The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-06
IRIS GOES FREE.
Forgery Cases Against Ex-
|Imnty Auditor Dismissed.
crnce WOULD NOT CONVICT
8. Forgery Case Dropped, There
10 Forgery-Evidence Against
,.petectivs'' coppersmith.

..-.rtinc attorney. In moving their
Z .'.';.-.l Mr.. Carr explained that these
-. Gains, Mr.. Harris and those against
go George D. Hill were to have been
..ruted BY Mr.. Ronald by special ar
aement.
q popsld stated that while there had
& sra3cient evidence on which TO in
- rsris there was not sufficient, in his
..;cr 70 warrant a conviction of forg-
n BE said:
4. .udstor Of the county keeps a warrant
- n which Is engrcssed the date of every
~ thc amount Of the warrant, the name
~ rsree. also having a column showing the
~ X nsvment OF the warrant. The treasurer
- sesuty Keeps the same kind OF book
~ ssme column, same thing. As fast as
ssesIrer cancels warrant or pays a war
a = surns to his register and IN the column
~ 6sfe Of payment be stamps Ii or writes
~ q that date. The auditors register
- ID date of cancellation of warrants
1872 Il the several periodical settlements
titles with the commissioners the
sSe-jssioners allow him the credits for the
c,~.afs which he has redeemed since the last
S5snsnt then the auditor turns to his reg
~. md In the place marked date oil reuemp-
- 81 marks all OF those warrants which the
~riajoners have settled with the treasurer
- while the treasurer's register will show
y Safe II redemption OF each warrant at the
H@ IL the auditors warrant register
~ tke date OF redemption OF great many
s.rssnls. III as OF the date OF the settlement of
" treasurer with the county CON-
ssaonxry, Now the last settlement made by
S-ruYer Hill with the county commissioners
Mm TIE Sd day of March 1887. County treas
- HiII remained in Office, however, until the
8 fly 81 March, which was the date OF the ex-
,ksi5en 81 his term by law. Between the Sd
10 Nsrth which was the date of the expira-
a al Bis term BY law. Between the Sd day of
f 1reh. when be settled with the commissioners
ri received from the commissioners credit for
q rnyranfs paid by him up TO that date. be-
ssru he ID day OF March then after the settle
nj and the 9Th day OF March when be went
- Il Office his register shows some $4,000 of
vlsy1as which the treasurer had paid TO the
MGR and OF course which had not yet been
rffled With the commissioners for. Now the
{ different times during the 18th, 9Th, 9th
= sudiitors books show that all these
Uuanfs amounting to Sc, 900 or $4,000 were re-
! 1rBed and credited by the commissioners to
| 3 treasurer as OF the Sd of March, whereas in
| svih and In fact they had not been paid by the
Gafurer until after the Sd of March. The audi
| ms books showed that this $4,000 in warrants
| "a been credited 10 the treasurer by the CON-
missioner on the Sd OF March, whereas in truth
4
| fhem several indictments here were brought
oxirsf the auditor on account of these false
@tnes, which our law calls forgery. He was
nKeiore charged with forgery in max
: ssssss ,. Il bis .ld SSsss wo showing q
wn1nu were redeemed and credited
b tie commissioners TO the treasurer on the Sd
dHarch whereas in truth and in fact they had
MI been paid BY the treasurer at that time nor
asdied Now that is the evidence upon which
L I'd. l-n~ f.n.
sasui for an Indictment When the civil trials
see called Mr.. Harris took the stand, Mr..
Douk, The deputy, took the stand, Robert
Alan, another deputy, took the stand, and be-
I'm also clerk n the Office took the stand.
"a ihey all testified. Captain Hill was sued on
lho1seia bonds, and as part of the shortage
~ amount went in.
The testimony OF Mr.. Harris, the auditor,
howed this, that the entries in his books were
8 NJ. g the prosecution claimed they were;
( III the warrant register kept by the auditor
ghowa that these warrants were redeemed by the
commissioners on the Sd of March, which was
ME-, which Mr.. Harris accounted for in this
use: That the last day of his incumbency in
e once, when he was compelled on the last
h sn, 0es 70 - tu5 =. over the records Of
~ night lc7g, and the last day
q Re incumbency was on Sunday, the 9th day
March, and he worked until daylight Monday
nouing, and. after having posted up all OF his
toosI and got all OF the records In bis Office
mslght, be then instructed one of his clerks,
Robert Allen, TO take the warrant register of the
esdler and proceed TO the treasurers office, and
sllh bis stamp stamp In the column .'date OF re-
eenPiion all OF the warrants which the treas.
