Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-27
YOUNG sooKkEEpER INVOLVED
IN BANK EMBELLISHMENTS At
cLARlNpA FACES JURY.
ATTORNEYS IN CASE
CLASH At THE START
Court compeIs Lawyer to Refrain
From Drawing Conclusions in Open
ing Statements Cashiers Placed on
Stand to Show Financial Transao-
tions-court Room Crowded.

cured in district court here late yes
terday afternoon to sit in the trial Of
Guy Brent, the young booklseper
whom the state in an indictment
charges with embezzlement Of funds
from the Clarinda Trust and Savings
Bank during his connection with that
institution for number Of years prior
to June %, 1916.
During the examination of George Il.
Marin, assistant cashier of the Page
County State Bank, Clarinda, Attorney
Stevens made reference in question
to the crowd who are prosecuting Mr..
Brent" This drew warm objection
from Mr.. Mattox, of the states counsel.
Maybe am anticipating q little your
honor" rejoined Mr.. Stevens, but It
will come out in the wash"
Opening statements for !. both the
state and the defense were surprisingly
brief, being concluded within ten min
utes. In opening the states case MIR
Mattox simply read the statements
contained in the Indictment to the jury
and waived any further opening re-
marks, declaring he believed the jurors
would be able to follow the evidence
.lftelligently without further prelimi-
nary statements.
Mitchell and Stevens Clash.
r. S. Stevens had no sooner begun
his opening statement in behalf Of the
defense than he was met with a sharp
objection on the part of Attorney
Mitchell for the state, who, contended
that Mr.. Stevens remarks we're argu-
mentative. The court was inclined to
the states view and after repeated OBJ
jections offered by Mr.. Mitchell to the
line of Mr. Stevens statement, the att
torney finally concluded to dispense
with any further remarks. There was d
warm exchange Of remarks across the
counsel table during 1.-The argument,
much to the apparent delight of the
crowd which filed the court room.
Judge Rockafellow took this occasion
to admonish the audience against such
conduct This is not a place OF
amusement, the judge declared and
warned the spectators against regard
ing it as such.
There will be no evidence offered in
this case that will reflect on the in
Stevens said during the course of his
opening statement
The court room was crowded to its
capacity during all of the afternoon
session. Those unable to find seats
lined the walls and sat lin the windows.
Many crowded inside the court railing.
Brent's mother with his father and
aunt, Mrs. E. A. Crosswhite. of Kansas
City. were seated with the defendant
yesterday afternoon.
i Testimony Begun.
Leslie F.. Finley, said to be the prin-
cipal witness in the state. in its pros-
eeution OF, Guy Brent for embezzlement
Of funds from the Clarinda Trust and
Savings Bank, went on the witness
stand.
Mr.. Finley is assistant cashier of the
bank of which Brent was bookkeeper.
Finley identified five cards. on which
the savings account of young Brent
was kept. These records We're for the
period from Aug. 8, 1910. to June "a
1916 The writing on these was in
Brent's hand, Finley said. The young
bookkeeper kept no checking account.
Finley identified twenty-five debt.
slips and checks against Brent for va
rious amounts. They were marked
paid" with the banks stamp, bur
comparison with the Brent savings ac-
count cards showed that no record of a
payment was made there. This showed,
according to the states claim, that the
money had been paid out, but not
charged to Brent's account.
A fqrther exhibit introduced was the
bank draft register. This showed entry
made for a draft for $500, issued April
5, 1912, and another for like amount
April 80, 1912. The register shows that
these were paid, but Finley testified
he could not find the drafts. !
1t is custom at the bank Finley said,
to write after each draft record the
number corresponding to the month in
which it was paid. The tlgures after
the drafts in question. Finley thought
written in the hand Of Mr.. Spry, the
vice president. who shot himself just
before the indictment Of Brent.
A. F. Galloway, cashier Of the bank
was the first witness, and was on the
stand but few minutes. He testified
that Brent came to the bank in July
1907, at a salary Of $50 month. This
was increased at times until January
1912, when it was made SIS month
1t remained at this figure until June
1916.
- aes