Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-23

he examined those books. They were
treated, he said, as individual accounts,
and he talked with Mr.. Glover about
them and reported to Controller Muir
ray their existence in May, 1913.
Mr.. Ham identified the reports he had
made when it was placed in evidence.
One sheet was headed general re-
| marks" Mr.. Hogan said:
This sheet under this heading con-
| tains a number of written-in state
Inents Will 1t be admitted, Mr.. Laskey,
that John SHELTON Williams. the pres
ent controller of the currency, made
these remarksg'
u don't know whether he made them or
not" Mr.. Laskey said.
will it be admitted Mr.. Laskey,
that John shelton Williams. the con-
troiler of the currency, saw those re-
marks"" Mr.. Hogan inquired.
Mr.. Laskey declared they had no rel
evancy at first, but finally said that
he was willing to admit the present
controller of the currency had seen
the remarks.
1t was Immediately understood that
the defense was about to place John
SHELTON Williams on the witness stand.
Mr.. Hogan said he had made an arrange
ment with the district attorney TO eX-
cuse the present controller of the cur
rency when he was first subpoenaed
In the case. with the understanding
that he would be produced in court
when needed. Mr.. Laskey pointed out
that Mr.. Williams did not become con-
trol1er until 1914, and at least for the
time being the defense abandoned the
line of inquiry which seemed to point
to the bringing of Mr.. Williams to the
witness stand.
Remarks" Read to Jury.
Mr.. Hogan then read to the jury the
remarks on the report pointing out
that its date in May. 1918, was two
years before the filing of the affidavit
which brought down upon the heads of
the Riggs Bank officials the charge of
perjury by the government. He brought
out that Mr.. Williams had known of
the remarks for that length of time.
Upon the reading of the report it devel-
oped that Mr. Ham when he was bank
examiner called the attention Of the
controller of the currency to the fact
that Mr.. Glover had stated to him what
the practice was in regard to bank Of
ficials making commissions on stocks
and bonds and on real estate bought
and sold for the banks customers. and
that this practice had been in existence
for forty years.
On cross-examination by Mr. Archer.
Mr.. Ham testified that he knew this
practice existed not only in the Riggs
National Bank in Washington, but that
almost every bank in Washington pur-
sued such system. Mr.. Archer asked
Mr.. Ham why he had called these &C
counts to the controllers attention.
Il knew" Mr.. Ham said, that this
was a new administration. and Mr..
Williams had said that a former ad-
ministration had been going after the
little banking fellows and letting the
big fellows CO."
Mr. Ham was then excuSed
Objects to Term Earning Account"
When Mr.. Reeves took the witness
stand under cross examination. Mr..
Hogan objected to the efforts of Mr..
Fits to personally characterize any &C
count of the bank as an earning ac-
count. Mr.. Laskey argued the point for
the government in support of Mr. Fits
and Mr.; Johnson, for the defense, in
sisted that Mr.. Reeves testify only as
to commission account. Justice Sid
dons sustained the defense.
MIR. Reeves reiterated that the ac-
counts on the Riggs National Bank
books which are in question were car
ried in the name of Glover and Flather
and Father and Father on his advice
while he was bank examiner here On
redirect examination by Mr. Hogan
NAT. Reeves stated that the Riggs Ma
washington where officials were not
taking profits from transactions made
for customers for their own personal
pockets. and that he had never found a
crooked transaction of any character in
the Riggs National Bank.
Jury Is Sent From Room.
After arguments in which almost all
the attorneys on both sides took part.
Justice Siddons sent the jury out of the
room at &the afternoon session of the
trial. The court refused to allow the
defense to place in evidence letters
written and signed under oath in 1914
and later by officials of the bank to
the controller of the currency which
letters, the defense said, would show in
complete detail that the bank officiaIs
mad acquainted the controller of the
currency with every circumstance in
connection with the stocks and realty
commission accounts of the bank off,
Gals, long before they made the affi-
davit on which the government has
made the perjury charge
the letters were offered, the defense
said, to prove that when the hank Of
fcials swore that the bank officials did
not deal in q ocks they swore so hon.
estiy, as detailed in the letters. and
because the bank officials had never at
tempted to conceal the circumstances
soAIhiSoiou accounts, 1naSmuCh
as they had communicated all the facts
under oath to the controller in 1914 and
later. Oil"
The government has charged that the
bank omcials have attempted to con-
ceai the circumstances of the commits
sion accounts. The government object
ed to the letters on the ground that
they were "self-serving" and could not
actually prove the truth or falsity of
the perjury charge, inasmuch as they
were signed by interested persons.
When Justice Siddons ruled the letters
OUT counsel for the defense took exception
and Mr.. Hogan announced that he won,d
read the letters Individually and formally
oher them as evidence to get them into
the record, notWithsta nding the fact that
the letters were ruled out. Justice sid
ions then sent the jury out of the room
First Witness for Defense.
The testimony of Mr.. Reeyes Wa. h.
gun yesterday afternoon, he being the
hrst witness called by the defense. He
testif1ed that the famous "commission
accounts in the names Of Glover and
Father. representing stock and bond
sale and purchase commissions and
tlather and Flather, representing earn
ings on real estate transactions. vera
opened on the books Of the bank at his
direction while he was the bank ex-
aminer for this District This direction.
he said, had been on the orders of the
controller OF the currency at that time
John Barrett Ridgeley, and that the
then controller had first sought the
legal advice of the solicitor of the