The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-04-22
Bankers Wait Turns

/ AS the exhibits were read. bankers
awaiting their turns on the stand
/ smiled at one another as familiar
/ phrases REQUIRED. The tenor Of the
/ Governors letters to different banks,
/ introduced in evidence. was much the
same.
/ OBrien testified as to difficulties his
/ bank had in attempting TO collect
I notes given by the Governor.
Marines in fulIdress uniforms pa
/ troIled the second floor Of the Federal
Bldg. keeping the curious throng
/ from the courtroom doors.
/ Fred Saint, cashier Of the Farmers
and First National Bank Of Newcastle.
was the first witness today He re-
/ sumed testimony where he left off
when court adjourned Monday after
/ noon.
( lie said his bank had discounted a
$4,000 note in 1922 signed "A. Mess
man & Co" He identified a large
amount Of correspondence with the
I Governor. regarding partial payment
/ and renewal Of this note.
Thought Concern Independent
Saint said that at all times he be-
lieved a. Messnan & Co. was an in
dependent concern and that he did not
know il was connected in any way
with Governor McCray.
The Government will contend that
notes signed "a. Messman & Co"
were in fact made out by the Gov
ernor.
/ In the final analysis the Jury prob
ably will be called upon to decide the
question Of intent Many Of the
/ transactions charged by the Govern
ment will be frankly admitted by the
/ defense, attorneys for Governor Nc
! Cray indicated in discrimination Of
witnesses Monday. but 1t will be con-
/ tended that no intent to defraud was
/ present in any instance.
Trial Moves Rapidly
Evidence the opening day included a
| tremendous mass Of correspondence
and notes. This correspondence
showed that the Governor wrote let
| ters to banks Offering them cattle
paper" which he said represented
sales Of cattle to his customers.
| These notes bore his Endorsement.
/ Makers of these notes were Nc
Cray's own concerns, or were non-ex-
/ istent the Government is attempting
to show.
Testimony that the various cattle
| companies and farms whose notes
were discounted by Governor McCray
were all "one-man affairs was given
by w. F.. Towers, his private secre-
tary in his personal affairs.
Five Bankers on Stand
Five bankers who testified Monday
were: Theodore Wentz, president of
the Lincoln National Bank Of FIT.
WAYNE; Albert G. Wedeking. cashier
of the Dale State Bank, Spencer, Ind;
c. r. Smith, cashier of the Farmers
State Bank of Preble. Ind; c. B. F'itz-
patrick, cashier Of the Dun6irk State
Bank: Fred Saint, cashier Of the New
castle Farmers and First National
Bank.
Two notes sold the FIT. Wayne bank.
one of them a $1,000 note signed
"a. Messman & Co." were identified
by Towers as written, signed and in
dorsed on the back In the Governors
hand. The correspondence from
Went2 consisted mainly of efforts to
have the notes paid after maturity
and threats of law suits.
Correspondence Introduced
Letters to the other bankers said
the Governor held a large amount of
RECOMMENDED cattle paper, to-
which his personal signature added
more than 100000 security, and
asked if this or that bank could use
some" The makers We're good,
said the letters,N as the Governor had
made personal Investigations. Then,
in each case, followed the cor
respondence on paying the notes, the
Governor in many cases saying my
customers are not ready to sell and