Evening journal., 1917-08-24
PLUMBERS Held ON
SERIOUS CHARGE
Testimony Shows Alleged
Conspiracy to Deiraud
Speakman Co.
COMPANY DRIVER
ALSO INVOLVED

George L. Dorsey and Stephen A. Smith.
local plumbers, were held under 5000
bail each in Municipal Court this morn
ing on a charge Of conspiracy to de-
fraud the Speakman Supply and Pipe
Company. The men We're first ar
raigned on a charge Of receiving stolen
goods, but after hearing the evidence
The court directed that the charge DO
shanged to conspiracy to defraud Then
The stolen goods charge was dropped
Elmer Steigler testified that he had
both 4givon and sold under cost 10 the
defendants, pipe and plumbing sup
plies, for which he received money for
himself, but none for the company.
from the defendants. He said that this
practice began last November and that
it was done at the instigation II Dorsey
more than Smith. He swOre that Dor
sey had made arrangements with him
whereby the witness would give or sell
at nominal price to Dorsey, plumbing
material, send it TO DOrsey's shop and
receive 80 or $40 tip for goods worth
two or three times that amount.
Witness said that in February he
gave the men bag of fittings worth
about 500, and as it went from I'D
TO worse he informed the company L
sales manager. He said that the ar
rangements were made between Dorsey
and himself. and that both defendants
knew the goods were TO be stolen from
the company. They paid him his tip
each time they got material, he said
al oil IS Nru 81 fHrf
were made in the store during business
hours.
Norman Woodward. formerly a clerl
at the Speakman stores, testified thai
Dorsey had approached him last No
vember and December, and, telling hin
that as ne "made but small wages h'
easily could make some extra dollars
by selling material 70 him under cost
lie said he had done this many times
James ]. Mannering testified tha
Dorsey and Smith asked him to pa
some defective sinks and some sol
pipe in their wagon and they'd max
it all right with me-" arhis was sna
terial taken from the storehouse of tn
company. He, too said Dorsey ap
preached him with the small salar,
sympathy and the promise OF monel
Tor material.
"They knew 70 was TO be stoler
stun" he said because they mad
arrangements with myself the drive
and themselves. was 90 get the stun
tho driver was 10 deliver it 10 thei
place, they were 10 pay me and wa
TO pay the driver. He 'the driver go
about $40 or si5 out Of it. He didn'
get much. They got mo 10 steal tn
stun for them, and what money the
paid me was 10 be mine and not 10 e
10 the company and they knew an
arranged that"
Joseph Wcatherby gave similar tes
timony. Witness. said that his "smal
salary was TO be filled in by Dorsey an
Smith paying him about half tn
value Of the goo1s he stole for them.
The court refused the motion of dis
missal made by Attorney Robert G
Harman representing the men, an
held each under $1,000 bail in the con
spiracy charge.
Alexander Hothwcll. the Negro drive
involved. was held under S5O0 bail 70
trial on the charge Of larceny of pipe
delivered 10 Dorsey and Smith. afte
Mannering had repeated his testimon
as given in the other case. Sieigle
corroboratod Mannering. Several other
are under similar bail for trial in con
nectlon with the same case.