The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-05-22
Man Who Is Under Indict-
ment Himself Occupies
the Witness Stand.
WILL RESUME THE
CHAIR AGAIN TODAY
Total of Four Witnesses
Were Heard During Day
Interest is Intense

Renewed interest was manifested IN
tho trials of the three former officers
u the First National bank in the
United States court yesterday, By the
testimony given BY Thos. ". Brent.
himself under indictment. and who
win, In the natural course % events.
himself face a jury In the federal
court. on similar charges which thu
three men are now facing in the fed
eral tribunal
Three other witnesses were heard AZ
length during the earlier part OF the
day. These were y X Mitchell. an
expert accountant. n. n Raines. a
cartined accountant. and TEos. A
Johnson, receiver % the F.. A. a q.
railroad. These three witnesses Rad
been heard AZ the previous hearing n
the cases. which resulted n q mistriai
because Of the unfortunate condition
n q juryman.
Mr. Brent however had never been
on the stand. and when ID became
noised about the courtroom that ha
sv-sa go asuss tasrs s4and ta4 fsfere-t
became intensr AT who could crowd
I into tire limited seating space ana 50.
and many were standing. while othsua
peered Through the doorways MIR.
Brent Nan on the stand for several
+ hours. and when court was adjourned
I after o'clock IN the afternoon. his
crusa-examinati0n, conducted by Junss
IL y. Carter, had not been completed.
1 The government examined him direct.
/ Mr. Fits taking the role Of examiner.
and points which had been Fa-haahed
/ BY previous witnesses in many in
stances were gone over again. this
1 witness. holding the once II assistant
cashier and a director IN the bank at
the time % It's closing az. having an
intimate knowledwa Of about every
thing q consequence which had trans
pired.
WHY HE OBJECTED.
mr. Brent replying to questions.
told u the objections which he had
raised as 20 the further endorsement
% bills etc. but said Re was out
voted by the other directors. re was
one. and In thu minority, yet after
ne had been overriden hv the other
directors. he said he continued to send
the bills. objectionable q him. out
from the bank.
IN several points In hiu testimony.
witness gave some statements which
touched upon matters not hitherto
covered 40 any point In the trial. He
said that ~ did not beliags the So
curitiea which had been offered by
the keyEeF- Muldon Company. after \
certain period. we're Of sufficient value
20 warrant the bank ahnuIderinR the
obligations. ard be also stated that
he did not believe the securities uf the
Florida a Alabama Land Company
were sufficient. hence his objections
at certain stages. He sad be felt
that he was doing wrong "a furghss
handling the paper q tho two con.
Germs. and had even gone ~ Mr.. Rlount
as legal adviser. IN tha matter. for
counsel Mr. Blount. said Mr. Brent
told him % 60 ahead, ard gave az
reason for such opinion that the hum
Der market would likely shortly oper
again. and little ~ little. the billl
could be worked on T didnt think
u good banking 20 pay or endorss
bills IN order % finance the Keyser.
Muidon Company" witness said
Relative % the contributed divi,
dendsa which had been made 81 th,
| syndicate - warrant the payment o
DIVIDENDS Mr. Brent said that thrr,
had been donated money AZ severe
different times on December az. 1911
? he said. after consulting the minutes
I
d of t25.e0 on June 90, taI2 he said
: another donation - aiss2o was noted
: and witness said that be recalled hav.
ing 20 write up exchange ahead 81
r time % warrant q dividend being de
; clared. He said, Ia reply 70 JudK'
: Carriers questions that he had accept
7 "a his dividend. which amounted 4
Z about 800 on twenty shares ~ stock
and said that he could not gay wheth
!. er NJ Knowles had accepted his divi
/. 6end or not He did know that
cheek covering the amount due 90 Mr
Knowles had been made out but h.
could not say whether there had beef
an acceptance 81 the check however
J re aid not remember however. ~ III
Rnowles declining 70 take ths dividen
. | check
After all witness declared. ne onr