The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-02-10
WAREHOUSE
BAILEE
TRIAL
At This Term Of the Circuit
Court.
The Humphreys Trial Com
tested by Able Counsel.

state attorney, J. N. Hart, under the
warehouse act passed in 1885, and under
which no one has yet been convicted.
A NJ. Humphreys who formerly conduct
Ell warehouse in Salem had shortage
i'm his wheat. admitted to be between !
5000 and 1900 bushels The act is con-
tanned in section 42Ol-4207 Of Hill's code
and holds that no person operating a
warehouse or mill aud who stores wheat,
grain, meats etc, for which
receipts have been given
shall dispose Of same without assent
Of the holder Ct the receipt. After pay
ment of the storage charges, on pre-.
senting the receipt, the holder thereof
shall receive the entire amount OF goods
on storage.
There has been but one case in the
state during the fifteen years the law has
been in force, where a conviction has
been secured and that was reversed by
the supreme court. This was in the case
OF Stockman from Linn county. The
sentence is a fine not exceeding $4,000 or
FIVE wears in the pententiary or both.
Humphreys by his attorneys, Hayden
& Maxwell and s. T. Richardson, has
filed number OF interesting aflidaVits
and also moves the court to transfer
the case to the nearest county in the
state where fair and impartial trial
can be had.
The counties he objects to the trial
being held in are ClAckamas, Lane, Ben
ton, Lincoln, Tillamook, Linn, Polk,
Yamhill and Washington. His motion
states that it is not 'made for delay,
but in order that fair and impartial
trial be secured and justice done. That
there has been great many bank iail-
ures and also failures Of warehouses in
which wheat has been stored in the
above named counties, and that the peo.
pie OF all these counties are unduly
prejudiced and yiciously disposed against
me and against all bankers and ware
housemen and regard them all as thieves
and robbers, especially such as are en-
barraseed.
THAT the people Of said counties are
determined to convict me whether |
am innocent or not. That now and
for long time past many OF said
persons are suggesting mobbing aud
hanging me-" He cites the instances
in Marion and several other counties
ia which failures have occurred
aud also some Of the charges made
against him. lie also mentions a man
whom he believed to be near personal
friend, who recently called him thieI
and Tobber and said he should be
hanged to telegraph pole. He alleges
10 have made a thorough canvas Of the
above counties and has learned that all
are bitterly preiudiced against him and
are in such mad frenzy that they wish
to do him great bodily harm.
lie also describes meeting called by
him after he became embarrassed snd
while he was still suffering from la
grippe 80 that he was weak in body and
mind.
lie tried to explain the situation tC
the owners OF grain, but the meeting
broke mp in panic many threatening tC
throw him in the Willamette river.
Humphreys alleges and supports bis
theory by the alhdavits of number Of
Marion county men, that secret meet
ings are being held during court to settle
the matter OF his conviction. lie claims
that he has been selected as a sacriclaI
victim to appease the losers in all the
warehouse and bank failures during
the last fifteen years. Those presenting
afidavits are; J. B. Ashby, J. IL. Elgin
A. T. Eoff, J. +. Short, @. W. Younke
T.. r. Gillian, h. 4. Downing, Free
] Hurst, J. A. Sellwood, ]. d. Clark. Chas
+. Elgin, W. IL, IL, Darby, T. l.. Golden
w. +. Crasby, Peter Francis II. Boren
drick, b. 5. Rodabough, w, II. Downing
NJ. Springer, j, w. Laiollett, q. o
Rice, John Moir, Jas. Ii. Albert, s. b
Catterlin, G. w. Watt, IL. A. Thomas
John McCraw, il. X. Ryan.