURNED
Five True Bills Charging EmbezzIe-
ment and Two Charging Forgery
Returned Against John c. Davis,
and One Charging EmbeEzIement
of 5000 Against His Brother.

John c. Davis and his brother, Martin
T. Davis. are charged with embezzlement,
false pretenses. and forgery in ten in
dictments. returned by the Federal grand
Jury yesterday.
Five indictments charging embezzle
ment and two charging forgery were re-
turned against John c. Davis. the attor-
ney, through whose efforts most Of the
money seems TO have collected
Martin T Davis is directly charged in
one indictment with the embezzlement Of
$500 from the Potomac Building and
Loan Association, Of which he was secre-
tary and general manager.
The brothers are charged Jointly with
forgery and false pTetenses in the other
two indictments.
Efforts 10 Raise Bail Fail.
Martin T. Davis was brought into Grim
inal Court No. I. before Justice Gould, in
the afternoon. where United States At
tOrney Baker requested the court to raise
the $500 bail given IN Police Court to
S0Oa. He contended that the serious
ness OF the charges IN The indictments.
and the amount involved. made a higher
bond advisable
Attorney II. z. Davis. who had not Up
TO that time definitely signihed his inten-
ton Of representing the Davis brothers.
argued TO the court that Martin T. Davis
could give no more than S5.000 bond, and
that TO make Il greater was equivalent
10 placing him IN confinement. Justice
Gould let the bail stand at S5.0oo, which
was furnished by DR.. William ". Stuart.
Attorney. Noel II. Barksdale is associated
in the defense with Attorney Davis.
The indictments returned yesterday rep
resent only a few OF the charges pending
in the district attorneys Office against
the Davis brothers. United States 1t
to-ney Baker announced yesterday that
the investigation would continue until
the whole matter is sifted 10 the bot
tom. and that while IL is not expected
that indictments VIII be returned IN every
case. enough viii be handed down 70
insure punishment. II the brothers sre
convicted, commensurate with the extent
OF their alleged fraudulent operations.
Believes owen Innocent.
Mr.. Baker announced that while Thom-
as A owen appeared al first to be a
party 10 the alleged frauds. he was con-
vinced now that Owen was innocent Of
any criminal intent in MS dealing with
John c. Davis The charge against him
in Police Court would be withdrawn,
said Mr.. Baker.
An effort viii be made 10 bring the
case against the Davises 20 trial some
time IN June. on the indictments already
handed down, and on others that may
follow.
An aggregate Of $1,000 Is contained in
the charges Of embezzlement IN the in
dictments returned yesterday against
John c. Davis. Assistant United States
Attorney Proctor, who presented the gov
ernments case TO the grand jury. said
yesterday the total claims brought 20
his attention so far amounted 20 SI50.o00.
cases are known at the district at
terney's Office. however, Of persons who
have lost money, but have entered no
complaint. because OF an aversion 70
publiCity. Mr. Baker said he believed the
total amount Of money involved in the
operations Of John c. Davis would go
close TO $4,000.
The charge Of false pretense IN the in
dictment against the brothers jointly al
leges that William E SissOn. OF Alexan-
dria. who had loaned money heavily 70
John c. Davis. pressed him for security
about a week ago and that Davis offered
10 give him a chaItel mortgage on a boat
owned by Thomas A owen, the title OF
which he said would have 70 be cleared
by the payment OF $50 70 satisfy certain
claims upon it. It is alleged that on the
explanation that ne Potomac Building
and Loan Association was jointly liable
with Owen for these claims, Sisson gave
the brothers a check for 80
False Entry Is Alleged
In the charges OF forgery against the
brothers. II Is alleged that they made a
false entry of $3.50 in a passbook Of the
Potomac Building and Loan Association,
issued 10 Nellie McKeown. for the pur-
pose Of misrepresenting the assets OF the
association.
Five indictments charge embezzlement
! against John c. Davis
I One Is in four counts. and charges
the embeZzlement OF S14302 from Mrs.
I Anita II Greaves March : 10. Il, 1893;
/ another 1900 from Wade II. Atkinson
Nay l, 1903; the third. Ss.050. from Dr.
/ r. L. wilkins. OF Alexandria. March %
( and May !. 1863: another 500 from Miss
/ Nellie Mckeown March last The fifth
I Indictment charges the misapprOpTiatioT
I OF s11,S50, given 70 him for investment by
/ W z SissOn. Of Alexandria; OF these
/ amounts Mr. Sisson invested S3,S0o July ,
/ LSOS; 1880 October q last. and $500 May
!, 1893
John G Davis alleged forgery transac-
tons are set forth in two indictments,
/ one charging the forgery Of four notes.
I two Of which are said 70 have been ut
( tered by giving them TO r L wilkins,
one to W E Sisson. and one to Nellie
McKeown. The other indictment relates
TO four notes-Jwo TO A1r- Sisson. and two
To Mrs Greaves.