The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-27
Only Three Witnesses Called in
Embezziement Case.
Expert Accountant Excused To
Make q Lecture
MINISTER PUT ON THE STAND
He Says Clarke dresser Con.
fessed Shortage to Him.
No Money Taken When He Was
Out, Witness Said.

f.. d. Mckeeyer, attorney for the
defense, scored strong point in
favor of Clarke Gresser. charged
with embezzling $1,000 from the
Citizens State bank of North To-
pcka, this afternoon in his cross ex-
animation of III. c. Mckinley, book
keeper and assistant cashier, who
was put on the stand by the prose-
cntion.
Mckinley made a statement this
morning that the shortages oc-
CURED on dates when Ed Gresser
was our of the city and submitted
list OF these dates. McKeever pro-
duced the certificates of deposits
register for these dates and from
comparison of handwriting forced
Mckinley to admit that the entries
made on the dates, corresponding
with the dates the witness said Ed
was out of the city. were in the
handwriting of Ed dresser.
Mckinley stated that the list Civ
ing the dates Ed Gresser was out of
the city was compiled by him at the
fnsugatiOn of Ed dresser himself
Indications that the trial of ]. c.
CLARKE" Gresser, charged with en-
bezzling $4,000 from the Citizens
State bank, will last the remainder of
the week in Judge Whitcomb's di-
vision of the district court, were evil
dent today. Proceedings have been
on ever since Monday morning and up
until this afternoon only three wit
nesses had been placed upon the
stand. and only one, M. F. Southwick
president of the bank, had completed
his testimony.
j. D. M. Crockett, the accountant
who audited the banks books, was
on the stand until nearly noon today.
when he was temporarily excused to
keep a lecture date at Kansas uni
IA vxyi1 Hi
testimony tomorrow. Crocket's testi-
mony consisted mostly of detailed
statements as to "errors'' discovered
in the books. This morning Crockett
found himself between two fires. The
prosecution tried to use him to prove
that the money involved in the
shortages had to be taken out be-
fore the daily balances were made up.
Mcke ever tried to get him to admit
that IT would be possible to make the
alterations weeks after the dates at
which they are shown or in some
other way. McKeever succeeded in
tangling things up in a maze of tech
nicalitieS.
Minister a Witness.
H. c. Mckinley, bookkeeper an6
assistant cashier at the bank, and 6
minister of the Church of God, wa:
placed on the stand by Robert Carver
county attorney, when Crockett wa:
|
fled that Clarke" generally kept thu
general books and Ed Gresser, the
brother, usually worked in the cash
ier's cage. Mckinley said the defend
ant confessed to him, saying I'm
sorry. L don't know what in the work
ever made me do it"
Mckinley testified, with the aid o
memoranda, that errors occurred il
the books at numerous times during
| the absence of Ed Gresser. No short
ages, he said, were found on date
that Clarke" was not at the bank
The bank books, Mckinley asserted
are in "Clarke'S' handwriting. In tn,
| course of cross-examination by Nc
! Keever, Mckinley said he the wit
ness) was not under bond. and hat
no personal knowledge whether or no
any of the other officers or employee
were bonded.
Ed GrcSscr Handled Money.
With McKeever questioning, Nc
Kinley stated that Ed Gresser usual,
handled the money after the day
work, counted it and placed it in tn
safe. The witness said Clarke ha,
no combination to the safe and mad
up his books from slips, statement
and notations handed him. Ed, Nc
| Kinley said, was not in the cage" al
the time, and sometimes Clarke
took his place. Whoever was II
! charge, the witness asserted, counte'
! the money and checked up at night.
Mckinley was expected to complet
! his testimony this afternoon, and the1
according to the prosecution, S. S
OFT, an uncle of Clarke" Gresser, wa
to take the stand.