The Butte inter mountain., 1902-04-04
WITNESS BRANDS RIDDELL'S
STATEMENTS AS FALSE IN
MANY PARTICULARS.
DECLARES THE LETTERS
WERE ALL FILLED OUT
zest Given to the Conspiracy Trial by
Witness Who Loads More Burdens
on the Dead Man in the Case-Says
Paulsen's Demands Were More
Than Contractors Could Stand.

j. A. Riddell's suit against Charles
Suiter and George l.. Ramsey to recover
$780, alleged to have been withdrawn
from the bank funds of the plaintiff by
the defendants through conspiracy to
defraud the latter was made interesting
this morning at the trial in Judge Har-
ney's court by the denials of Charles
Suffer- one of the defendants.
Suiter denied the statements OF Rid
dell made when the plaintiff was on the
witness stand. He denied any>conspiracy
between him, Ramsey, Paulsen. who was
the state architect and Roach, another
partner of Riddeli
He also denied that he and the others
had withdrawn funds from the Riddell
&c Roach accounts and the Riddell IL
Suiter accounts In Ramsey's bank. He
affirmed emphatically that Riddell knew
that the contracting firms paid Paulssn
bride money when the latter was es-
timating the work they were doing on
various institutions they built for Mon
tana.
A little joke enliveaad the morning
proceedings. There has been much evil
dence by the defen lants throwing all
the evil transactions on the dead PAUL
sen, and Suiter was tes'rying about some
more bad conduct when Attorney CIT
ter, for Riddell, objected to 1t on the
ground that what Paulsen said was not
competent.
Joke on Dead Man.
II object to the witness retailing what
Paulsen said.' said he.
Attorney Day for the defendants an
l..
not what he said"
WELL that isn't competent. either. He
seemed to be doing everybody" Mr..
Cottcr replied, and even the court smiled.
Suiter testified there was about one
$1,000 that Paulsen never got, although
Roach, Suiter and Ramsey agreed that
he should have 1t. Suiter admitted that
Riddell was not present at that agree
ment Suiter said that Paulsen was
dogging them all for money and that he
wrote letter suggesting the meeting.
Was that money eser paid?" his at
torney asked
mot that / knew Of" he replied.
Did you ever see 1'aulseh receive any
money!"
Yes; saw Roach give him small
sums several times IN the Office. He
usually was going scr.e place and was
short Of cash." SuitA- rejoned.
Once, as shown hy Rddelrs testimony,
Suiter, Roach and RAMSEY, by agree
ment, transferred $500 from the two
contracting firms accounts to Roachs
account. That. Riddell claimed, was
done for the purpose Of withdrawing it
from him by the conspirators to make a
division of 1t.
Avarice of Paulsen.
Suiter admitted that the transfer was
made, but swore that 1t was done 10 de-
feat the avariciousness of Paulsen.
Paulsen, he said, was continually nag
ging them for money. and would not be
satisfied with their statements that there
was no money in their possession, de-
manding that the accounts be exhibited
to him.
1t was thought to be a neat trick to
dodge him by putting the money in
Roach's name.
One of the letters that Riddell swore
he signed In blank and was filled in by
the alleged conspirators afterward and
also signed by Suiter was brought for
ward.
What do you say about that letter
having been signed in blank by Mr..
Riddell?" the attorney asked
Il signed that letter at the same time
Mr.. Riddell did and 1t had been filled
In already" the witness replied.
Did you ever get blank signature
from Mr.. Riddell"
Never" the witness answered
Says Statements Are False.
The next subject taken up was a check
for $4,000 by which Suiter transferred
$4,000 from the Riddell & Roach account
TO the Riddeil & Suiter account. Suiter
explained that transaction by saying
that after Roach, who handled the books,
went west, he took 1t upon himself to
pay bills of Riddell e. Suiter and trans
ferred the money to do that He after
wards included bills of both firms.
What do you say about withdrawing
that to divide it?" he was asked.
THAT Is absolutely false" he replied.
He then testified that he had after
ward explained that transaction TO Rid
dell, who had made no objection to IT.
Both defendants were on the stand
yesterday, Ramsey in the morning and
Suiter in the afternoon. Ramsey ex-
plained his action in paying money to
Fauisen on the ground that he had
been directed to do so by the contract
ors.
Suiter went on the stand late. He
testified that the books of the contract
Ing firm Of Riddel & Suter were turned
over by him to Paulsen at the McDer-
mott hotel about four years ago, and that
ne had never again seen them
lie testified that Riddell knew of the
money paid to Paulsen under the name
or James Ryan.
The charges preferred by M T Ed