The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-20

of the bookkeeper and officers of the
bank in general was attacked, the Wit
ness admitting that Fay Elliott, book
keeper, j. w. Beech, vice president,
and H. Savage, another director who
was in the bank a good deal. were
worse than Pickens, which he con-
sidered was pretty bad.
Four drafts for a considerable sum
had been covered up" by arbitrary
entries, he said, and changes in ledger
entries Later he testified that most
of the arbitrary entries were false en-
tries, and that as a general rule such
entries were false.
Did you find the bookkeeping in
bad shape?' he was asked.
1.-The worst I have ever SEEM was
the response.
How lax was the bookkeeping?
1T was very lax
WAS Elliot, the bookkeeper, ever
as much as 10 days behind with his
entries, and did you not learn that
there were times when as many as
1000 checks had been paid and not
entered on the individual accounts"
demanded Attorney Sheppard. The
witness denied such knowledge.
Didn't you know Elliot was just
grocery clerk before he went into
the bank?' persisted the attorney. The
witness again denied any knowledge
on the subject.
Did you investigate PickenS char
acter?'' then was asked.
IT didn't need to-"
Pfckens Had Good Character.
you found he was good to his
family, strictly temperate, and had no
bad habits?''
Eyes, I knew he had a good charac-
ter"
you learned he spent a large
amount of his time outside the bank
on the banks busin eSS?"
81 knew he spent some time in that
way"
officers, spent a good deal of time with
Elliott in the bank ?"
Yes, he was of less use to the
bank than Elliott. He knew nothing
about banking"
And Beech, another of the officers,
was also incompetent"
yes"
Many Incompetents.
when Pickens was out the bank
was left in charge of Savage, Beech
and Elliott?''
Yes"
AFTER Pickens left, and before the
bank was closed, the institution was
in their hands?"
"How much was paid out in the ten
days before the bank was closed af-
ter Pickens left %
ct have no idea
did Beech Or Savage carry out any |
notes from the bank during that
timer
ST don't know
The questions then were turned to
the time Pickens first bought into the |
bank, while it was the Citizens State |
bank of Thayer, and the witness was
asked if Pickens was experienced in |
banking at that time. He said he |
learned he was not.
eff Mr.. Slaughter, who sold to !
Pickens, turned the bank over to IN |
Pickens vas there not a |
q broken
when none of the pass books were ex-
anime 2"
YES
There was a chance for an inexperi- |
enced man to go from the state to |
national bank with broken bank?''
Yes"
The court interpoAed a question to ask
N whose favor were the Irregularities /
n bookkeeping testified to, and the wit
hess said they were always, with rev
a gainst the interests of the |
oank He said that the bylaws of the
,ank made the cashier, in this ease
oickens, responsible for the business OF
he institution.
What did you mean by arbitrary
ntries'?' demanded Major A. M. Har-
-ey, for the prosecution.
entries Didn't Represent Transactions
set meant entries that did not repre-
ent the transactions"
IT'S there any difference between an
rbitrary entry and false entry?"
1T usually means the same"
Counsel for the defense demanded to
now the contents of a letter alleged to
ave been written by Edgar Rash, at
resent managing the bank, to the wit
less, in which it is said that the writer
rged the conviction of Pickens "for the
est interests of the bank" The witness
rst refused to answer, and then de-
led ever having seen such a letter.
Wy ToI,-
ositors in the baEk, were called to
how that entries had been made on
heir pass books which never were
made to their credit on the books Of
he bank.
There is no intimation as to where the
money, alleged to have been secured
rom the bank, went. Pickens has been
hown to have borne a good character
nd no connection with any gambling
r stock transaction has been shown !
Where the money went is a question
he defense is trying to show that the
hortageS occurred through bad book