The Washington herald., 1916-05-17
RIGGS WITNESSES
DISAPPOINT j. S.
Prosecution Fails to Adduce
Much From Clients Believ-
ed to Have Bought Stocks
TWO PATRONS TESTIFY
Bill Shows Purchase Was Made
Through W. J. Father, Broker"
and Not Through Bank.

| Clients Of the Riggs National Bank
believed to have purchased stock through
the agency Of the bank were introduced
| by the government for the FIRST time yes
terday in the trial of Riggs bankers for
perjury Two patrons Of the bank re-
sponded to subpoenaes issued by the
government Neither apparently satisfied
! the prosecution.
The first client-witness was HonoTa J.
Hoffliger, 13l Maryland avenue northeast.
The bill which the government wanted
her to show and which 1t was supposed
would serve TO incriminate the bank,
revealed that her purchase OF stock had
| been made through william J. Flather,
broker" and not the bank itself. She
could not remember having been given
other letters or papers relating TO the
| transaction.
Lieut.. Col. Chauncey B. Baker was
called to the stand later in the day. He
was subpoenaed to produce a letter and
telegram alleged to have been written by
one of the accused bankers advising the
purchase of Pennsylvania Railroad stock.
! The witness declared he could find neither
of the papers and to a question from At
to-ney Hogan, of counsel for the defense,
replied he had no recollection Of the
transa aCtion.
: Nearly Dozen SubpOenaes.
Tho government had issued nearly a
dozen suhpoenaes for clients of the bank.
Most Of them were unserved and Of those
patrons subpoenaed, but two appeared.
Milton F. Allies, vice president Of the
bank, was called to the witness stand
Yesterday morning. Under subpoena, he
produced a mass Of records and papers OF
the bank Two automobiles were required
to transport the documents and the gov
ernment Immediately began the tedious
task Of presenting them for identification
| by witnesses. Court adjourned with I'd
ward J. Flather, brother OF two OF the
defendants and exchange teller in the
bank, on the stand.
| The spectacular feature Of the day was
a heated passage Of words between At
torney Hogan. for the defense, and AS
sistant Attorney General Fits, assocl-
ated with the prosecution. Vice Presl-
| dent Allies was on the stand and the de-
fense was consistently objecting to the
Introduction Of exhibits after he had
Identified them. After several such oo-
iections, Attorney Hogan noticed that
Fits was smiling and said:
Il seem to be amusing my friend for
some reason or other.
Turning in his chair and leveling his
finger at Hogan. Attorney Fits angrlly
retorted.
'If you will attend to Your own busi-
ness, YOU will get along better II you
had minded your business YOU wouldn
have got these people into all this trou-
BILE"
Among the books and slips brought by
Vice President Allies were several letter
press copy books. These were admitted
as exhibits by Justice Siddons over the
objections Of counsel for the defense.
Exchange Teller Flather was called to
the stand to examine slipe recording
I
were more than 900 such slips and it is
likely each will be examined. This would
require more than a week, It was Calcu-
lated Justice Siddons adjourned court
early that the government might arrange
| the papers for -peditious handling.