New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-10-17

account No. Is. and that remains OF
the books until March II. 1928
which was = few days before Wat
kins' hight. when he was entered up
on the books as cancelled.
Exposes Watkins
Nov. this check that was sent Il
Mr.. Hurley. If Your Honor please
l think.-to show the methods un'
der which Watkins did his bushes.
1T was dated Hartford. Conn.
1-1s-eS; 1t was payable to the order
of Robert Hurley for $1,17l.s0. and
it was signed r. w. Watkins, and
NJ A. Connors, cashier. 1t is a
Winthrop Gregory & Company
check. and it was endorsed on the
back Robert Hurley" think 1t is
Robert T. Hurley. but at any rate. II
il Robert Hurley on the back.
Now. the significant thing to me,
if Your Honor please. and one of the
transactions that mystifies me Is the
fact that that check did not go
through apparently the bank &C
count OF Mr.. Hurley. but It bears the
endorsement Of having been cashed.
That is large sum of money. 1t Is
large check to cash, but. appar-
emily it was cashed and what became
of the money. Of course. ! don't
know, but ] know that it. to employ
a phrase that was often used during
the war-there was a phrase used !
think with the respect to the sinking
of ships in mid ocean, as follows:
'Spurlos versenkt'. sink without
trace, and it seems to ME that that
check was cashed in order that the
transaction might be sunk without
trace"
Egan Knew Woman Used Alias
Mr.. Alcorn dealt at length with
Mr.. Egan's association with the case
as follows.
Now, if Your Honor pleases. i
said at the outset that it was my
duty to reveal to Your Honor every
fact which / regarded as essential
to Your Honor in the disposition OF
this case.
Mr.. Egan was attorney for The
National Associated Investors: ne
was also attorney for Watkins and
he was also attorney for Winthrop
Gregory & Co. Now. just before
Watkins fed the State OF Connect-
cut, which occurred on April 5. OF
1928. a check was drawn-a draft
signed by Frank II. Mcmahon. as
sistant treasurer of the Riverside
Trust Co. under date of March II,
1928 for $4,000. No. 2s21l was
drawn to the order Of NJ. E. Tressler.
That draft was endorsed M. E.
Tressler', who was Margaret E. Wat
kins, the wife of the accused, and
was endorsed by Roger w. Watkins.
That draft was taken to New York,
and lacking proper identification,
the cashing Of that draft was re-
fused and it was brought back to
Hartford. taken to the bank, and
there it was cancelled. Then. on
April I'd, which was two days be-
fore the fight of Roger w. Watkins.
another draft was prepared at the
Riverside Trust Co. signed by
Frank H. Mcmahon, assistant treas
urer. dated April .. 1928, pay to
the order of NJ. Z. Tressler. $4,000.
and the bank. on the back OF that
draft are the endorsements of NJ.
E. Tressler and William E. Egan.
Now one of the vices of that
transaction, as ! see 1t. and it is all
in line with the conspiracy OF Wat
kins to not only defraud the public
but to enmesh and embarrass every
body with whom he came in contact
who had any Influence at all. was
the fact that NJ. f. Tresslar. who
endorsed that draft directly over
Mr.. Egan's signature. was none
other than Margaret E. Watkins, the
wife of the accused. and Mr.. Egan
must have known that Margaret f.
Watkins, when she signed that NJ
+. Tresslar was signing a fictitious
name or using at least an alias
Now, on that day. il Your Honor
please, 100000 OF that $4,000 was
given in cash to Mr.. Watkins: $780,
900 was endorsed. as have already
indicated. and was deposited In an
account which was opened by Mr..
Egan in his own name in the River
side Trust Company and immediate
ly a check was drawn to cash for
$4,000: the cash was turned over
to Mrs. Watkins. Later another
check for $4,000 was drawn to
cash, and later several other checks
we're drawn to cash. and later still,
and while Mr.. Watkins was a fugi-
tive from justice. $1,000 was given
to Barber. a man named Barber.
who came from Seattle. Washing
ton, In the interest of Watkins the
fugitive.
"Out of this account?' asked the
Judge.
$4,000 on Legal Expenses
II don't know where it came
from. sir" said Mr.. Alcorn. That is
one of the things we have not been
able to determine. Now. we find
from summary of the amounts
which have been paid over to Mr..
1927 and April 10, 1923, a total Of
S15.100 was paid and charged on
the books as legal expenses. either
on r. w Watkins & Company or its
predecessor Winthrop Gregory e.
Company
We find that check from
kitching & Co. brokers of Boston.
Mars. dated April 3, 1928. in the
amount OF sl7.295. drawn to the
order OF r. w. Watkins &; Co. in
payment for 500 Shares of West
Boston Gas was endorsed r. W.
Watkins e. Co. by r. w. Watkins
and William +. Egan. and that
check is attached to my papers.
We find also checks dated Janu-
airy q, and March /. OF 1928. which
/ will refer to later. So that the
summary of the amount of money
that has been directly traced to Mr..