The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-04
THE CASE AGAINST HALL
He Was Charged by T. z. Lee
With Embezzlement.
NO EVIDENCE TO OFFER
Hall Courted an Investigation, but the
County Attorney Would Not
Touch the Case and 1t Was
Dismissed.

Special Correspondence of the Standard.
Big Timber. Aug. lon July %
Thomas X. Lee of this town swore out
a complaint before Justice Lanphear.
charging j. A. Hall, president of the
Big Timber National bank. with the
crime of embezzlement of the banks
funds on July 26. 1898. At the time
the warrant was issued Mr.. Hall said
he would be ready for a hearing on the
following Saturday. but the case was
continued until to-day upon Mr.. Lees
representation that he could not be
ready by Saturday. The case came on
to be heard before Justice Lanphear
this morning. The hour set was 10
o'clock and the defendants attorney,
A. j. Campbell of Butte, and witnesses
were present. but Mr.. Lee had not put
in an appearance at 20 minutes past
10, and Attorney Campbell asked that
a subpoena be issued for him. About
the time the justice a completed fll-
ing the blank, Mr.. Lee came in. The
ease was then called and Mr.. Lee asked
for a continuance of one week for the
reason hat the county attorney re-
fused to prosecute upon the ground
that the state courts had no jurisdlc-
llOl III TIA hC 1ouid III hA1b oiiotii~t
lawyer who would take the case. Mr..
Hall, through his attorney. opposed the
continuance and demanded a trial at
once, branding the charge to be false
and malicious and claiming the right
of the public to know the facts In the
case. He further offered in the event
thai the justice decided to bind Mr..
Hall over to the district court to join
the state in asking that court to direct
the county attorney to file an Informal
tion.
The court refused to grant a continu-
ance, and the defense Their asked that
the case proceed. The complaining
witness then stated that he was not
ready for trial, but Mr.. Campbell for
his client offered to consent to a con-
tinuance until the afternoon or evening
in order hat Mr.. Lee might have every
opportunity to present the evidence.
The latter made further objection to
the case being tried at this time. and
in the meantime the court ruled upon a
filed by the defense, holding
that the crime of embezzlement of the
funds of a national bank was n over
which the United States courts exer-
cised exclusive jurisdiction, and that an
action of this character could not be
maintained in the state courts. The
defense offered to withdraw the demur-
rer if the court would order the Gaze
to proceed, but the complaining witness
had no evidence to offer and the case
was dismissed.
At the time the bank suspended in
1898 Lee, the complaining witness, was
a director and continued a director for
two years after the bank re~-organized.
At that time his Indebtedness to the
bank became so great that his stock
was purchased and he retired from The
directorate. In 1897 some of his prop
erty was attached by the bank and 1t is
understood that the charge made
against Mr.. Hall was an endeavor TO
get even for wrongs. real or imagined.
f. T. Wilson of Helena, the bank ex-
aminer who took charge of the Big
Timber National bank when ii sus-
pended in 1898. was present as a wit
ness for the defendant, and in an in
terview with the Standards correspon-
dent said that he has always found
the management of Mr.. Hall in the line
of good banking inc no violation of the
law in the Big Timber National bank
has ever come to his knowledge.