The San Francisco call., 1896-03-31

ments, several accommodation notes, the
lost books of the defunct Mutual Oil Com
pany and the ledgers of the Tallant Bank.
Nevertheless sensations are promised for
the near future.
Attorney George W. Monteith handles
the case for the plaintiff. Arrayed against
him is W. W. Foote as the active leader,
Immediately assisted by H. A. Pringle and
John Desbeck, and remotely aided by the
benevolent appearance OF Reuben Lloyd
and the robust appearance of George A.
Knight.
The two latter counsel took no part in
the proceedings yesterday, and after Nj. H.
de Young, the proprietor, and ]. P. Young,
the managing editor, of the Chronicle
have been examined, knight and Desbeck
will probably retire from the case.
The story of the case begins in 1893, when
the Mutual Oil Company, of which Gard
ner Landon was the secretary and prime
mover, became insolvent through the
Vaccinations, it is claimed, of the Stand
ard Oil Company, assisted by the Tallant
Bank. When the bank withdrew its credit
the Mutual Company failed, involving the
bank to the extent Of some thousands.
Then Mr.. Desbeck, on behalf of the bank,
secured certain dispositions from the sign
ers of the notes endorsed by the Mutual
Oil Company, which notes proved worth
less to the bank that had advanced the
usual discount upon them. 1t is now the
contention OF the plaintiff that these depo-
sitions were not secured in the legal man
ner, and that they are not only false, but
fraudulent as well. The dispositions were
from w. E. Rogers, Albert NJ. Panzer and
Oscar Johnson. They are to the effect
that Landon and his partner Blank Sc
cured their signatures to the blank notes
OF hand for sums ranging from $400 to
$14, 900, though they did not owe the Mu-
tual Oil Company any such amounts, and
were and always had been practically in
solvent. In effect these depositions charged
that Rogers, iourneyman tailor, Panzer,
able seaman, and Johnson, iourneyman
painter, conspired with Blank & Landon
to obtain money by false pretenses from
the Tallant Bank
And upon the face value of these depo-
sitions, corroborated by the statements of
John D. Tallant. president, and John Nc
Kee cashier, of the bank, Landon was IN
dlcted upon five separate counts.
But the case never came to trial, and
after hanging fire for a long time the in
dictments were quashed. Malicious per-
secution" says the plaintiff in the present
case, and Monteith claims for him, that
he was at all times ready and willing 10 be
tried; that the prosecution, under the
guidance OF Attorney Desbeck. always
sought and secured postponements; that
the bank secured in furious publications in
the Chronicle concerning Landon, and
that at last the indictments were quashed
in order to prevent Landon from securing
com plete exoneration in the court.
Mr.. Foote, for the defense, denied all
this yesterday. He said the reason for
quashing the indictments was the death of
Cashier Mckee. Mckee and Landon were
fellow church bers of DR..
DC lattr rob in foo al
in the Lord as Mr.. Foote called them.
Mckee had the utmost confidence in the
integrity OF Landon, said Foote, and that
was why these doubtful notes were ac-
cepted by tue bank without question.
"This is blackmail," said Foote in conclud-
ing his statement to the jury.
The jury, an intelligent set, was secured
without much trouble. Its members are
J. ]. Pastene, Thomas Blanchtield, John
f. Quale, Charles Whelan, Frank Matlan,
John Watkins, John Corbett, James
Badger, L. M. Ringwald, e. f. Reed,
Victor Williams, Ludwig Behrman.
Once Henry Root, the civil engineer, sat
in the box and had fears of being sworn
as juror.
tions?" asked Mr.. Foote.
"Well, I'm prejudiced against some of
them; | don't believe every peanut stand
should incorporate" replied Mr.. Root in
his quick, nervous way.
''You think there are a good many of
them organized just to swindle the public.
don't your said Mr.. Foote suaveiy and
insinuatingly.
''Ye-y-yes."
Ibid you know the Mutual Oil Com
pany?"
This was Mr.. Foote'S first point in the
case. He carried it off with gusto, but its
full '.force and effect was rather dulled q