The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-07-23

The evidence in the Indiana Steel
company's timekeepers' payroll fraud
cases will all be In this afternoon be-
fore Judge White and there is little
doubt but whnt BloomhoR and CaId-
well, who are said to be implicated In
the case, will be bound over to the
higher courts. This WINS intfmatfon
that was given by one who has followed
the evidence closely I'm the case from
the beginning.
/ This morning Chief Timekeeper Mig
ard, of the steel company, was placed
on the stand and explained the sys-
tenn of tfme<eeping and checking as
conducted Mt the steel mills. He knew
nothing of the frauds.
Chief of the Indiana Steel company's
police, Emerson L. Bowser, was next
put on the stand. He testified that
Thomas had told him on the night he
was arrested. that he (Thomas) had
paid Caldwell the sum of s72 which he
had collected through the checking
system. -
Chief Bowser said he himself did not
know very much about the case. he
having left the investigation to Chief
Auditor L. w. MacNamee and Chief
Clerk A. NJ. Roberts.
At o'clock yesterday afternoon Spe-
clal Judge White continued the case
until Monday morning at o'clock. The
case was taken up again today by
agreement.
| L. NJ MacNamee, general western au-
ditor of the United States Steel corpor-
alton. was on the stand most of the
day telling of the accounting system
within the plan. Attorneys for the de-
Tense brought out the fact that 1t
might be possible for any one of a half
hundred people to steal from the com
pany.
Evidence introduced so far by the
steel company tends to show that the
company was robbed, but 1t has not
been established who did the stealing
Quite a sensation was caused when
the grand larceny case of Foreman
Walter Thomas was called He was
also arrested with the timekeepers on
the conspiracy charge and when the
first case was ready for trial the war
rants and affidavits were found to have
been mysteriously stolen from the court
lfles. Deputy Prosecutor Hunter claim
ed that he had nolle posed the first
case, but it as not on the court rec
ords.
The preliminary, hearing of Time
keepers Charles B1oomhuff and John
Caldwell and Foreman Walter Thomas
4 who are charged by the Illinois Stee
company with conspiracy to commit
grand larceny, bids fair to be a LONG
drawn out case. Last evening the sec
lond day was closed with only the first
act staged and while the corporation
has so far shown that thievery ha.
been committed. it has seemingly beer
unable to establish the guilt of the de
PENDANTS.
Auditor MacNamee on Stand.
Yesterdays principal witness in the
hearing before Special Judge Emmett
White was Auditor MacNamee, wht
told in detail the system of accounting
in vogue at the steel plant Mr.. Mac
Nance was on the stand several hours
How the Men are Paf0.
It developed that when a man quit
the employee of the company that h.
surrenders his brass number check t,
the timekeeper who gives him signe,
Identification slip to be presented T.
the company's cashier who thereupol
ISSUED pay check.
Some of the timeslips introduced
were signed by Bloomhuff. but Audito
MacNamee was not positive whether
was his signature or not. 1t was ais
brought out by the defense that 1t coul
be possible for others to forge time
keepers signature and that Their
could be leaks from a good man.
sources
A Chance for Leaks.
The timekeeping system at the stee
plant is very complicated. When
man enters the company's employee h
IS given number and a brass identi
fcation check bearing the number
Every morning and evening befor