The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-04
Farmer Big -Four 1TeasuTl
&c Cool Of Way
He RObbau Rainad
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
Fri UNACtOUNTED Fol
WARMERS story Is Very surprlsin
to tho Lawyers in the Cnse Dut
They Fail TO Catch Him in
Any Traps.

Cincinnati, Ohio. February "a clah
OF embezzlements involving three nie-
extending over many years, and fnali
eliminating in the almost wholesale loot
ing Of the Big Four railway treasury
was the startling story told by Charlie
l. Warriner, defauting local treasure
of the road. in his testimony today il
the trial of Mrs jeanette Stewart FoR
for blackmai.
Warmer represented himself as a mas
pouring out gold with both hands, an
in ever-increasng amounts, TO kee,
sealed the mouth of the woman, who
through her infatuation for one of ia,
alleged embezzlers, +. S. Cooks, hst
learned the secret.
Frank Comstock, MARINERS predeoes-
sor as local treasurer. was declared 10
be the third man.
Calmly and in unrufhed tones Warriner
told the almost incredible story. It was
his fourth and last day on the witness
stand. for when the court adjourned Ills
examination was concluded. Only twice
during that time did the man allow his
marvellous composure to desert him. aud
then only for few brief moments.
According to the witness. when he as
sumed office as local treasurer in 1902 he
learned that Cooke was short in his ac-
counts $4,000. He also learned that his
predecessor, Comstock, was short $1,000,
he said. He himself was a defaulter. lie
admitted, and to prevent the crime from
being discovered he engaged to conceal
the thefts of the two former officials.
In the story of the gigantic theft there
is one question which has never definite
.ly answered itself, and the attorneys to-
day made another futile effort to Obtain
the solution. What become of the s64so~
which Warriner confessed to havips
stolen is the, question. 1t is known he
paid S16sOO0 in blackmai and $4,000 hac
been stolen by others than himself.
The remainder of $442.0Oo is explained by
Warriner as having been lost in specu'
lation.''
Although he knew exactly the
amount embezzled and the approximat,
amount of hush money" paid, to a.
questions as to his investments hs
replied that he could not recollect how
much money he had put into any par
ticular enterprise. lie reiterated mo.
notonously that he could not recol'
lect" until his questioners became dis
A lurid light was turned on the tale
VIII en- the letters of Cooke to Mrs. Ford
were read to the court. In one let
ter Cooke wrote that 20. H." wa;
threatening to expose him If he did
not abandon Mrs. Ford. Warrinei
stated that 20. H." stood for 'old hag'
and was the name Cooke used for his
wife in his communications to Mrs.
Ford
Ford to have nothing to do with 9th
er men unless there is big money
In it,"
The Judge would only permit ex-
cerpts of the letters to be read on
account of the expressions with which
they abounded.
During the reading of the letters
Mrs. Ford endeayored to conceal her
face and wept continually. The let
ters were written in an extremely
passionate vein and teemed with sa-
lacious expressions and suggestions.
Frequent references were made by
Cooke to Comstock, who, according to
the witness, was said to be on intimate
terms with Mrs. Ford. Several other
names were mentioned. all of whom,
it is alleged, visited the woman.
Attorney TIL orndyke at the conclusion
of testimony attempted to force from
Warmer that his relations with Mrs.
Ford had been more than friendly.
At the conclusion of the cross-exam-
ination the attorneys for the prosecu-
ton resumed the direct examination.
Nothing new was developed and Warrin-
err was excused from the witness stand
shortly before court adjourned
Hewett Ignores ca -.
Cincinnati. February S-P A. Hewett,
who Charles l.. Warriher oday testi-
fed was an auditor of the Big Four
railroad during the latter's defalcations.
declined to discuss WARMERS state
ment that the shortage might easily have
been discovered.
II see no necessity of discussing Mr..
WARMERS statement either in or out OF
the court room.'' he said
1t was learned today that Mr.. Hewetts
connection with the railway ended Feb
ruary I. 1t is reported here that he is
to become auditor of the New York Cen
trail clearing house at Buffalo, n. Y. The
institution clears all the earnings of tho
New York Central fast freight lines.
Never Received a Dollar.
Chicago, February 3.-"We never re-
cefved a dollar from Charles L.. War;
riner,'' was the statement made by
Edgar s. Cooke here today. He lied
when he testlned tnat ne gave us more
than 100000
The statement was echoed by Mrs.
Cooke.
II believe Warringer must have been
out of his mind when he said that had
received more than $780, 900 from him not
to expose his shortage" continued Mr.
Cooke II never knew that Warmer
was short until I read about it in the
newspapers. My record is clean | was
chief clerk under Warriner and my books
show that l do not owe the Big Four
railroad a dollar