The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-26
VAN KURAN'S BONDS REDUCED
ALLEGED DEFAULTER EXPECTS
TO SECURE RELEASE.
Taken Into Court For Arrangement
by Mistake-Brother Arrives
From Chicago.

The $1,000 bail in which Arthur ]. Van
Kuran. the alleged defaulting treasurer
of the Short Line, has been held in the
county jail since Feb. IA. was reduced
yesterday to $500, and Van kuran
now expects to gain his liberty within
the next few days. 1t is said he in
tends to make a. personal examination
Of his books. with view to proving
his claim that there is a mistake some
where that will account for his appar-
ent shortage.
Attorney c. c. Van Kuran of Chica-
go, a brother of the accused man, who
arrived in this city Sunday, is looking
after the matter of bail, and said last
night that he expected TO produce the
required amount within the next four
or five days and place matters in such
a condition that his brother could look
after them himself.
Van Kuran was represented in court
by Attorneys Straup and Lippman, of
Powers, Straup & Lippman, and H. E.
Booth.
The reduction in bail was made by
Judge Dana T Smith, on. motion of
Attorney Booth for the defendant. and
with the consent of the state.
County Attorney Christensen, how
ever, demanded. in view of the reduced
bail, that the case be set for prelimin-
airy trial at some near date, and the
10th of next month was decided upon.
Van kuran's appearance before
Judge Smith yesterday afternoon was
due to a little forgetfulness on the
part of the prosecution. He was taken
there for the purpose of arraignment.
and was arraigned on a charge of en-
bezzling $4,000, but after the arraign-
ment 1t was discovered that the pris-
oner had already been arraigned on the
charge on the 18th of last month, had
entered plea of not guilty, and had
been placed under s., 600 bonds.
Attorney Booth then asked for the
lower bonds, saying that they could
furnish the lower amount, and thought
il only just to his client, who had
Clearly shown that he would not at
tempt to run away, even without any
bonds The county attorney said he
had no objection to lower bonds, but
would demand that the case be set for
trial at some specified time. The Judge
accordingly fixed the lower bail and
set the case.
Mr.. Van Kuran was in a jocuIar
mood in court and laughingly told the
court after his arraignment that that
was the second time ne had heard the
complaint. When talked to he declined
to say anything about what he pro
posed to do on getting out of Jail, but
said that he felt that matters were IA
Vor2ble to him now, and he thought
the railroad people and prosecution
mad been kind to him in not opposing
the reduction of his bail. He said he
wanted to get out Of Jail so he could
see his friends and look after his af-
Ialrs- His attorneys said yesterday
afternoon that when he was release
ne would begin an examination of his
books to discover the mistake which
ne claims has been made somewhere.
& g Van Kuran, when seen la
evening, said that he could not saw
nuch ABOUT the matter, but said he
and the other relatives were confident
that there was a mistake somewhere.
ana that now the bonds had been re-
ouced so his brother would be able to
get out and look after the matter him
SELF, ne felt sure the thing would be
Gle4reo up Mr.. Van Kuran said that
he had come simply to assist his bro+b-
er IN getting matters in shape, and he
hoped to be able to secure bonds in a
few days. ~ -