The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-03-20
President of Defunct Pensa-
cola State Bank Given Trial
in Court of Record
JURY REMAINED
OUT FOUR HOURS
Case Consumed all OF Yes
terday, w. Clyde Roberts.
Cashier of the Bank,
Being the States Principal
Witness-Mr. Brawner
Took the Witness Chair as
Last Witness for Defense.

I'VE, the jury, md the defendant
not guilty"
This verdict, rendered at $40 o'clock
last night concluded the case OF tha
state versus r. K. Brawner. president
OF the Pensacola State bank. now de-
funct, on the charge OF misapplying
the funds OF that institution. The
specific instance was an overdraft or
about $4,000, allowed the Brawner-
Riera. Co, of which firm Mr.. Brawner
was also the head. Tho case was a
hard fought one throughout and con
sumed the entire day. County Solic-
itor Scott NJ. Loftin appeared for the
state and conducted q vigorous prose
cutIon, while G. Moreno Jones ana
Philip ID. Beall appeared for the de-
fense and were equally as vigorous in
fighting for every inch OF ground
The most damaging testimony given
against the defendant was given by
w. Clyde Roberts, cashier of the bank
up to within a few months OF it's fail
ure and who stated that the Brawner-
Riera Co. account was continuously
overdrawn for months. Knowles Hyer.
a member of the finance committee of
the bank, was also a strong witness
for the state, stating that he had pro-
tested permitting the BrawnFr- Iiiera
Co. overdrawing its account rpptin
uously and oppcsipK klls cyFaarnf pt
5000.
Z Late ri fssB 4lft
took the witness stand III his behalf
and was questioned at length by his
attorneys about the condition OF the
bank, and then cross examined by the
county solicitor. The state endeavorod
to prove the Brawner- Riera Co. was
insolvent when the overdraft was per-
mitted and that Mr.. Brawner knew
of this fact but the witness disclaimed
any such knowledge and declared the
firm was perfectly solvent when this
and other overdrafts were allowed, ana
that security had been given with each
overdraft.
A JURY SELECTED. 3
The selection of a jury was not aa
troublesome. as anticipated, and the
following were sworn to hear th@
case and determine the guilt or inno-
cence of the defendant: Charles Seely.
w. A. Chandler, William Otto, Frans
Langley, w. L. Sims, and O. A Flow
ers. Solicitor Loftin then read the
charging rnisapplication
OF the banks funds and outlined the
case of the state. He was followed
by c. Moreno Jones for the defense,
HuO oAOAb AdAh W AtAV JNAFH
The first witness was then called in
the person OF w. Clyde Roberts.
cashier of the bank up to within few
months OF its failure.
Regarding the overdrafts of the
Brawner-Riera Co. Mr.. Roberts said
the account or this firm was over
drawn continuously during the time he
was cashier OF the bank, and that he
declined to approve the checks OF the
Brawner -Riera Company and sent
them to Mr.. Brawner, that he told
Mr.. Brawner that he would not APP
prove this large overdraft because he
did not think II good policy. He said
he told Mr.. Brawner that something
ought TO be done about the Brawner-
Riera account and that Mr.. Brawner
said he thought the overdraftg would
be paid. Witness said the overdraft
dater back to May, 1913, that tina
amount nuctuated from time to time.
but continued 70 exist continuously
from May until he left the employ OF