ala register. showed bad been. redeemed
lat So young Allen, the clerk,
e3 inc auditors register TO the Office
y tne treasurer, and instead of stamping on the
s ~ register what warrants were shown on
tnt tsssurers register TO have been redeemed
rVi 70 snd up 70 the Sd, be stamped on the
snlitors register as redeemed on the 81 every
ang which the treasurer's register showed
Naeemed, and the treasurer's register showed
4 sls ssssn or $1,000 redeemed subsequent to
- q o. March. That was Mr.. Harris testi-
non!, that his instruction TO Clerk Allen
- % stamp redeemed only such as the treas
W W DOOR showed had been redeemed al the 3d.
vat tnat ar. Allen In his haste stamped not only
10y, put stamped all which the treasurer
49, 49, sncwed reoeemed as up 70 the date of
sarel Mr.. Allen was called on the stand and
tsi lssthed to the same thing, that Mr.. Harris
~ distracted him TO take the auditors register
Wv proceed TO the treasurer Office and compare
1870. W. me treasurers register and stamp on the
sselsuf register the warrants which the treas
~ register showed had been credited TO him
v ne board OF commissioners on the Sd of
imsgos or omitted 10 think that
y Me uessirers register would show several
49, rSsShu collars redeemed since the Cd OF
49,, ssassu, ana forgetting that, he stamped every
.nf'ns OF the treasures register as redeemed on
- ~, watch was clearly a mistake, and there
sse upon those entries the indictments were
49, 49, NOW the testimony of Mr.. Harris. IL he
y ~ 20 tnat before the jury, and be WILL for
~ sss sworn II before the referee, supported by
M sa testimony OF Allen, and also MI. Booth, an
, ssssl eiefE testfying TO that, and that is cor
Z. .ssA1ssateo by Lawrence. Upon that statement
y ~ iacls the referee found il was q mistake
= ~ sa error, ana the court also found that
/. va mistake and error, and IL that is the
s q there Is no element of crime in q mistake
~ ~, aus There IS no evidence TO convict.
- |. - Afst ohlelal communication which ] made
~ sacccSsor In Office, Mr.. Newlin, some time
ess. !. I'VE weeks after had turned the Office
t 49, AHA as 10 the status OF these cases, and
iss .sae !! was employed by the county at all TO
~ 49,. Aiter men, aud Of the same nature as
ssA1ea here today, and then, in an Official
s., szsuaisenon 70 him, advised him or rather
!, ,txf1sea him OF the facts and advised him at
val tine that il was useless .or him 10 under
~-".,l 20 proceed 10 trial with these cases. is
49, 49, N unnecessarily expensive and no evil
s'ss MI Z trl2i. ana advised him, therefore, to
E..,ssssss shetn at that tire and so advised Mr.
sns s - sttorney. Colonel Haines, at that time,
~, !, never did know since that why they were
~ aissiiissed. That is the fact of the matter.
,r =. Na1f-l ne frst | knew of that latter in
sss sce 70 Mr.. Newlin was when Mr Ronald
49,. ~ ABOUT II some weeks ago. and then ar
,,ssssua That he should come into court and
A.. statement. | win state to the court that
r : ~, happens that / know the explanation
'k,s " NJ. Ronald here today Of the facts in
~ ~ s@se 5 the explanation which Mr.. Harris
No. ,ss ssh q i nom the day the indictments
,nsi.. .oaaa- Within day or two after these
p's.s.-lleais were tound, exactly the same ex-
= - OF The facts Of the transaction WAS
- 70 NE by Mr.. Harris attorneys. OF course,
,essssss.h ot then prosecuting attorney and my
~ ,Ts1s - Nitn Colonel Haines and Judge Han
~ vas such sc they talked the case over freely
Isn :. ~ aid raade exactly the same explana-
Il ~ ny Ronald hiss said the court has found
~ siA..sel II las been found 10 be a fact by
4 wtsiet court OF the Third judicisi district
So ssslngton territory. that the making OF
$780, atseS was az error aud mistake, an in
's,s sihs@Sey, and thai there was no blame 10 be
o., ~ % Mr. Harris other than the blame
lr-.s asAcfaes 70 any clerk when he Is careless;
s@s histteT Of earelessness.
sa "a .nls statement of facts, and upon mo-
-. y the prosecuting attorney the cases
eoPPERsMITH On TRIAL.