The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-08-19
Breese, Penland and Dicker-
son on Trial Charged With
Wrecking Asheville Bank.
MAI. BREEsE ON THE STAND
Gives His Version Of the Bogus
Notes-Names Of Several Promi-
nent Persons Dragged Into tho
Case-Defense Trying to Prove
Officer Was Cognizant Of the Con-
dition Of the Bank-Third Time
This Case Has Been Tried.

Asheville, Aug. 17.-Resumins
the stand taken to-day In his own
defense. Major w. e. Breese, presi-
dent of the First National Bank at
the time of its failure. told of the
business of the bank, of his borrow
ing money from the bank and, owing
to the panic. being unable to pay
back the money, being forced to put
in other notes as renewals. He told
Of correspondence he had with the
Comptroller of the Currency regard
ing the conversion of the bank into
a State bank and reduction of its
capital stock to $4,000 and the ex-
planation of the so-called forged
note of w. w. Rollins. These were
the features of to-day's trial of
Breese, Penland and Dickerson,
charged with conspiracy to defraud
the bank.
Major Breese, in explaining about
the notes signed by Kemp, his negro
coachman, said that, being unable to
pay the money back to the bank, in
terest accumulated upon the notes
so that it was necessary to put in
notes to meet the accumulated in
terest, that he asked Kemp to sign
notes, 'as We realized We were close
to dangerous shores, and feeling my
own solvency and responsibility, I
did not feel like getting solvent
man to sign the notes" Letters
were introduced showing statements
Breese had made to other banks re-
garding certain notes sent them, and
Breese said that statements were
true, that in cases where the signer
of the note was not SO good, the en-
dorsement of ]. E. Dickerson & Com
pany made the notes amply good.
Relative to the Barker note and
the letter about Barker paying $500
on account, Judge Newman wanted
to know how it was when Barker did
not pay anything, Breese could say
that Barker had paid $500 on the
note Major Breese said that it was
practical, that Barker got money
from the bank to pay it, giving
new notes.
Relative to declaring per cent
dividend, upon motion of r. r.
Rawls, director, and the reduction
Of Penland's and Breese's salaries
Is per cent at the same meeting,
upon motion of Dickerson and
Breese, he said he owned $4,000
De-
and that his dividend of $2,316 was
put back into the bank. At several
times during the proceedings coun-
sci got into wrangles regarding what
Holton termed Major Breese's at
tempt to argue to the jury and also
admission Of evidence.
Regarding the Rollins forged"
note, Breese said he approached II
with pain; that Rollins was q
friend and former director Of the
bank; said Rollins had loaned the
witness the use of his name and had
signed notes for $4,000 and renew.
ais, which in time amounted to $10..
900; that when the note which had
been discounted became due Rollins
was out of town; that he signed Rof-
Films name to a note, made no pre-
tense to disguise his handwriting
| and that he then wrote Rollins .
letter, saying that he had signed
| Rollins name Witness further tes
tilted that when Rollins returned t.
| Asheville witness saw Rollins, ex
planned the matter and that Rollins
signed a note in blank to take up the
note which Breese had signed Rol
Inns name to; the bank failed be
fore the alleged forged" note be
| came due.