The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-22
ADMITS HAMMOND
TOOK BAGS T0vAUtT.
switching Done in Basement Where
Accused Could Have Had No
Chance, Says Lawyer.

The nne weather, combined with a
desire to get a glimpse OF the young
4 man. Chauncey W. Hammond. who, the
prosecution contends. was clever
enough to get away with two satchela
containing $4,000 belonging to the
EMF Co, brought out number OF
women In Easter finery when Ham
nond's trial was resumed in Judge
Fhclan's court, Monday morning. Tho
women occupied practically an entire
row of seats In the lobby and followed
the proceedings closely.
Hammond's attorneys feel greatly
encouraged over the discrepancies
which developed Saturday In the tes-
timony OF w. F. Rambo and +. A
Lude.
Eve viii admit" said Attorney Mis-
tersky. that Hammond carried TO the
vault OF the First National bank, from
the committee room In the basement,
two grips which he supposed con-
ninsd the payrolls for plants Nos. 8
and &. II the grips were switched. the
switching must have been done before
Hammond took hold of them, and
while they were still in the committee
room. And We vii! try 10 show that
this switching could not have been
done by Hammond"
Substituted Satcheis In Evidence.
Continuing the direct examination
of Mr.. Lude, paymaster OF plant No. 3,
Monday morning, Prosecutor Van lille
introduced in evidence the two satch-
els which, il Is alleged. were substitute
ed for the satcheis containing the pay
rolls for plants and 4, the mutilated
fragments OF the original grips and
two bundles of torn and soiled en-
velopes, which had contained the
money stolen. Ludge identified all
the exhibits. The prosecutor also In
troduced the cash trays used in max
ing up the pay rolls on the day In
question, a bulky, box-like AFFAIR.
which was, In turn identified by the
witness. The substituted grips. with
their load of limestone. were submit
ted to the jury for inspection after
Lude had described how. when he no
ted the new appearance OF the grips
taken from the vault the following
morning, he had opened them and
found only rocks.
4 so you didn't pay of with those
grips that morning. queried the
prosecutor ass ssRT
mo. we did not" answered Lude,
without cracking a smile.
On cross-examination by Attorney
Murtha. Lude said he had been in the
employ of the EMF since March.
1909 before coming to Detroit he
was employed as motorman in To-
ledo for about two years. Mansfield,
o.. was hfs home town. Though still
with the EMF, II developed that he
is no longer paymaster OF plant No.
sstyfs.ss a4att.sasas..er 500 s..n
1--WE now have one paymaster for
all the plants, he explained. The
change was made about a month ago"
Were you under bond as paymas-
tereg
II was for time The bond was
cancelled without my knowledge some
time prior to Nov. 10"
Are you able to tell us why it was
cancelled"
mo, am not"
Lude said Hammond, on the after
noon of the robbery. had requested
permission 10 assist in making up the
pay. roll and the witness had assented.
He understood. he said. that Ham,
mond was supposed TO continue on the
Job until after this pay, notwithstand-
ing his resignation.
Discrepancy Pointed Out.
Murtha flashed on the witness the
latter's police court testimony, in
which he stated positively that Rambo
and Whiting were with him in the
committee room when Hammond
came back, looking for his gloves, and
took up the satchels. Saturday he tes-
titled, and reiterated the statement
Monday morning, that he did not re-
member whether Rambo was In the
room or not. Rambo's testimony is
that he was In the wash rvom when
the grips disappeared and mat Ham
mond left without taking the grips bs-
fore he (Rambo) stepped across the
hall to the wash room.
Lude testified that about eight min
utes elapsed from the time Hammond
left with the grips until the witness
and Rambo arrived In the vault with
the trays and the rest OF the para
phernalia used In making up the pay
roll. He saw two satchels In a corner
Of the vault and supposed they were
the ones he had seen Hammond take
from the committee room.
Lude left the stand at 1875 o'clock
and was succeeded by William H.
Whiting. assistant to W. +. Rambo,
paymaster OF plant Ne L.. He was
head timekeeper OF plant No. 4 at the
time OF the robbery. His testimony
was substantially a repetition of
Lude's as far as the examination pro
ceeded before the noon adjournment.
He said he was putting on his coat
when he heard someone ask to be al
lowed to carry up the grips He turn
ed and saw Hammond pick the grips
up and leave the room. At ais point
an adjournment was taken until 2
o'clock. Whiting was not asked as to
whether Rambo was present when
incident occurred.