Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-03-29
THE EASTON CASE.
The State Still Busy Ex-
amining Witnesses.
RECORD OF The WEEK.
A Mass Of Evidence Being Collected
Which Looks Damaging for Easton,
But the Defense May Dis
prove it. Case May
Last Two Weeks
Longer.

The past week in District Court at
West Union has been busy routine OF
examining witnesses. As will be seen
from the following testimony, the
state has consumed the time in at
tempting to prove that the assets OF
the hank as shown by the books were
to a large degree worthless and whether
or not they will do so, depends greatly
upon the ability of the defense to im-
peach the testimony of many of the
witnesses. Our special reporter at
West Union, who has been there since
the case began, informs us that the
rumor In Decorah that former cashier
Z. r. Baker has turned states evidence
il false; that he believes he is simply
answering the questions CT the at
torneys in truthful manner, the same
as any other witness, as he has taken
his oath to do. The jury is one of the
most attentive that have been seen in
that county for years, and are bearing
the strain manfully, as are all the at
torneys.
West Union, Iowa.
Special to Public Opinion:
TUESDAY
f.. r. Baker was called and testified to
the shares of stock of the First Nation
al Bank, the signatures of the stock
holders, and different notes, with their
signatures; also regarding his indebted
ness to the bank, stating that the bank
held notes against himself and wife,
for $l2S2OO and $1,000, and laid the
foundation for proving the value of
the Duluth and Superior lots, owned
by the bank.
VIM. E. Lucas, real estate man of
Duluth, testified to the value of the
8S3 lots in Duluth, which the bank in
their trust deed valued at $4,000 or
$3.50 per lot. He stated that a fair
market value for said lots on August
2l, 1896 was $3.50 per lot. He also 'tes-
titled as to the location of the lots; said
that only one street was laid out in the
whole plat of land; there were no
buildings, the nearest house towards
the city being one-fourth of a mile dis
tant, and the nearest towards the lake
one-eighth of mile. He also testified
as to the Superior property, in the
Montgomery addition to Superior, and
placed the value of the lots at 81 to $40
per lot on Aug. 81, 1896. Hon. G.. H.
Graves, of Duluth, was then called.
He Is dealer in real estate and in
snrance agent. He thought the tract
of land In Duluth worth about $1,000.
the bank claimed it was worth $50, 900,
and this amount was counted among
the assets of the bank. He valued the
Montgomery addition to Superior pro-
perty worth in all only $425.
Capt. Ray Il. Lewis, real estate
dealer of Duluth, testified to about the
same as Mr.. Lucas regarding the Du-
luth and Superior land, stating the
tract of land in the Montgomery adj
dition to Superior was not surveyed in
to lots, nor streets nor alleys laid out.
M. Norris, contractor of Duluth,
testified to the value of the lots In Du-
luth, rating the value $3.50 per lot.
E. r.. Baker was recalled and testifi-
ed that he had turned over all his pro-
perty to the bank, and also as to the
securities on his notes.
WEDNESDAY.
Frank 4. Parkinson, attorney at
law, testified a. follows: That he lives