The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-04
THE DEFENSE OPENS
Megaarden Takes the Stand In His
Own Behalf.
THAT MARCH BILL IS DIsoWNED
Tendency OF the sherin'. Testimony
Is to SHIFT Responsibility to
His Subortiinates.

Without any special ado, the defense in
the Megaarden case began Its testimony
| this morning by placing Phil T. >Megaar-
| den himself on the stand. BY way OF
establishing his identity he said that he
was born in Iowa, had lived In Mlnneapo-
! lis about twenty-five years and had been
; sheriff for three years. He was called
| upon to testify regarding his duties as
| sheriff. Agate Anderson was the chief
| deputy and looked after all the details
| Of the office. such as serving summonses'
| orders great variety Of notices, sum
| monses to- 100 petit jurors every two
! weeks, grand Jury Yenires every term,
! many special venires. Witnesses were
summoned for criminal trials.
! The general deputies We're A. K. Wood
| cock Jay W. Phillips. John Wall and
| c. w. LundQuiss. The courtroom depu-
ties, Dan O'Conncll. Jacob Gould. John
Allison. Chris Ltndquist Gordon Br1gnt,
Charles Bude, Joe Schutta, Percy De-
Laittre. George. Brcndage.'
| Mr. Megaarden said that Jay w. Phillips
was now on the municipal court detail OF
| the police force, while George Brundage,
Joe Schutta and Percy De Laittre were
plain clothes men," The bookkeeper was
John P. Blichfeldt,. who had complete
| charge of the books and making out the
! bills. The bills were correct copy OF the
| service book, the only item omitted be-
| ing the names of the deputies VINO had
performed the service.
! Megaarden said that he attended per-
| sonally to all business outside the city,
| such as making arrests and summonlng
! witnesses. He was on the go pretty much
! of the time. He spent nearly all OF one
| month in Missouri. During the campaign
| he remained away as much to dodge the
or course, he endeavored to be at the
office as much as possible, butawhen there
he was principally engaged in consulting
with attorneys about sales and other
| matters and in the entertainment OF nu-
merous callers. He took no. hand in the
detailed management of the office. T. The
amount of money that passed through the
office would run from $4,000 to $4,000
monthly, and frequently went as high as
| $4,000. " -a
Dtsowns the March Bill.
He had no recollection concerning the
| bill for March, 1900, On which he had
been indicted. He had Nc; prepared 1t,
| had had no hand in preparing it. and had
not even presented it to the county COM
| missioners. On that particular day, April
| 2, and the day before he had been in Grand
| Forks after Lizzie Smith, wanted as a
witness in a murder case, ~
He could not recall whether carriages
| were used or not in connection with tax
ing the children to Red Wing. 1t was un-
usual if carriages or hacks were not used.
| His livery bill in county work ran from
SIS to S35 month and in addition he kept
a two-horse team and covered carriage.
| First News of Overcharges.
! The witness admitted that he had been
summoned before the county commission
| T., ,n1n ON 0nE no
He had explained that it was nearly three
| miles from the station at Red Wing to the
! state training. school and a hack was i'm
| perative. Likewise in Minneapolis it was
! necessary to have carriages especially
with the insane PATIENTS. Neither Mr..
| Jelly nor any of the county commission
ers said word about carriages at Owa-
| tonna or Faribault and there was not
! even an intimation tina. he had charged
I for carriages which were never used.
! The first intimation he had Of any over
j charges, was shortly before the opening
of the September tern: OF 1901. He and
A. r. Woodcoc1 were summoned to the
county attorneys office where they met
(! Mr.. Boardman and his assistant c. L.
! Smith. They first talked over com
plant by Mr.. Boardman that Mr.. Wood
cock had been making criticisms around
town on the county attorneys office.
The question of the sheriff charging fol
kilograms and various items of expense
while travelling about the state was
brought up. c. l.. Smith then called at
tention to the fact that Mr.. Holt, who
was supposed 20 take children to Owa.
tonna and Faribault, had secured others
to do this work. The witness said this
| state of affairs was absolutely new tt
him. He represented that he had gone
left word on his desk that he was at Owa-
tonna or Faribault and had in each case
been paid 50. ,. III ~.
The various matters discussed in this
interview Mr.. Megaarden said were al
news to him, but he told Mr.. Smith tt
go over the books with Mr.. Blichfeidt. his
bookkeeper, and if any overcharges or IL
legal charges were made he would prompt
| ly give a check, as he did not want dol
lar that did not belong to him.
Mr.. Bcardman had said that the state
ment was a fair and manly one.
/ Says He May Sue.
Megaarden said he had paid back ever,
cent claimed, even VIXEN there was
question involved. Personally, he figured
that the county owed him $1,000 and h,
purposed to get it back-by litigation i
there was no other way
;! Mr.. Megaarden stated positively severa
times that he was not aware that tn,
children who were recorded as having
been taken to Red Wing on different day!
were really all taken down on the same
day. All were committed from the mu
nicipal court and almost invariably take1
to Red Wing the same day. He never saw
them, though often rtceipting for them
The only child he could remember wa:
Willie Brown, who got away.
|