The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-04-18

three employees Of the Redwood
branch of the Northwestern rail
road company, having already been
taken into the confidence, Of the de-
tectives and the milling company,
ran an engine on to the side track
where the elevators are located,
hitched on to the two cars loaded
at those places, hauled them down
to the Northwestern railroad scales,
weighed them officially, and then
transported the cars back to their
original places. This was done
without being detected by any of
the parties suspected of the crime.
The next morning the cars were
pushed down to the elevator and
mill scales: where they were
weighed under the direction Of Mr..
Barr. The last car weighed was
reported at 1873 bushels more than
it really contained, while the other
car was reported as containing over
$50 bushels more than it really con-
tanned. AS soon as the report was
made the officials of the milling COM
pany notified George T. Olsen of
Springfield, county attorney of
Brown county, and Mr.. Olsen ap-
peared in very short time and
made out the complaints, which
were signed by President A. c.
VonHagen OF the milling company,
and on which the warrants of arrest
were formulated. Only one war
rant was served-the one on Mr..
Barr, and he was gathered in be-
fore the officials. the police authori-
ties, and when told what had been
discovered, broke down and made a
complete confession, involving
Messrs. Bingham and Murfin, as
we'll as himself.
Mr.. MurHHn was with his family
in Iowa at that time, and he was
notified that he was wanted at home.
He arrived on Thursday or Friday
morning, leaving the train before it
reached the depot, and going direct
to the Office of the milling company.
Conferences with the three parties
implicated, at which the attorneys
Of the milling company, who have
also been the attorneys OF the ac-
cused, wese present, followed, and
after several hours it was agreed
that the wheat for which the milling
company had been charged and paid
for, and did not receive, was worth
$36, 900, and the three men were
called upon to make up the short
age, which were the profits that the
milling company had been looking
for during the two years. It is un-
derstood that Messrs. Bingham and
Murfn paid ST., 900 each in cash,
while Mr.. Barr transferred a
couple of tracts of land to make up
his $4,000.
Before the amounts were paid
over the milling company placed at
tachments valued at $50, 900 on the
property of the accused, the attach
ment on the Barr property amount.
ing to 5000 and on the property
of the other two men to $4,000
each. These were released as soon
as the men made up the deficiency
The officers of the milling com.
pany are A. c. VonHagen Presi-
dent Hans Mo treasurer and O.
W. Hagen secretary.
tits stated that the officers of the
company will not push the com
plants made, or press the matter
before the Brown county grand
jury. The latter body will not
meet until June, by which time pub
lie sentiment will probably get its
sober second thought, and if any
one desires to press the matter will
undoubtedly be given hearing by
that body. The fact that Brown
county papers and citizers have
already rubbed it into Redwood
county as being the hot-bed oi
crime, and that the matter seems tc
be evenly balanced at the presen,
time, may cause the grand jury to
put quietus on this case. Both
papers in Sleepy Eye are suspi-
ciously, silent in view of the fact
that both have been in the habit o1
publishing all of the details Of any
offense committed in Redwood coun-
ty and have editorially and other