The Union Daily Times

Trial Of Mauldin, Matthews and Bradley Is Put Off
Columbia, Jan. 19. - On the grounds that United States Senator Cole L. Blease, member of the defense counsel, was detained in Washington on senatorial matters- the trial of Ivy M. Mauldin, president of the defunct American Bank and Trust Company, of Columbia; J. Pope Matthews, chairman of the board of directors, and W. W. Bradley, former state bank examiner, who are under indictment charging violations of the criminal code in connection with the affairs of the bank, was continued to the April term of general sessions court for Richland county.

After the hearing of arguments in which Solicitor A. Fletcher Spigner pressed for the trial of the case at the present term of court, Judge John S. Wilson granted the motion for a continuation with the caution that the case would be tried without fail at the next term, unless some exceptional reason for a further continuation presented itself. The solicitor argued that the state was ready for the prosecution of the case, that it was an important case and should be tried at the present term.

The state was represented in the arguments by the solicitor and James H. Fowles, of Columbia. Judge Mendel L. Smith, of Camden, was not present, having been appointed to aid in the prosecution of a murder case in Greenville.

Attorneys for the defense present Wednesday morning were Maude N. Sapp, G. Duncan Bellinger and C. T. Graydon, both of Columbia. Senator Blease announced days ago that he expected to be in Columbia ready to aid in the defense when the bank case was called. A later message stated, however, that he would be unable to come to Columbia on account of important matters of business in Washington.

Matthews, Mauldin and Bradley are each under bond of $10,000. Eleven true bills have been returned against them, charging conspiracy and violations of the state criminal code of 1922 in respect to the alleged misuse of funds of the bank. Bradley is charged individually with official misconduct and malfeasance in office. He is also charged with conspiracy in another indictment brought against him and the two bank officials jointly. Eight indictments charge Mauldin with violation of the law, several of these indictments being brought jointly against him and Matthews. A similar number of indictments are against Matthews, some individually and some jointly. Bradley, Mauldin and Matthews were indicted following an investigation of the grand jury at the last term of the general sessions court. True bills were returned at that time.