The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-16
City Sinking Fund Had
 Sanctioned Payment
Continued from Page D

Alcorn, and then, undoubtedly, ex- cused.
 T don't know" was the reply given today by Slade when asked how long the cross-examination will continue.
 Purcell, in his state testimony, included the payments to Johnston, a defendant, and Judge McGrath, wh ois not.
 Accuracy of Bank Sheets
 The defense, through Attorney Shade, attacked today the accuracy of the bank reconciliation sheets kept by Purcell, and which, in some instances proved a boon to Alcorn in providing records of payments, which are unavailable in any other form.
 A check to the Kingsley company, which bank records show was paid in January, 1885, was not included on the January or February recon- ciliation sheets. It was not noted as paid" on the warrants payable registers until March 31 of that year.
 Adjournment of court for lunch at 1 o'clock today blocked Slade from pursuing his quest for an an- swer from Purcell to the query, Isn't 1t a fact that the entire pro- cedure of preparing warrants pay able sheets in the controllers office was done in hap-haZard manner?"
 "It may have been hap-hazard in connection with .. :" started Pur- cell, only to be blocked by Slade who wanted ''yes or no" answer.
 Alcorn Is Upheld
 Alcorn insisted that the witness should be allowed to answer as he was, and Judge Inglis agreed. Many times this morning the drabness of the testimony was livened by clashes between counsel.
 Blade interjected, to Purcell, "The entire controllers office, with regard to the financial matters, so far as the board of finance was concerned, was run as a matter of form only?"
 T don't think there was anything hap-haZard about adding items to the sheets" said Purcell as Judge Inglis adjourned court for the morn- ing.
 Attorney Slade resumed today, the cross examination which he started Tuesday and continued yes- terday. Today's session of the trial was the 18th in the 18th week. It was the 18th day for Purcell as a witness on the stand. The past sev- en days of Purcells testimony have been under cross examination.
 Reference to the accuracy of the records kept by Purcell was made by Slade at the very outset of the session this morning. He referred the witness to the ledger sheet for January from the Citizens and Manufacturers National Bank, show ing charge against the city's checking account, for $556,66, January IS, 1885. There was no similar charge in the month of March.
 A notation in the warrants pay able registers for March, 1885, indi- cated that the payment had not been made until March, although the bank records showed payment os of January 15. There was no ref- erence to the check on the recon ciliation sheets prepared by Purcell, for January.
 "You said they (meaning the re- conciliation sheets) were correct and yet that check did not appear as an outstanding item in January or February" said Slade.
 That appears to be so," replied Purcell.
 You could not have arrived at an accurate conclusion without con- sidering that item," charged Slade.
 Purcell countered that the item might have been prepaid. He point ed out that the check was paid January IS, but was not placed on the warrants payable sheet until February 5, and approved by the Board of Finance February 21.
 Slade charged that Purcell had carried the item as unpaid until the last day of March, as indicated by the stamp on the warrants payable register for that month.
 T don't know if that's so or not" said Purcell.
 Warrants payable registers for 1882, showing 25 sheets which bore no date on the face, and the com- plete BOA sheets not dated by the Board of Finance, were identified by the witness. An argument between Alcorn and Shade developed when Slade asked Purcell how many were not dated on the face, then men, tioned the word top"
 Said Top
 Alcorn objected. .Slade said that he thought he had said top and meant to say "top.'
 Purcell said there were no dates affixed to the sheets on the backs, where the Board of Finance was supposed to have registered. He added that the face of the sheets bears the date of the board meet ing, however" Shades attempt to have it stricken from the record as to responsive was denied by Judge Inglis.
 All the sheets in the 1892 register had been signed by the controller.
 The 1884 sheets were brought to light and 4l5 sheets contained, were said by the witness to bear no date by the board of finance. One sheet had no date of the control ler's certificate. Another clash de- veloped during the questioning of Purcell on the angle, when Alcorn insisted that for clarity, Slade clear his questions.
 Ii was then stated that all the sheets bore dates on the front.
 Dunlicates Shawn