The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-19
JURY SECURED TO TRY THE IN
DICTMENT CHARGING HIM WITH
EMBEZZLEMENT.
THE HULDA PETERSON CASE.
YOUNG WOMAN TELLS ABOUT RE-
CEIVING THREE MONEY ORDERS
FROM ABROAD.
BICKLE WAS TO CASH THEM.
DeDosfted Them in the Minnesota
Savings Bank and Afterwards
Drew Out $50.

William F. Bickel, vice president OF
the Minnesota Savings bank, is on trlaI
in the criminal court on the ind1ctment
found against him by the preceding
grand jury charging him with embez-
zling S21S deposited in the Minnesota
Savings bank by Hulda Peterson. The
work of selecting jury began yester-
day forenoon and consumed nearly the
entire day. Such slow progress was
made that at the noon hour only two
Jurors had been secured, but there were
fewer challenges in the afternoon, with
the result that the jury box was filled
shortly after $3.50 p. M, and County
Attorney Anderson at once opened the
case for the state. Mr.. Bickel was
amply represented by counsel, his legal
advisers consisting Of a trio of lawyers,
Mcdonald &Barnard, and Stan Donnel-
ly Mr. Donnelly conducted the exam
ination of the jurors, but, as soon as
Miss Hulda Peterson, the complaining
witness took the stand, Mr.. Mcdonald
occupied the front seat and conducted
the oss-eXamination. Mr.. B1ckel,
whose cleanly shaven face wore most
complacent expression, sat behind his
counsel and paid close attention to the
testimony of the young woman, whose
evidence before the grand jury had
first caused him to feel the hand of
the law.
Shortly before o'clock, Mr.. Anderson
called Miss Peterson to the stand and
began the direct examination. Miss
Peterson has marked Scandinavian
accent and does not comprehend some
Of the long questions put to her until
they have been repeated three or four
times, but, after laboring for half an
hour, the county attorney ELECTED, In
effect, the following testimony from
her:
Miss Peterson was employed as a
cook in the house of w. F. Bickel On
the 7th day of last October, Miss Pc
terson received from her old home in
Sweden three money orders aggregat
ing $26909. After receiving the money
orders, Miss Peterson went at once, So
she testified, to the Minnesota Savings
bank, in which she had a deposit ac-
count to the extent Of $40, and asked
the defendant how she could get the
money orders cashed. Mr.. Bickel as
at the postoffice, as he was known
there and she was not. Miss Peterson
thereupon handed the money orders
to Mr.. Bickel to be cashed by him at
the postpffice and deposited in his
bank. Not having her bank or pass
book with her at the time, Mr.. Bickel
gave her receipt for the money orders.
The next day,O 8, the witness hand
ed her pass book to Mr.. Biczel. She
y all fr,, nd vhnyo
she did, she noticed an entry on 1t
crediting her with $26S09. Who made
the entry the witness did not know.
She knew, however, that she never saw
her money orders after giving them to
Bickel.
Did you ever get back any part
of the $26S.09 from Mr.. Bickel?" in
quired the county attorney.
The defense objected to the form Of
the question, inasmuch as it had not
been shown that Mr.. Bickel had ever
obtained any money on the money Or
ders.
County Attorney Anderson said he
would prove that later by other wit
nesses, but that he did not want to
take the complaining witness from the
stand at this stage. He objected TO
ner.
Stan Donnelly remarked: Counsel
objects to chopping the case up, does
he? Well, we object to having this
defendant chopped up"
After some further controversy be-
tween counsel she was permitted to
answer that she got $50 of the money
back.
Did you get the $50 from Mr. Bickel
or some bank?" asked the county at
torney.
81 got it from the Minnesota Savings
bank
Miss Peterson testified that on Nov.
20 she drew $50 from the Minnesota
Savings bank and that on Dec. she
drew out $25 more, and that on both
these occasions Ed Heinlein, the
made the entry in her pass book. But
on Dec. %, when the witness drew out
SIS, she swore that the defendant paid
her the money and made the entry IN
her pass book.
Asked to relate what conversation,
if any, she had ever had with Mr.
Bickel regarding her money ON de-
posit in the Minnesota Savings bank
Miss Peterson answered in her broken
English:
when I said I wanted my money,
Mr.. Bickel told me about a week
before the bank closed to wait a.
couple of weeks until the excitement
was over I did and when the excite
ment was over, the bank was closed"
A significant smile went around the
court room as the witness delivered the
foregoing testimony.
The WITNESS related how she called
at .MfnoBiekePsq house the Monday pre-
ceding nthei day that she first went be-
fore the grand jury, and had a final
talk with him, and that he wanted
her to wait and promised to pay her
little at a time.
On cross-examination Miss Peterson
reiterated her direct testimony as to
the money orders. She was sure that
she did not give them to Mrs. Bickel
or to any one except Mr.. Bickel at
the Minnesota Savings bank.
Then the defense succeeded in con-
fusing Miss Peterson.
''Who do you claim has got your
money, Mr.. Bickel or the Minnesota
Savings bank?"
On objection by Mr. Anderson, the
words "Mr. Bickel or the Minnesota
Savings bank" were dropped from the
objected on the ground that the ques-
ton called for a conclusion or in
ference on the part of the witness as
to who had her money. The court al
lowed the question, however, and Miss
Peterson answered with some alacrity:
''Mr. Bickel has got it."
The defense looked pleased and Mr..
Bickel smiled when his attorney of.
fered in evidence the sworn claim of
Miss Peterson against the Minnesota
Savings bank in which she swore that
the bank had her money.
HThen on the 10Th day Of March
you didn't think Mr.. Bickel owed you
$218.09?" inquired Mr.. Mcdonald.
Objected to and objection sustained.
Didn't Mr.. Bickel tell you to bring
your friend up. to the house and he
would explain to him and to you that
he didn't owe this money, but the
bank did?'