The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-09
WALTER B. BOURNE is WEIGHTED.
DOWN WITH THREE HEAVY
CHARGES
FALSE AUDIT, THEFT, FORGERY
Hearing Demanded by Defendant
DiscIOses Damaging Evidence
Against FOrmey Deputy
County Auditor.

We're forgery, false auditing and grand
larceny. Bourne waived examination on
| the charge of grand larceny.
The accused looked very cheerful dur
| ing the hearing and was represented by
| his attorney, A. E. Bowe. By agreement
| between County Attorney Kane and Mr..
Bowe, the other two cases, charging for
gerry, were continued until this afternoon.
A number of heavy official books were
brought into court and introduced in
evidence, and the witnesses for the state
were Frank Moosbrugger, who made the
expert examination of the books in the
county auditors office and discovered the
alleged crooked work; James Drum
mond, County Auditor Johnson, former
County Treasurer Arosin and County
Treasurer Metzdorf.
Bourne was first given hearing on the
charge of forgery. OIf5 t3hs. count the
state charged that on Aug. 5, 1899, Bourne
forged a redemption, order for $44392 in
the name Of Frank Underwood, secured
a treasuTer's check in favor of Under
wood for that amount and sent 1t to I'm
derwood in payment of a lumber bill due
the St Croix Lumber company, of which
Underwood was agent at Rosemount.
The property which Bourne used in this
transaction was lot II, block 4, Mackubin
and Marshalls addition, sold for taxes
redeemed by the owner, Mary Fecht, who
| paid $3.50. Bourne drew the false re-
demption order IN favor of Underwood
for 1882 the following August.
KANE SPRINGS A SURPRISE.
County Attorney Kane, who conducted
the examination for the state, sprung a
surprise when he called Mr. Underwood
to the stand, and although he said moth
ing Bourne seemed rather taken back
when he saw Underwood in the court
room. Frank Moosbrugger was called
and identified the records and referred
to the pages where the entries to the
transaction in question were made. By
this witness and the records it was
proved that the property in Mackubin
and Marshalrs addition had been re-
deemed by Mary Fecht, after having
been sold to Hicks. The state further
showed that Underwood had never been
q taxpayer in Ramsey county and that
he had never bought any tax certificates
in Ramsey county. The state also pre-
scented the Bourne redemption order and
the treasurer'S check for S443.92 in evil
dence.
The next witness called was Frank
Underwood, and he testified that he
was now agent for the ST. Croix Lum-
Der company at Kenneth. Witness stat
ed that he was formerly manager for the
branch of the company at Rosemount
and that he had sold Bourne about $500
worth of lumber He identified the
treasurer's check for S443.92 as the one
that Bourne had sent him in part pay
ment for the bill.
Underwood testified that ne had never
made the Endorsement of his name on
the back of the check and had credited
Bourne with the amount of the check.
Witness also testified that he had never
owned property in Ramsey county and
had never bought tax certificates at any
time in Ramsey county
Deputy County Auditor James Drum
mond, identified the handwriting of
Bourne, stating further that he knew
Bourne aid heen in the county auditors
office Aug. 8, 1899, and that he had seen
Bourne write his name and write other
matter hundreds of times.
The testimony OF County Auditor John
son was to the effect that Bourne left
ais Office Aug. 10, 1899
Former County Treasurer A. H. Arosin
testified that the Underwood check was
signed and issued by him, and that the
corresponding entry was on page 123 of
the treasurer's bank account The num-
Der of the redemption order was shown
on the bank books and the register of the
daily payments was also shown him, at
page 126, entry of redemption of order in
favor of Frank Underwood. Mr. Arosln
stated that the redemption order shown
him was the one redeemed that day.
The check was also shown and identified.
HELD TO GRAND JURY.
This completed the case as far as the
state was concerned and after the de-
fendant had asked a couple of questions,
Judge Hine ordered Bourne held over TO
the grand jury on this charge.
charge Of false auditing. The same wit
nesses were called. On this charge the
state alleged that Bourne made false
refunding order in favor of E. ]. Trow-
bridge, for S1.44S52, March 80, 1899, on
lots to Z, inclusive, block g. Bass ad-
dition. This false order was presented to
the county treasurer, who stamped II
mo funds Bourne then. assigned this
to the State Savings bank, which gave
Bourne check and this check he In
dorsed as agent. Bourne then deposited
it to his credit in another bank. The
cashier of the other bank, however was
not treasured by the Endorsement as
agent and Bourne thereupon took the
check and exchanged it at the county
treasurers office for another cheek
which he cashed at the German-Amer-
lean bank.
Mr.. Mooshrugger was again called and
testified that there was no assignment
of the tax certificate to Trowbridge who
is supposed to be fictitious person.
County Attorney Kane next offered GER
tificates of tax judgment sale for the
year 1891 to Charles Clifford. Mr.. Cliff
ford's assignment to William Dawson
Jr., and assignment of T. L. Blood, as
assignee OF William Dawson Jr to
Frank Seymour and William H. Light
ner, receivers of the Bank of Minnesota.
and Mr.. Lightner, who was later sole
receiver. sold them to Carl Ducius under
an order of the court
The state called Mr. Eightner as a
witness
j. NJ Goldsmith, treasurer of the State
Savings bank, was next called and iden-
tilted the Bourne refunding order and
his signature on it. It was sold to the
bank and the bank got the money on it.
He could not say, however, who sold it
to the bank and could not say that he
knew man named Trowbridge He re-
membered, however, of buying orders
from Bourne.
This finished the evidence of the state
on this charge and Judge Hine ordered
Bourne held to the grand jury on this
charge When the charge of grand lar
ceny in the first degree was taken up,
his attorney, Mr.. Bowe moved to waive
examination and this the court agreed
TO.
The hearing on the other two com,
plants will be held this afternoon. as
County Attorney Kane wanted more time
in the Rowley complaints, as the state
was not ready to examine witnesses.
-un
Granted Leave of Absence.
Lieut.. Col. R. D. Fitzgerald medical