The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-18
LIEUT.. MoRFoRD's DEFENSE.
Tells of His Struggle to Get Out of
Debt.

In the court martial proceedings
against Lieut.. w. Fl. Morford, at Fort
Smelling, the defendant went on the
witness stand yesterday to tell the
causes that led to his financial embar-
easements and his, endeayors to rid
himself Of the oppressive incubus of
debt. The lieutenant has very frank
expression and straight forward man
ner of speaking;9 he told q very plausi-
bic story but rambled in his remarks
over wide range of ground, apparently
being very solicituous of explaining
every point in connection with the mat
ter. His story was that he had become
involved in debt several years ago and
was trying to the best of his ability to
get out of it, but having only his sal
airy to do so with, the process was eX-
ceedngly slow. He had made several
attempts to borrow enough money to
clear up all the smaller items, but was
unable to secure the funds; his inten-
lions were perfectly honorable and in
time he would get everything paid up.
He was also hampered by the Illness
Of his wife, who underwent a surgical
operation and was confined to her bed
for six weeks afterwards. The attend
ing physician, DR.. Shaw, had told him
she should be sent home to Georgia to
recuperate, and when he said that he
could not afford the expense, the doctor
| suggested that he go to Anton Miesen,
| who was kind-hearted man and
would probably loan him the money.
He saw MieSen, and told him how he
| was situated. He told him he might
yet receive the money from his aunt.
| The amount asked was $780, During the
| period of ninety days, he tried every
! possible way to raise the money Banks
had failed, and he could not get money
in any way. He was paying money cut
| to others in small way, and could
| not meet the Miesen claim. He did not
like to go to his father-in-laW. Then
| he telegraphed his uncle for $500, but
could not get it. -
He frequently met Miesen at the
| post. He remembered distinctly that
| he was not in uniform when the deal
was made. Capt. Cook met Morford
and told him that "Miesen was wild, %
but would accept small payments. Nor
| ford then went to Miesen and paid him
what money he could spare. In all he
| had paid on the note s35. He had no
| intention to defraud Miesen and ex-
| pected to pay him some time. Lieut..
| Morford explained his other loans in
! a similar way.
He had occasion to be in Omaha and
had Just enough money to see him
through. He went to the bank and
told one of the bookkeepers, friend
that he would make draft on himself
for SIS. He came home and waited fol
notification concerning the draft. He
received word from the Bank of Min
nesota that it had the draft for col
lection. He went down to meet the
! draft only to learn that the bank had
failed Their. he mailed the amount
to his friend in Omaha, Aug. Is. 1897.
AS to the duplication of accounts he
said that early in January the banks
of the Twin Cities were failing right
and left. He had occasion to be in
Minneapolis to look after a note of
S125. He could not meet the note be-
cause of the failure of the bank. He
went to Mr. Donaldson and asked for
the loan of $125 on the strength of his
pay accounts. He received $12S. Don