The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-07-22
THE BOOKS EXAMINED.
William Muth Gives Testimony as
to Grant & Whalsn's Accounts
and Checks.
Ono Of the School Boards Five Ex-
psrts Also on the Witness
Stand.
h CHIEF Justice Of Placer Gsts . Mild
Lecture In the District
The CHIEF Justice Of Placer Gets . Mild
Lecture In the Distsict
Court.

The attorneys Qotthrough with Contractor
Whalen In the school house case yesterday
after hs gave Z Yeoapitulation of The cheeks
Issued by the contractors. He admitted
that he knew nothing about bookkeeping
and would not know an account II he cav
one. william Muth. who has made an Ok
animation Of The contractoSs' books and
other records Of their business tTanssstiona,
VA tho next witness for The school board.
He said she books showed that Giant d
Whslsn had received &6l. 114.82 IN sssimatss
from tho school board. being he total
amount paid on tho high school! work.
This amount had been deposited In the
Montana National bank with the
exception Of $b27. which the contractors
divided. The total amount deposited In
the bank by Grant & Whalen during the
period Of time covered BY their books was
$95. 4l2. %. showing that they had deposited
"a. 1924. 96 moro Than they received from the
board and supposed to DO money obtained
from work done elsewhere than on, the high
school building. Mr.. Muth's examination
of the books also showed that on Feb. II.
1892. Grant a. Whalen had overdrawn their
account at the bank to the amount Of
$50. %. He also testified that nome Of The
accounts had been closed and that some o:
them were plainly c~ha'geabls against the
school board, but had not bssn transferred
10 the high school account. One Of these
itsms was tho tsaminR account, which
amounted to 81. las. II. and was for hauling
rock from the railroad and brick from
Keesler's TO the high school.
". Y. himOnton, q general contractor,
Who built the Merchants National bank,
rNA~.A~ ht~~lz uAt In0A-~ H~aA1>st~
brewery and other large buildings, was the
next witness for the school board. He has
been q gene al contractor for twenty. eight
years and was one Of the oommitts of sx-
pert builders selected BY ths school bonrd
10 examine the claim for extras made BY
sisted Of Mr.. simonton. William H. HarEi.
son. James Mason. E. w. Fisks and Frsnk
Latus. Mr.. simpnton said he had exam
tined the claim Of Grant Il Whalen very
carefully with the other experts. He was
questioned 40 to each item mi testified 90
to its correctness. He said that In his
Judgment the report made 10 tho school
board by the experts was correct. Nj.
simonton said that he and Mr.. Mason had
made a bid for the high school. They bid
abont Ga, 600. Grant d Whalen got the
contract for about $11. 900 less. This closed
the testimony for the day.
This 10 the seventh week Of the trial. and
bAl ~ 10 6nlO 0u0 OuO - nOVoEOl WCoAo Ous
Thu intense heat has ensrvated several of
tho Jurors very much. aud even the lawyers
are content to let the testimony 20 On with
out many objections. M. Wallace and Mr..
Walsh mako occssioaAl spurts BY way Of
objections or motions, but their zeal 10
notiosably less than in tho early part of the
trial. and they are much less belligerent.
Mr.. NCKsnney. the chief clerk Of the
United States supreme court, WAS In the
court room the other day to see how the
district cou,t Of Montana compares with shs
supreme court at Washington. but he did
not remain long. During a recess of the
court. several Of tho Jurors visited Judge
Bucks court room. They say they heard a
witness testifyina concerning the value OF .
perch Of stone, and forthwith left.
eayinr they had had = surfeit of
building evidence In their own room.
They wanted no more evidence on the sub
ject of ruble stone. The judge announced
il the weather became cooler he would prob
ably sit during the evening next week 90 Ga
to try and get through The case this month.
MI. Schmidt. the regular stenoRrapher.
was knocked out after tho second week, and
Ike Hamburger has been reporting. Ike
looks a tri1e the worse for wear and
Schmidt will resume tho work.. Judge
Hunt looks tired. bus says he 10 anxious to
lush along to completion.