Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-15
DENIES COMPLETELY
IN BANK BURGLARY
C0NTRADICTS STATEMENTS OF
CONFESSED ROBBERS
Charles S. Martin, Alleged Leader in
Plan to Loot Institution at Mon
rovla, Says He Was lgno-
rant of Plot

Charles s. Martin, the alleged leader
in the plan to rob the First National
bank of Monrovia in December, was a
Davis criminal court yesterday and
fatty denied the statements made by
| George Allen Beatty and Ernest w.
Sundin, confessed participants in the
robbery. Martin was preceded in the
witness chair by Sundin, who corrobo-
rated Beatty's story told Tuesday, and
by Sheriff W. A. Hammel, who said
Martin had told him after his arrest
| March 20 that he intended to plead
guilty and throw himself on the mercy
of the court.
Martin IS 81 years old, was born in
| Texas and three years ago came to
California, working as a safe expert at
Oakland for two years and coming to
Los Angeles at the end of that time.
He was employed here by the Cheney
West Safe company and also did con-
tract work for the PARCELS Safe COM
pany, in whose office Sundin was en-
ployed.
Every place I have worked it has
been the custom to note down the conf
bination of safes repaired by me and
give these figures to my company for
record" said Martin, who added that
he followed this rule when he gave
Sundin the combinations of the safe in
the Monrovia bank.
Locks in Perfect Condition
He denied Beattys story that he had
arranged the time lock of the safe in
such a position that a blow from
hammer would jar the mechanism and
permit easy access to the contents Of
the vault. On the contrary, he said,
the time lock and combination locks
were in perfect condition when he
finished his work December 10, four
days before the robbery.
Beatty probably got his information
as to how the safe could be opened in
conversations with me-" said Martin
1T is customary for men employed in
repairing and constructing safes to talk
about their work, just as it is with men
employed in other lines
He declared the plan to rob the bank
was first broached by Beatty and that
he refused to listen to it. Beatty sug-
gested that l get so drunk that the
police would pick me up and l would
thus be able to establish an alibi for
the night of the robbery" said Martin
L would not agree to the proposition
Asked why he had gone to Ventura
mained away until after it took place,
Martin said he was sent out of the city
by his employers and that he did not
hear of the robbery until two days after
it's occurrence.
Denies Taking Money
when 1 came back Sundin and
Beatty told me l might as well accept
my share of the $4,000 they had
stolen" said Martin. They told me If
the facts became known and they We're
arrested they were determined to con-
meet me with the crime and could easily
do so because I gave Sundin the COM
| binatiOns to the safe.
Ibid you ever receive any portion of
the money!" asked Grant Bennett, one
of Martins attorneys.
"I never got a dollar of it. re-
sponded the witness positively.
! He added, however, that he had bor-
rowed money several times from Sun
din and thought these loans would ag-
gregate about $3.50.
Martin gave as his reason for not
| telling the officers of the bank what
| he knew about the robbery that he did
not want to place himself in the posi-
! ton of an informer.
Sundin, in his testimony yesterday,
! corroborated Martin when he said the
latter refused to take any part Of the
proceeds of the robbery. Martin s
share, he said, was placed in the Gus
| tody of George Yohn to hold until ii
should be called for. Yohn is still in
! the county jail, but it is believed his
connection with the matter was inno-
cent and that a charge of completely in
the robbery will be dismissed.
Few other witnesses remain to be
called by the defense The trial will be
resumed at . o'clock today and prob
ably will end before the court adjourns
at o'clock