The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1911-06-06
DEFENSE TRIES TO EXPLAIN
EX-CHLEFyS BANK ACCOUNT
Benn, Wappy's Bsother-in-
Law. Says He Gave Him
That $4,000 Which Mrs.
Wappenstcin Deposited.

Gid Tupper or Ed eenn,
Wappys brother-in-law.
The Jury In whose handssies
the fate Of c. w. Wsppenstein,
the er-police chief, must de-
eide between these two. Tire
latter this morning took the
stand. He 10 considered the
chief witness for the defense.
His testimony, however, bars
the possibility Of corroboration,
for II related to strictly conf
Dental relations between Wsp-
penstein and himself.
Tells OF Old Debt.
He told Of an old debit OF
5000 which he owed 10 Wsp-
penstein since 1900. He com
nenced repayine this In April,
1910, and made the last pay
nnent Of $1,000 on August 3, he
said. This is intended to es-
plain WappensteIn's heavy
bank deposits during his term
OF office, as opposed 10 Tup-
per's testimony that he paid
him large sums Of money as
bribes.
Says He Brought $4,000.
Bsnn also teNtified that In answer
TO a telephone call from Mrs. wap.
penstein, his sister, early on tho
OF April IA. In which she
said They are trying TO make trou-
bic for Charlie" he brought SO. 900
from Aberdeen TO be used for ball
money In case he was arrested. lie
deposited $1,000 Of this amount In
Mrs. Wappenstein's credit al tho
Bank OF Commerce, the
other $500 eto his own credit In tho
Seattle National bank.
The defense attempted 10 ex-
plain Mrs. wappenstein's visit to
the safety deposit vaults previous
10 Benn's depositing the $4,000 by.
the testimony OF Benn that he
wanted her to hunt up some tax re-
ceipts for property which she own
ed in Aberdeen, and which he took
care Of.
Under Cross-Fire.
On cross-examinafion Prosecutor
elected from Benn the fact
that Wappenstein kept the note for
which the alleged $1,000 was given
in Benn's own safe In Aberdeen:
that Wappenstein did not deliver
up the note. although full payment
had been made on August 3 by
Benn. until after he lad taken .
trip 10 Aberdeen after he had been
already indicted
Damaging Admissions
Murphy als0 compelled Benn to
state that he drew the $4,000 in
tended for Wappenstein's bail out
OF private vault of his own In his
own building In Aberdeen, and that
no records were kept in this private
vault; that Benn always kept from
S.. 900 10 $4,000 in this private
vault.
And you mean TO say" asked
Murphy. that while you always
kept large sum OF money in this
private vault. you could not pay
Wappenstein his $1,000 which you
had for more than nine years. ex-
cept by small lots every now and
them"
Yes replied the witness. Il
paid him whenever had the money.
! kept his money separately and
loaned II out at. different times. pay
ing him per cent interest He got
the money from my father in 1900
for services he had done during the
panic OF 1898 and for three or four
years after that. He wanted tho
back in the fall Of 1909 for
real estate investments
You never sent him any money
by draft?"
mo. ! always brought II down in
cash"
And the last payment was
August 80"
Yes"
For a real estate investment?"
Yes"
More Admissions.
Isn't 1t fact that Wappenstein
nveseed $4,000 on July &c in Alb
srdeen city bonds, just before you
made the last payment. because he
wanted to invest in real estateg"
The witness was forced to admit
his.s
Benn was formerly the mayor OF
Aberdeen. and a member of the
He said he was worth
rom $4,000 to $4,000. IT'S father.
samuel Benn. he said, was worth
,ver half a million.
AS matter of fact" asked
sirrnhy. you never did use that
5000 for bail money"
Benn replied that he didn't be-
'ause IL was merely a drop In the
,ucket to what was actually need
ed. He is still under cross cxam-
50