The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-09-18
News Snapshots
OF the Week
SIMPSONS ARE UNDER
TRIAL IN FEDERAL
COURT At BOISE

The trial of the cases against w. G.
Simpson, president, and S. d. Simp-
son, cashier, of the American National
Bank, was commenced in the United
States district court at Boise Wednes-
day. These men are charged with
criminal liability in connection with
the failure of the bank. The jury
was selected and some evidence sub
mitted Wednesday. The hearing will
be continued from day to day and will
probably take all of this week.
Not until o'clock in the afternoon
was jury selected. The regular pan
Il was exhausted and it was necessary
to make special venire before p
men satisfactory to both sides were
found. The government exercised six
challenges and the defense eight.
A brief opening statement was made
by District Attorney McClear. He
read the indictment on which the men
are held and then made but few re-
marks to the jury The defense waiv-
ed the making of a preliminary state
ment.
Frank A Hill, clerk to the receiver
of the bank, was the first witness on
the stand. He identified minute books
of the banks board of directors,
other bank records, and certificates
of deposit, and they were introduced
as evidence. Michael J. Devers, who
was president of the bank at the time
of its failure, was also put on the
stand and his testimony was along the
same line as that of Mr.. Hill.
w. l.. Baker, cashier of the Month
cello Banking company, Monticello,
KY, told of the institution he repre-
sents loaning to w. G. Simpson TWEEN
ty-hve hundred dollars with certi-
icate of deposit on the now defunct
Caldwell bank as security. He was
the last witness on the stand at the
afternoon session
Charge Against Bankers.
The specific charge against the
Simpsons is that on or about March
81, 1913, at Caldwell, S. D. Simpson as
cashier of the bank issued to w. G.
Simpson a certificate OF deposit for
twenty-five hundred dollars, when w.
G. Simpson did not at the time the
certificate was issued or at any time
have that or any sum on deposit in
that bank
According to the indictment the GER
tihcate of deposit was endorsed by
the Monticello Banking company of
Monticello, KY, the First National
bank of Caldwell, the First National
Bank of Chicago, and the National
bank of Kentucky, Louisville, Ky.
This would indicate that it had passed
through those institutions before it
was discovered that the Caldwell
bank did not have on deposit funds
to secure it,
Brown Takes Hand.
The government charges S. D.
Simpson with violating the national
banking law by the issuance of the
certificate and W. G. Simpson with
being a party to the transaction in
that it is claimed he "abetted, melted
counseled and procured rs. D. Simp-
son to make the transaction.
After the United States district at
torney had made his opening state
ment the examination of witnesses for
the sale was understaken by John R
Smead, who is Mr.. CcClear's assist
ant. Fred Brown, national bank ex-
aminer, was in constant touch with
the attorneys lot tHe government
Former Governor Hawley and w. A
Stone of Caldwell represent w. G
Simpson and c. H. Lingenfelter ant
Judge Atwell of Texas appear for S
D. Simpson.
1t is expected that today and prob
ably part of Saturday will be taken III
with the trial of the Simpsons. I'm
mediately after the conclusion of their
case the court and jury will take III
the case of ]. G. Long, who was alsc
indicted in connection with the fail
ure of the Caldwell bank.
The jury hearing the case consist
of the following:
Charles M. Johnson, Milton A
Coblentz, Everett Goldsmith, Theo