Evening star., 1909-06-07
Prosecution Tries to Support
Charge of Forgery.
QUESTION OF HANDWRITING
Defendant Former Bookkeeper Of q
Local Trust Company.
MRS. SHERIFF FIRST WITNESS
Deposition Whose Name Was Signed
to Order for $2,25o Denies Check
ing Against Account.

The trial Of Oden B. Gray. former book
keeper of the Washington Loan and Trust
Company. charged with forgery in con-
nection with two checks for $3.50 and
$3.50. was resumed today In Criminal
Court No. L before Justice Gould and 4
jury. The jury was sworn and two wit
nesses examined May 2S and a recess
taken until today by reason of the ILL
ness of a witness.
Gray's wife and fourteen-year-old son
sat with him throughout the session of
the court. Mrs. Gray was greatly inter-
ested in the testimony and frequently
consulted with her husband and his coun-
sci. She scanned the faces of the wit
nesses as they gave evidence against her
husband.
Mrs. Susan B. Sheriff, eighty-seven years
old. was the first witness offered today by
the prosecution. She testified that she
made a deposit in the Washington Loan
and Trust Company about ten years ago
and never drew check against it.
Mrs. Sheriff said her son prepared
checks on another bank for her and she
signed them. She never signed any in
blank. She declared she never drew the
check for $2,25G, which it is claimed the
defendant forged.
George B. Sheriff, son of the preceding
witness, followed her to the. stand. He
gave his age as sixty-nine years.
He testified he attended to his mothers
business, prepared checks for her sigma
ture on the National Bank of Washing
ton, where her current account was kept.
but never drew a check for her signature
on the Washington Loan and Trust Com
pany. He expressed the belief that his
mother never drew such a check.
Head Bookkeeper Testifes.
Alfred B. Dent, head bookkeeper of the
Washington Loan and Trust Company,
testified as to the methods and procedure
used in the bank and described in detail
the duties of Gray as an individual book
keeper. He declared he was well ac-
Quainted with the handwriting Of Gray.
Continuing his testimony after the noon
of l. T. Berry appearing on the sigma
tnre card at the National capit3i Bank II
in The handwriting OF Oden b Gray.
The name of Berry on the deposit
slip by which the account is alleged to
have been opened by Gray at the Ma
be in the handwriting Of the defend
ant. The figures appearing on the slip.
he said, resembled those usually made
by Gray.
On cross-examination the witness ad-
mitted that it was Gray's duty not only
to check the "B' ledger, but also every
other ledger.
He admitted that all the other book
keepers and other persons had access to
the check file room, from which. it is
charged. Gray took the two Cancelled
checks and destroyed them.
Did Not Know Signature.
Witness admitted that when the Sheriff
check came under observation of the hand
writing expert at the bank. the latter
remarked that he did not know the sig
nature. Witness could not say what in
quiry had been made by that official of
the bank before passing the check.
Witness admitted that the check was
the first ever passed through the bank
bearing the signature of Mrs. Sheriff
and that Mrs. Sherins signature was
only in the tellers cage. Counsel for
the defense by this line Of cross-exami-
nation attempted to bring before the
jury the fact that Gray had no oppor-
tunity to copy the signature of Mrs.
Sheriff and was thus unlikely to have
known how she signed checks.
rupted to allow David J. Kaufman to
testify. Mr.. Kaufman was called to provo
his acquaintance with Oden B. Gray. He
said he was q depositor at the National
Capital Bank and that his name mad
been given as guarantor by the person
who opened the account at the bank.
He admitted he knew a man named
Berry. but from his description Of Berry
the latter bore no resemblance to Gray.
Attorneys Crandal Mackey, A. A. Lips
comb and Charles l. SimmS are represent
ing the defendant, and United States At
torney Baker Is conducting the prosecu-
tion. aided by Assistant United States At
torneys c. H. Turner and Harvey Given