Evening star., 1909-05-13
OWENS Is ExONERATED
BY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Prisoners Jointly Accused in Two of
Ten Bills Returned.
ESTIMATED LOSS IS $250,0O0
Court Asked to Increase Amount Of
Bonds-Henry E. Davis May
Decide to Represent Defend
ants at Conference Today.

anus at conference To0Ay.
Embezzlement, false pretenses and forg-
cry are the charges made by the grand
jury against John c. Davis and Martin
T. Davis. his brother. in ten indictments
returned today.
Seven indictments are against John c.
Davis alone. five charging embezzlement
and two forgery.
One indictment names Martin T. Davis
only. and charges him with the embez-
element Of 5000 OF the funds OF the Po-
tomac Building and Loan Association.
The two remaining indictments aIIege
false pretenses and forgery against the
brothers jointly.
Joint Charge Of Forgery.
The forgery charge against both broth
ers is that they made false entries In q
pass book OF the Potomac Building and
Loan Association issued to Nellie Nc
Keown. purporting to show a deposit
Of 900 with the association and for the
purpose Of representing fictitious assets
Of the association.
The indictment for false pretenses
against the brothers charges that about
week ago William Z. Sisson OF Alex
andria. large creditor Of John C. Davis,
pushed John c. Davis for security, and
to satisfy him John c. Davis offered to
give Sisson a. chattel mortgage on boat
belonging to Thomas A. Owen. At q con-
ference between Sisson and the brothers
| the latter. 1t is alleged, represented that
| there were certain claims existing against
the boat amounting to $525 which would
have to be paid TO clear the title to the
boat.
The Potomac Building and Loan Asso-
citation, he was told, it Is declared. was
jointly liable with owen for these claims.
and In order to clear the boat and obtain
ia good chattel mortgage thereon Sisson
gave the brothers a check for $525.
The only charge Of embezzlement against
Martin I. Davis is that as secretary and
manager of the Potomac Building and
Loan Association he applied to his own
use $1,000 of the money OF the association
which had been paid into the association
by investors and borrowers Of Its funds
The names of the persons who had paid
the money are not mentioned in the In
dictment, the grand jury contenting itself
with making the general charge of en-
bezzling of funds of the association which
came into his hands as secretary and gen.
eral manager.
Quarter Million in Claims.
The embezzlement charges so far acted
nv la irIru 0hp =
Davis aggregate $1,000. These are only
a portion oil the complaints made to As
sistant United States Attorney Proctor.
who is conducting the investigation into
Davis financial transactions.
Mr.. Proctor says that the total claims
brought to lis attention aggregate $780,
90. In addition to this amount he knows
a case where $4,000 was secured from
a person who has not made complaint UP
10 this time. Other claimants, 1t Is ex-
l,ected, desiring 10 avoid publicity, have
not made complaint.
Including these claims, United States
Attorney Baker today placed an esti-
mate OF S250,000 as the total amount
secured by John Z. Davis from in
yeStorS.
Five indictments charge embezzlement
against John c. Davis.
One Is in four counts. and charges
the emUezZlement OF $14,S02 from Mrs.
Anita H. Greaves March 8. 10. IL. 1909
another $1,000 from Wade H. Atkinson
May /, 1903: the third. $9.050. from DIR.
K. l.. Wilkins of Alexandria. March l5
and May l, 1908; another $1,000 from
Miss Nellie Mckeown March last.
The fifth indictment charges the mis-
appropriation of $11,S50. given to him
for investment by w. E. Sisson OF Alex
andria: OF these amounts Mr.. Sisson in
vested S3,SOO July S, 1908; 1880 Octo-
Der "A last and $500 May l. 1909.
John {. Davis alleged forgery transac-
tions are set forth in two indictments, one
charging the forgery of four notes, two
of wnich are SAID to have been uttered
by giving them to r. l.. Wilkins. one to
W. T.. Sisson and one to Nellie Nc
keown. The other indictment reates to
four noteS-two TO Mr.. Sisson and two to
Mrs ireaves,
Owen Is Exonerated.
United States Attorney. Baker today
made a statement generating Thomas
A. Owen, who was arrested on a charge
of conspiracy with the Davis brothers
and released OH a $1,000 bond last Satur-
day Mr.. Baker said:
The indictments returned today repre-
sent only a few of the charges pending
in this Office against the defendants John
c. Davis and Martin T. Davis. 1t is not
expected that indictments will be return
ed III every case, as such course would
be unnecessary. The purpose Is to obtain
a sufficient number of indictments suscep-
tible of clear proof to insure the conviction
of the defendants and punishment COM
inensurate with their extensive fraudu-
lent acts
The investigation will continue until
the whole field OF frauds committed by the
defendants IS thoroughly understood by
this office. No doubt in the near future
other indictments will be returned.
THE indictments against John G. Davis.
although they cover large sums received
by him, yet represent but a small
portion of the moneys fraudulently OBJ
taned.
1T is proper TO add that when these
frauds first came TO the attention OF the
office IL a. first hand appeared that
Thomas A. Owen was party to them.
He was therefore arrested along with the
two DaviSeS.
But thorough investigation has de-
yeloped. with entire satisfaction. that Mr.