The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-15

| ~NOhO LII S1,OOO-Vh u. n.
The stories that might be written
around some Of the seemingly insignif-
! fcant and unimportant notations on a
number Of the exhibits which have
| been offered as evidence in the present
Bickef trial would probably make in
| teresting reading. Few of them, how
| ever, will ever have the full light of
publicity thrown on them, fact much
appreciated probably by some of the
interested persons. One of these harm
| less-looking little notations was observ-
ed the other day on exhibit 122, intro
duced in evidence. 1t simply said: Mote
for $1,000-M. D. X"
AS m. D. K" is taken to mean NJ
D. Kenyon, the state bank examiner,
it can be easily understood how people
interested in the work and business
methods of the officers of the state will
want to know all about it. The dis
covery that some Of Bank Examiner
Kenyon's commercial paper, especially
one Of his notes, should ever find its
way into one of the institutions which
are under his immediate and direct
supervision is little short of a sensa-
ton. Why the state bank examiner, of
all men, should ask any favors of a
bank which he is supposed to deal with
firmly and impartially, as the protector
Of depositors, is something which prob
ably Mr.. Kenyon can explain. Many
people would feel themselves under OBJ
legations to an institution which took
care of their paper and favor it when
opportunity offered. 1t is not certain
that Bank Examiner Kenyon did not
do this, nor is it certain that he did do
It. The history of the piece of paper
whose former existence is shown by
the notation Mote for s., ,00O-M. D. K"
is not written in letters of gold, nor
any other kind of letters, so that the
Glob has therefore had to frame up
the story, adhering as closely to the
facts as the fragmentary parts could
be found.
The exhibit on which appear the
tell-tale words Mote for $1,0OO-M. D.
K" is one of the notes described in
the indictment on which William F.
Bickel is now being tried. The face of
the note reads as follows:
$3.50. St. Paul July 81. 1885,
Ninety days without grace after date |
promise to pay to the order OF the Minnesota
Savings bank, st. Paul, twelve hundred and
fifty dollars at said bank with interest be-
fore and after maturity at the rate of per
cent per annum till fully paid for value re-
ceived having deposited with said bank as
collateral security for payment of this or
any other liability or liabilities of ours to
said bank due or to become due, or which
may be hereafter contracted the following
property.
QIere follows description OF considerable
other collateral which is not material in the
case)
1signed5 William Bickel.
On the back of the note is written
"S, 20, 80. Paid on within note $1,000"
There is nothing to show anything
about the origin or previous existence
of this note of Bank Examiner Ken
yon when it found it's way into the
Minnesota Savings bank or when it
was taken out of the institution. That
it was paid is shown by the line men
toned, and because its value has been
deducted from the $1,250 for which it
served as collateral.
But there is one other rather odd
thing about the payment of the note
When the receivers of the Minnesota
Savings bank had examined all the
papers turned over to them and began
to try and realize on the assets, Sena-
tor Sheehan, one of the receivers,
wrote a letter to Mr. Kenyon calling
on him to pay his note for 81 900 held
by the receivers. Mr.. Sheehan was
surprised to receive a reply from Mr..
Kenyon saying that he had paid the
note.
The Minnesota Savings bank people
were in all proba ability, more than
glad to have that little piece Of paper
which put Mr.. Kenyon under obliga
tion to the institution that carried it.
It is certain that the Minnesota Saw
ings banks officers would have taken
a second guess before they would have
demurred to accepting the paper whose
face value was only $1,000, but whose
actual value perhaps could not be es-
timated.
Now, just what effect that piece Of
paper of Bank Examiner Kenyon may
have had beyond mere business trans
action the G. o b cannot tell, neither
will it insinuate that it had any effect.
But a perusal of the testimony taken
by the investigating committee of the
last legislature to look into the affairs
Of certain Twin City institutions can
easily furnish a suspicious mind some
thing to think about This testimony is
on file in Secretary of State Berg's
office. In part of the testimony given
by H NJ Temple, the expert account
ant, who looked over the books of the
various institutions, is found the fol-
lowing in reference to the Minnesota
Savings bank:
On the bank examiners report Of Oct. Z,
1896, it recites as follows:
81 enclose herewith schedules and state
ments as to the true condition of the bank
on the I'd instant. The loans to A. S. Kilt
son and ]. F. Baker were made before they
became trustees; one loan to ]. F. Baker for
81 107 indorsed by Mrs. A. S. Kittson, is Sc
cured by unrecorded quit claim deed in her
and her husbands homestead at White Bear
lake The other loans to trustees were ]. T.
Baker, 1906; William Bickel, $3.50, and +. F.
Fargo indorsed by F. G. Stevens, So, ,000 Mr..
Kittson will in about three years from now
receive a large fortune, and 1t is claimed
that all his paper will be taken care of. The
savings accounts were balanced and found cor
rect the bank now having 17S0 accounts.
The trustees are F. c. Stevens. president; ".
F. Bickel. acting cashier; ]. f. Baker. WILL