St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-07-05
THE STREETER TRIAL.
The Case Ended.-rhe Jury Disagree

and the case was given to the jury
of the defense was that Streeter and
the rest were the innocent tools of
Menage. In opening the defense Mr..
Lancaster said that 100000 of the
capital stock of the company was
owned by Streeter's relatives, friends
and business acquaintance that
Streeter never received a salary from
Menage until 1892; that Streeter
knew that Menage was filling out
notes right along, but believed
Menage was able to take care of
them. Menage is the worst enemy
Streeter had. If he had remained
Streeter would never have been
indicted. Streeter had just as good
an opportunity to get away as
Menage, Mr.. Lancaster said, but he
had pleaded not guilty and was here
to prove his innocence.
Streeter took the stand in his own
behalf Tuesday and was somewhat
nervous during his examina ton.
He was kept on the stand all day
Wednesday till 5 O'Clock, when he
asked the court to excuse him, as he
was not feeling very well. Streeter
claimed he was not favorably i'm
pressed with Menage and tried to
resign in April, 1892.
81 had a talk with Menage in
March or April, 1892. l had e.
cided to withdraw from the COM
pany. He asked my reasons. re-
piled that my principal reason was
on account OF my health. 1 did not
like his manner of doing business
with the company. l also spoke to
him about the collateral which he
had deposited with the company.
l said did not like that way of do
ing business. He said the company
could not let me go then. 1t was a
duty l owed to my friends who were
largely interested to remain"
Streeter stated that he had at first
declined to receive a salary from
Menage Of $4,000, but Menage
urged him to take it and he finally
accepted it.
Mr.. Streeter gave his version of
the talk he had with H. E. Fletcher
in 1890. Although the latter had
testified to the contrary, the witness
insisted that Mr. Fletcher had
spoken to him about his (Fletcher's)
becoming president of the Guaranty
Loan Company when Mr.. Menage
should retire.
Streeter repea tedlv denied that he
had made any riders or assisted in
issuing bogus notes. He claimed
that he supposed Menage had money
enough to take care of all the notes.
Mr.. Peterson then sprang a sur
prise on the witness in the shape of
a note for $4,000, dated June II,
1891, signed R. Hilton. To this
was attached a rider which read
THE maker is a man of consider
able means, a thoroughly reliable
man, and the indorser a wealthy
capitalist in Minneap polls The
rider was signed by w. S. Streeter.
Now, you were very sure that
you did not sign any riders in 1892"
Eyes, sir. did not think did l
am surprised to see this, which is a
proof to me that did. may have
signed others"
w. A. Lancaster commenced his
plea Friday morning and made a
savage attack on H. E. Fletcher,
calling him the blacklist hearted one
in the whole lot and accusing him of
blackening Streeter's character to
place himself right with the Vermont
stockholders.
County Attorney Nye urged in his
plea that it was childish OF Streeter
to hide behind Menage. Streeter
was virtually manager of the COM
pany for the last two years If
Streeter knew that this stealing was
going on and assisted in it knowing
ly, he was guilty of larceny, and I
will stake my reputation that such
will be the charge of his honor, the
court. Mr.. Nye claimed that in the
preparation of the riders, and the
floating of the notes, Streeter had
actually done more to bring about
the state of affairs that followed
than Menage himself He also de-
clared that the value of the collateral
cut no figure whatever.
After the defense and the prosecu-
ton had concluded one of the jurors
asked permission to ask Streeter a
question. The permission was grant
ed, and he put the inquiry:
MIR. Streeter, you say you protest
ed against the manner in which the
company was doing business. I
would like to ask you how, when and
to whom you made such protest"
Streeter explained that it was made
to Menage personally and orally.
He had, however, talked with H. E.
Fletcher and c. H. Petit about it.
In concluding his argument before
the jury in the Streeter trial, Mr.. Nve
replied to the aspersions which had
been cast upon Henry E. Fletcher.
He then summed up Mr.. Streeter's
relations with the company and said