New Britain herald., 1929-06-28

When we first organized. that was the case" Crawford acknowl- edged readily. My signature and his were required by the bylaws. But I had to be out of town % much that I asked the. board of dt- rectors to amend the bylaws 50 that Bland's signature alone was enough. He was bonded. you know. The company won't lose the whole quarter of million"
 It was a newspaper story that re- vealed the fact that the cashier of the bank. upon Bland's presenta- tion of the check for $100,000. had hesitated to cash it and had taken it upon himself to telephone Crawford for additional authority.
 Wolfe, the cashier. says that he spoke to you personally on the phone and that you o. K.'d the check" Morgan told Crawford. That is one of the prosecution's trump cards, of course. What about it, Bert?"
 The blue eyes looked blank with surprise, but utterly unafraid. That's simply not true. Jack. I've never spoken with Wolfe over the telephone in my life. I've talked with him at the bank, of course, but he never got me when he called-if he did call"
 I'm afraid we can't convince a jury that the cashier of the First National Bank is liar. The banks records show that all of the money was drawn after the first of Novem- ber. Bland gave himself plenty of time before the next monthly state ment was due. According to Wolfe, the check about which he phoned you was presented by Bland in per- son on Wednesday, November 9. A pretty cool customer, that Bland. The check was presented at five minutes of three, Wolfe says. Get your business engagement book or your desk calendar. Bert, and see if you have an alibi for that time. If you were not in your office between two and three o'clock. or if someone was with you who can testify in your behalf, we'll spike their biggest gun"
 So far as the newspaper accounts were concerned. however, there was one big disappointment. Gladys Payne, Bland's erstwhile secretary and fiancee, chattered not at all for publication. and 1t was largely on Miss Payne's testimony that the in- dictment had been secured, if ru- nor was 10 be trusted.
 The day after the bank cashiers story apeared in the paper Craw- ford admitted to Morgan that, 30 far as his desk calendar showed, he had had no engagement between half past two and three o'clock on We'd nesday. November 9.
 But of course that doesn't mean l was necessarily in my office" Crawford pointed out Good Lord How can I remember what l was doing that particular half-hour There was nothing to fix it in my mind, as there would have been if Wolfe had actually talked to me on 1 the phone."
 Nan was present at the conference, | "Your switchboard operator always | asks who's calling. doesn't she? Per | haps she will remember whether you were in Or not. She would call your private office before putting the call through of course"
 Morgan shook his head gloomily "BrAinerd will already have got hold of her. But we may as well ask her to lo,ne uver.. Were you and she good friends. Bert?"
 1 Bert Crawford flushed. then i laughed. "A dirty crack, Jack al- ways suspecting me of sheiking. But seriously. little Alice Beltsn is a friend of mine. believe. Let's have her over"
 | Alice Belton. a pert little flapper with the boyish bob. arrived al the lawyers office at quarter past 1, five.
 1 "Ooh. I'm scared to death." she told Nan delightedly. Eve got tc go to the district attorneys office tonight. too! Isn't it dreadful?"
 'Tonight?" Nan echoed. Haven
 you already seen Mr. Brainerd?"
 Good grill" Bert Crawford hat
 opened the door of Morgan's private
 office and stood beaming at the littl'
 switchboard operator. Come on in
 Alice. My attorney isn't here, bu
 we'll have a nice visit while we wal
 for him."
 You won't let them be Nasty t
 me if l have to go on the witnes