The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-04


The state concluded the introduction
of evidence yesterday in the case of the
state against Deputy County Treasurer
Andrew P. Swanstrom, charged with
grand larceny, in connection with the de-
funct Order of Minnehaha, of which he
was supreme secretary and treasurer
When the state rested, late In the after
noon, the defense moved for a dismissal
on the ground that the evidence was in
sufficient to convict, and the balance of
the session was taken up in arguments
The court will decide the question when
the trial is resumed, at 10 a. m. tomorrow
morning. The proceedings yesterday
were dry and monotonous
H. H. Snure, of Caledonia, was the first
witness for the state. He had paid w.
F. Weber's assessment and identified the
card George Fales, living at 205 Delos
street, testified that he was member of
| the Order of Minnehaha, but could not
! say to whom he had paid his assess
ments. He thought that Swanstrom had
received some of the money and DR.. Gin
ner the rest Similar testimony was Of
| fered by w. M. Croome, of 500 Mime
haha street, and H. G. Croome, son of
| the preceding witness, was similarly I'M
certain as to who received his payments.
| W. r. Scofeld, member, testified that
| he had made payments in currency at the
| office of the order in the Chamber of
Commerce He did not remember
whether or not he paid assessment H..
| DR.. Ginner, recalled, identified the sig
nature of A P. S., signed to the receipts,
as that of the defendant. Arthur l..
| Woolsey identified his signature on the
| back of a check Endorsed by Swanstrom.
A. C. Woodruff, formerly cashier of the
Bank of Merriam Park, identified another
! Endorsement.
DR.. Ginner again took the stand and
| identified the books and some postal
card receipts. The books of the defunct
order were added to the mass of state s
| exhibits.
81 found some slips in the cash drawer
of which 1 don't remember the total, ="
| said the witness on re-cross-examinatton
| They had Charge to A. P. g. on them.
| For some time previous Swanstrom had
! access to the books, but no credits were
| entered In the records
| County Attorney BigeloW offered a rec
| ord that was almost unintelligible, owing
to the way the entries were crossed and
rewritten.
Are those entries just and true, doc
| LOT! lie dShGQ
Some of them may be. I don't see
what they have to do with this case" re-
joined the witness.
1t appeared that some of the memoran-
| dums found by the witness were charged
to Swanstrom, but a statement of his in
tentions in regard to the balance was OBJ
| iected to.
At this point the state rested and At
torney ]. H. Ives, for the defense, moved
for 2 dismissal
| 1.-THE state has not proven by such tes-
=timony as the law requires that an Of
| Tense has been committed. The state has
/ not proven that these witnesses were
members of the Order of Minnehaha,' -
| said Mr. Ives.
| Counsel claimed the records showed
! that Swanstrom was entitled by the rec
| ords to $685. of which there was no rec
ord that he ever received the amount,
| and moved to exclude all testimony with
| reference to the checks introduced in
| evidence, on the ground that the defend
| ant was not charged in the indictment
as being an officer in charge of certain
| checks and converting them. The indict-
ment, it was claimed, charged the lar
| ceny of certain moneys, and checks were
| not money. This motion was denied.
The county attorney took hand in the
arguments, and the court finally an
| nounced that he had two questions to
| consider: WAS it Swanstrom's duty to
| pay those collections over to anyone, and,
| if So to whom?'' and WAS it Swan
strom's duty to make the entries?'
The matter was taken under advise
ment until 10 a. m. tomorrow.