The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-11
PETERSON CASE BEGUN.
Row Over the Century Piano Com
pany Recefvership.

The trial of the matter of the COM
plant Of the attorney general against
the assignee of the Century Piano COM
pany, was before Judge MCGEE yester-
day, in an effort on the part of the at
torney to remove II. o. Peterson, as
signee, for a number of causes, mainly
that he was operating the trust for his
own benefit.
The accused produced an answer to
the long list of charges, each Of which
he specifically denied, with two excep-
lions. He admits that he purchased a
painting himself, from the estate, for
$40, but denies that he knew of other
offers for the same, and asserts that
the attorney himself advised the sale.
He admits that he has drawn $l,5OO in
advance from the estate, but asserts
that 1t was upon the advice of the at
torney, who stated to him that the
the court gave permission that such
might be done.
In regard to the charge that in the
sale of the assets he tried to keep the
sale a secret, he claimed that when the
sale came up he inserted two adver-
tisements in the daily papers, which
was much better than his attorney had
done previously In other sales, for the
attorney had inserted the advertise
mentS in The Progress, a weekly pub
LEGATION Of no general circulation. Upon
these claims the case is for trial, all
other accusations being denied.
Judge Belden called John Anderson
as the first witness, who testified that
there was about $4,000 in material on
hand in the factory. He had put in a
bid under another name, and Story &
Clark had also put in one. He had met
the assignee who had told him that, in
his opinion, neither of those bids would
be presented to the court.
In the afternoon the witness came
down more to the point for the COM
plainants, and testified that he had
several talks with Peterson about his
bid. At all these talks he claimed that
Peterson would give him little satisfac-
ton as to his bid The bid referred to
was put In the name of LindquiSt, and
was for $500 cash and the balance in
four months time. Peterson had told
him that if he would give Peterson a
share in the stock, Peterson would in
terest capital enough in the stock to
get out the pianos.
On cross examination, the witness
admitted that Peterson had told him
that he thought he could get $4,000 for
the stock, which was $500 more than
witnesses bid.
John Knutson, a teamster, testified
that he had carried the painting in con-
troversy to Mr. Petersons residence;
also a writing desk, a chair and several
smaller articles. Adiel Swanson, a
painter, testified that he had vanished
a buggy for the assignee, and also var
nished and fixed up some chairs for
him. The witness was in the employ
Of the estate as a f1nisher, and was
paid by the assignee, but the work was
private work.
Carl Raugland who was formerly a
salesman in the employ of the assignee,
but was afterward discharged, testified
that he had entered into an agree
ment with Peterson for the sale of out
side pianos and organs, that were not
in the stock. He was to divide the
profits with the assignee in return for
having the use of the salesrooms They
finally had a quarrel because the wit
ness would not make out a statement
of sales he made on the outside. The
cross-examination of this witness was
thorough, but apparently brought out
little to shake his testimony.