New Britain herald., 1928-05-04
NEW ANGLES COME INTO KNAPP CASE
 AT 70DAY'S TRIAL
Prosecution Seeks to Show That Her Good Reputation" in Fi-
 nancial Things Was False
DEPARTMENT STORE WAS
 PRESSING FOR PAYMENT

Evidence Presented Today Tends to
 Bear Out States Contention That
 Former New York State Secretary
 Diverted States Funds to Own
 Use to Meet Her Obligations and
 Pay Her Private Bills.
 Court House, Albany. N. Y, May 4 P-Two new angles in the case against Mrs Florence E. s. Knapp. former secretary of state, appeared during the forenoon session of the special term Of supreme court here where she is being tried for grand larceny in connection with the di- version to her own use of a state census pay check for s2,S75.o6.
 Attacks Reputation
 One was an attack by prosecution upon her good reputation" as dt- scribed by representative of the C. H. Edwards & Son department store of Syracuse. where Mrs. Knapp pur- chased furniture and other wares paid for partially by the proceeds of the check in question. It was brought out for the first time that her transactions with the store in cluded the offering of a $500 check in the latter part of 1925 which had been returned protested from the bank for insufficient funds.' Back In Payments The other new angle was the fact that the Edwards store had been urging her late in 1925 and early in 1926 to make payments on her .arge accounts there. This was es- abolished by the introduction of two letters to her from the store. The prosecution has already indicated this as one of the motives behind her diversion of census funds.
 Just before luncheon adjourn ment, Mark Stern. who was deputy secretary of state, under Mrs. Knapp. gave direct testimony to the effect that Mrs. Knapp had endorsed checks for her relatives. This was shortly after Secretary of State Rob- ert Moses, Mrs. Knapp's successor. had testified at length concerning ef- forts to locate missing records" of the secretary's office relating to the 1925 census and with the declara- ton that Mrs. Knapp had finally said she had burned them.
 MT. Stern testified he had occa- sionally been given checks for Mrs Knapp's relatives by her to cash or turn into bank drafts. In response to questioning he said he had noticed the endorsements and that. some of them at least were in Mrs. knapp's handwriting.
 Night Session Likely | When the trial was resumed to- day, counsel was informed of the possibility of night session tonight and probably another session all day tomorrow. Justice Stephens Callag- han. presiding over the special term of supreme court, indicated his de- sire to expedite the case as much as possible.
 The grand jury which returned the indictment on which Mrs Knapp is being tried and II others against her, held a perfunctory session th.s morning. They met and adjourned almost immediately
 Store Clerk Testifles The first witness of the day was Patrick J. Sullivan, general manager of the F.. w. Edwards and Son. de- partment store of Syracuse. where Mrs. Knapp bought furniture which she Is alleged to have paid for with proceeds for a check for $2,S75.O6 ill favor of her stepdaughter, Clara Blanche Knapp, which Mrs. Knapp is charged with forging.
 Sullivan testified as to accounts Of Mrs. Knapp with the store. On Janu- ary 25. 1925. shortly after Mrs. Knapp became secretary of state, she owed the store about $2.0o0. Sullivan said. which was increased later.
 In February. 1926. Sullivan testi- fled. his store received a bank draft for $2.s75.06, the amount of the check Mrs. Knapp is alleged to have diverted to her own uses without authority. and credited Mrs. Knapp's accounts with total Of so.s3e.1o.
 Another Cheek shown
 Another check was presented and identified as received by the store. This was for $333.32. dated Decem- Der l. 1926. drawn to C. IT. Smith. (Mrs. Knapp's brother). George Z. Medalie. chief prosecuting attorney asked the presiding justice 10 com- pare writing of the endorsement with that of Mrs. Knapp. Sullivan testified that the amount of the check was credited to Mrs. Knapp S accounts.
 Sullivan. on cross examination, testified that he had known Mrs. Knapp a long time and considered her to have an excellent reputation
 You see. We trusted her." said Sullivan.
 Then MT. Metallic again took the witness and brought out that the Edwards store had received . check for $500 from Mrs. Knapp which had been returned from the bank for insufficient funds" He then proceeded to question the statement of tho witness as to defendant'l good reputation on this basis. Bookkceper TesttAcs . Miss Ellen C. Hopkins. bookk eep. . CT for the Edwards store. gave tes. timony as to the receipt of checks E and bank drafts under coASdefat tioY