Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-22
A||O|Te5,,n,. OATES
nou'' ''''''' 400 1'pp,,
FIRST WITNESS
Reading of Long Indictment in
Graham Case Is Completed
and Opposing Counsel Make
Their Opening Statements
THE DEFENSE OUTLINED
1t VIII lie Claimed Graham Was
Ready to Meet Overdraft When
Amount Was Ascertnincd and That
He Never Tried to Cover Up Anything

Montpelier. Jan. H-There was not much
of interest to the general public in the
progress of the trial of ex-Gov H. +.
Graham in Washington county court to-
day. This morning the reading of the
indictment was completed at 1850 O'Clock
and then former Attorney-General II. G.
Barber made his opening statement to
the jury of what the state Would try to
show. This was completed at noon time
and during the early afternoon. Hale X.
Darling made the statement for the de-
fense. Benjamin Gates, State auditor. was
! the first witness and he had not COM
pleted his evidence, when the evening
recess took place
Mr.. Gates testimony was largely in ex-
PLANTATION Of the vouchers upon which the
prosecution depends to prove that Mr.
Graham defraudef the State. The sums
were from s75 to $500 and covered the
first twenty-seven counts in the ndict-
ment making a total of s3,725, which, it is
alleged the respondent took from the State.
Most of these orders were endorsed by
Mr. Graham and paid by the state treas
urer but some of them We're endorsed by
Graham and Skinner and 61ien paid by
the State treasurer.
! Relative to the first one of the last
named the respondent made considerable
objection to its admission. for it was
| taking the time of the jury and it is
admitted that these orders passed through
Mr.. Grahams hands. On the 1lth order
presented the date was not plain, or was
enormously read by Mr.. Gates, so that
, the objection was taken 20 its introduce
ton as evidence, but it was admitted
subject to the exception of the respond
en'. There appeared to he something
misleading in that the date of Payment
seemed to be some four months after
the drawing while it set up in the
11th count that the order was paid with
in "A few days of the time il was drawn.
An effort to correct the discrepancy in
time was made by reading the order
again.
Court did not convene in the afternoon
until $50 o'clock because of session
behind closed doors in which the state
, ment that Mr.. Darling was to make to
the jury was rehears' ]. sor,e parts of
which were stricken out beforc IL was
made in open court.
Mr.. Darling in making his state
ment said that Mr.. Graham had moth
ing to concede in this case. He called
/ attention to the indictment which
f showed no credit had been given on
account charged to larceny of $500 in
June i'io, pu' MI harper IN MS state
l ineht salo there was an oVerdraft in
t me sum OF Sz4.of Mr.. Archloaid OBJ
l Jecteu TO 'he form OF MI Darling
;,na.. ri, . "
. line be confined TO what tho defensa
would try TO show. Mr. Darling tban
explained to the Jury that balances
were carried on the books indication ~
that Mr.. Graham did not try to cover
up anything and that there had not
been the slightest intent of conceal
ment. He said Mr. Graham was waiting
to obtain the amount of the overdraft
when he went out of office Mr.. Gra-
hams figures were sS,775.41 against
sS,657.10 as claimed by the State. He
added that Mr. Graham acted in good
$ faith believing he was doing right and
/ was ready to meet the demands when
the amount was ascertaned. He ex-
n n hat he fWn -