The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-02-10
AUDITOR HALDEN.
Four Indict menfs Returned By the Grand
Jury Against the Popuiar Official


-Four Indictments Returned by the Grand
jury Against the Popular OnciaL
County Auditor Halden was arrest
ed Friday morning on a bench war
rant. issued by order OF Judge Ensign.
The four indictments. all Of which
are against Mr. Halden, are for prac-
tically the same thing. and the heart
of the legal phraseology, in which the
charge is developed. is that he appro-
priated 1928. so, the amount received
for filing certificates of nomination
at the last election. Misrepresentation
of money received by him In his
capacity of county auditor Is the
charge in each Indictment.
The bench warrant was issued soon
after the opening of court and at
about 10 o'clock Mr.. Halden appeared,
accompanied by J. W. Reynolds, his
attorney. c. o. Baldwin appeared
for the state. The reading OF the
Indictment was waived, and Mr..
Halden was given until Saturday to
plead. Saturday he pleaded not
guilty to the charge and was placed
under 5000 bail to appear at the
March term Of court.
The first of the four Indictments
alleges that while Odin Halden was
acting as county auditor he received
from candidates at the last general
election 1923. 60 in fees for fling Ger
tificates of nomination, and placing
the names of candidates onthe ballot.
The names of all these candidates
and the amounts given by each are
embodied in the indictment. 1t Is
further alleged that on jan % L. Fl.
Whipple, as treasurer of the county,
demanded that Halden pay over the
money, and that he refused and still
refuses to do 90.
The second indictment charges
practically the same as the 6rst.
except that instead of reciting the
treasurer's demand and Mr.. Haldens
refusal to pay, it is alleged that on
Dec 81, 1896, he appropriated the
money to his own use. The other
two are the same except that instead
of the lump sum the individual cases
of L. Fl. Whipple, county treasurer,
and J. J. Ekfund. Candidate for
coroner. are the causes of action.
The following statement vas given
out by ]. w. Reynolds, Mr.. Haiden's
attorney, at the request OF the Herald:
The four indictments are four
forms Of the same charge. Two of
them allege the same misapprupria-
ton of $32s. go, received by the
auditor from the candidates as fees
TOR putting their names on the ballots.
The other two charge the misappro-
priation Of SO paid by Dr. Ekiund;
candidate for coroner, and 80 paid by
L. H. Whipple, candidate for treasur-
or. Both of these items are included
in the 1913. 60, which was the total
amount received by him from all the
candidates.
Every cent of that sum has been
paid over by the auditor In the
regular course of business, as shown
by the treasurer's books. Treasurer's
receipt No. 9S5 covers the money In
question, as shown by his stub book.
The receipt was as follows
Treasurer's Office,
ST. Louis County, MINI.
Duluth, Mimi. Jan. 20. 1897.
Received of o. Halden, county audi
tor, three hundred twenty-Rine 60-l0o
dollars, fees paid by candidates for
election, November, 1896.
L. II. WHIPPLE,
County Treasurer.
ByS. S. MSON, Deputy.
No. 985.
Accompanying the receipt, written
in the margin, is statement OF the
amounts received as follows: Con-
gress. 3, SO; representatives, 6, $40. Sc:
judges, 4, s26.64: county oficers, Is,
$3.50: county commissioners, s, $50;
total, sa29.60.
"In the face of this. any charge Of
wrongdoing seems to be entirely with
out foundation"