New-York tribune., 1914-11-16
Prosecutor Plans Picture
of Rush to Destroy
Books in Case.
SAYS DEED OCCURRED
ON EVE OF CRASH
Third Man Who, II Is Alleged,
Saw Partners Tear Up Evi-
dence Will Testify.
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Geneseo. y. Y. Nov. 15.-This Is the
picture the prosecution in the Siegei
case will present to the jury when the
trial Of the former merchant is re-
sumed tomorrow:
"All the night Of December 2s, 1slS'
two men labored at a work Of destruc-
ton in the Offices ot Henry Siegei and
Frank A. Vogel in the silence and soli-
tude Of their gres. deserted depart
ment store. Hour after hour they
toiled in the destruction of papers and
checks and carried away heavy ledserS
Of telltale figures.
when they finally went away IN the
early dawn OF the next day they we're
hopeful they had left the mass OF jun
bled bookkeeping figures so full OF gaps
that the threads Of those allegedly fsl-
sified accounts could never be un-
tangled TO spin a net OF evidence
against them.
But il happened, the state says, tnat
with those men was a third. and Il was
announced by a member OF the Siegel
prosecution here to-day that this third
man will go on the witness stand for
the state and tell how Siegel and Nogel
toiled all night destroying the records
Of their financial legerdemain.
"We have found some fragments OF
the checks they tore up, said prose-
cution aid, land these will be intro
duced in evidence TO piece out the
story. Many Of the ledgers are miss
ing. and many Of the checks that would
show how loans were made by the bank
70 the stores in split checks.
These missing portions OF evidence
have made the case more complex ana
difficult. But all the hundreds OF
pounds Of books they could not destroy,
and we have been able 70 piece to-
cether s convincing damaging tale Win
what we have. ,
"Thev started on the destruction Of
evidence the night before the business
crash came, or they might have MADE
away with more.
these records is not criminal IN itself,
but the inference from it is unavoid-
able that they had something serious
70 destroy or they would not have
spent all night doing it.
Another bit Of new evidence that has
come into the hands Of the prosecu-
tion is the allegation that Count Carlo
Dentice di Frasso, who married SlegePs
stepdaughter. invested $4,000 IN the
Siegel Stores Corporation. tbs thought
that $4,000 will fully cover the dowry
Sieeel gave his daughter.
Frank Z. Champion, SiegeIs conn
Dental bank manager, Will continue on
the stand to-day, telling how round
sums were conveyed 10 the various
stores through devious channels by
gplit checks from the bank.
He will be followed by Robert Nc
Neekin. secretary Of the Slegel stores
Cornor,tion. the man whom, when
he saw trouble coming, Siegel, II IS
said. asked 70 look up the law and mo
out i'm what country he would be safe
he will tell, IL IS understood, now
emploves who held stock were PAID
full value for il, toward the end OF
keenirr them loyal. He also will bring
out the fact. according TO the prcsecu-
ton. that Siegel was mo closely IN
touch with the situation than his part
ner Nogel.
Through these witnesses it i.
planned TO introduce a great many
more Of the defunct concerns ledgers
IN evidence. Should the defence sue.
c,ed in preventing the introduction OF
the books through these men, on the
ground that they did not pc-sonally
make the entries. the next move OF
the prosecution will be 10 subpoena as
many as possible of the $50 people who
worked on the books, instead of only
the twelve now counted on.
"We intend to get the con -ents OF
those ledgers in evidence" said mem
Der Of the prosecution, IF 1t takes two
years"
1t is estimated that the trial is cost.
ing New York County at the rate OF
something like $4,000 a month.