Evening star., 1948-02-03
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Ficticious Signatures
On Deposited Checks

George H. Williams admitted in
District Court today that he "just
thought up names" which he signed
TO checks he deposited to his ac-
count at the Seat Pleasant (MdD
Bank.
The bankrupt real estate man is
on trial on charges of using the
mails to defraud veterans and at
tempting to defraud by sending
forged checks in interstate COM
merce.
His admission came as Assistant
United States Attorney Cecil Hef1in
began cross examining him. He is
accused of having accepted deposits
from veterans on homes in housing
projects which he failed to develop.
The deposits were not returned.
Says He Was Stalling for Time.
In a heated exchange with Mr..
Heflin, Williams said he deposited
forged checks lust to stall for time
until I could get some of my houses
built"
Did you know that when these
checks reached out-of-town banks
they would be returned here?" Mr.
Hef1in asked.
"Yes, I knew it, but there was
enough money in my account to
cover the checks.
Where did you get this name,
Green?" Mr.. Heflin asked, showing
the defendant one of the checks.
Denies Intent to Defraud.
IT don't know" Williams an
swered. Il saw it in a newspaper
or something. You can think of a
lot of names il you have TO- BUT
I didn't intend to defraud anybdny."
Mr.. Hef1in then recalled state
ment by Williams that he didn't
have enough money to live on dur
ing the time he was trying to build
the homes.
Isn't it true that you drew about
$1,000 month out of the account
and gave your wife S100 week to
live on?" asked the prosecutor.
"YeS, that's about It, Williams
answered.
well, don't you think that's
enough to live on?" Mr.. Hef1in
asked. Williams added that "a lot
of it, went back into his busi-
ness.
Wants to Finish Homes.
Mr.. Hefin then asked Williams
if it were true that he was con-
victed in March, 1945, and fined
5000 for selling whisky on Sunday
from an establishment he oper-
ated in Maryland.
mo. sir" he answered, Il was not
convicted. I pleaded guilty"
Williams said he still wants ito
be allowed to finish those homes"
st knew when I went into bank
ruptcy I could do what I started TO
if 1 were allowed to continue he
said.
Denies Personal Benefits.
Williams testified that he had a
bank balance of $4,000 before start
ing his building projects. To keep
them going, he said, he borrowed
money from friends and on his
home:
Il even had to take my boys out
of military school because couldn't
afford tuition" he declared. If you
call that defrauding anybody then
guess I was
williams, under further question
ing, said he did not benefit per-
sonally from any deposits he ac-
cepted.
Defense Attorney Robert w. Nc
Cullough called Williams to testify
late yesterday and began tracing his
clients career in the real estate field.
Williams told the court that de-
posits of from $500 to $1,000, which
he accepted from veterans for homes
in his three Prince Georges County
Md housing projects, were taken
for the purpose of covering our
building"
Stresses Short Profit Margin.
He testified he obtained a con-
tract with the T. B. OToole Co. of
Wilmington, Del, for building loans
of $500 on each of 70 homes to be
built at development known as
Gywn Park. The land had been
bought, he said, from A. Gwynn
Bowie, and the homes were to cost
$4,000.
You can see," Williams said,
that we were working on very
short margin of profit. We used
the veterans deposits to build the
homes. And every deposit went into
the bank
Williams said that one of his main
troubles was getting material.
Justice Alexander Holtzoff is pre-
siding over the trial.
Bill Asks Student House