The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-11-06


ion NGtional hank, that Chris Haze
meier was only notified once. concern
ing the6esoverdrafts and that. all these
other overdrafts that have been testi-
Ned to. were only known by Miss
Bentlage who did practically Ill the
banking OF the company. The only
times Mr.. HASemeder w1s notified Of
the overdrafts were several days be-
fore the death Of Miss Bentlage and
even then his unbounded confidence in
the bookkeeper prevented him from
becoming Suspicious.
Books Showed OaIanees
How could Chris Hasemeier have
known Of these overdrafts when he
was never told and whe nthe books of
the company ~ kept by Miss Bent
lage ON the same dates ~ the over
drafts showed large balance. No
doubt he did ask Miss Bentlage about
the financial affairs Of the. company,
quite frequently and he has told you
that he always took her word for It
why, Lizzie Bentlage's word was
O. X. around the store. Those very
words were the testimony of one Of
the witnesses and why should Chris
have doubted her" -
Mr. Jessup then read from the let.
ter which was written to Mr.. Hase-
meier by Miss Bentlage on the even
ing before she committed suicide. As
he read he gave his explanation Of ev-
cry sentence in the letter.
when she wrote that letter she did
not contemplate suicide" he said.
why she says ~ the last written
statement she ever made, will finish
telling you. as it is 80 hard to explain
on paper. ..-
This statement shows that she did
not contemplate suicide and WAS sure
ly writing that letter to confess her
guilt thinking that by the next day,
when she could see him face to face.
she would have enough courage to tell
him ALL This she did not have and
resulted in her taking her own life.
+ Records Deny Statement.
1.-The statement made in the letter
that each year has shown . decrease
was denied by the records ~ shown
before you here on the board"
The attorney went into detail show
ing how each statement made In the
letter concerning the financial condi.
ton OF the store was not borne out by
the statement Of the finances as shown
on the company's books In her hand.
writing. .. ....-s
You jurymen will no doubt ask your.
selves why this suit was brought ow'
ing to the fact that there Is mot en-.
ough money in the estate to pay the
claim" continued the attorney. "Busi.
ness honor and integrity made 1t nee.
essary for the Hasemeiers to bring
this suit"
when Mr.. schlautterbach was first
called to make the audit, the Hase.
meters were not aware Of the fact that
shortage existed. Only few min
utes were required to prove to the &C
countant that the books had been tai
sified."
Shortage Revealed.
"A more detailed examination was
made and 1t proved that q large short
age existed. Tho president OF the
company then went to the administra
tor of the estate presented his claims
and asked for q settlement. giving the
administrator opportunity Of examin
ing the true state of affairs. --
1.-THE claim was refused. II these
claims had not been carried forward
by Mr. Hasemeier 1t would have beer
an admission that he robbed hil
OrOtnere OF the money. "A Unreal wal
made to prove the claim which result
ed in bringing this suit You 1urymen
would hold contempt for a man who
would make a claim and then be afraid
to back it in court. This was the case
with Mr.. Hasemeier.
What evidence in this case has
proven anything that Mr.. HasemeieI
has said is not the truth? The case
is not predicated on the inventories
which have been made SO much ovei
by the defense. who alleges that they
had been padded 1t is entirely or
, the cash books which is a record OF all
money received and expended. OF
course Miss Bentlage should not be
held responsible for money spent by
the Hasemeiers, but all Of this money
has been shown on the ledger and hat
nothing to do with the shortage on the
cash books.
mot a bit of evidence has been
presented by the defense to prove tina.