The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-05-20
wALsEn TAKEN TO SALMON.

i Sheriff Hughes of Salmon, ar
rived yesterday and left at 1850
last night with g. w. Walsen,
who is accused of embezzling
i Sc, 900 of the funds of Ilemhi
county, says the Salt Lake Her
aid. A special grand jury has
already been empanelled in
Lemhi county to hear the case,
which will be called Monday.
Sheriff Hughes stated that the
people of bis county are greatly
incensed with Walsen, not only
!, for his alleged theft, but for the
treatment of his wife. The exact
manner in which he supposed to
/, have secured the combination TO
the safe of the treasurer's Office
has never been learned, but a
change was made the first of the
year. At the time of the rob-
berry there was between $50, 200
and $25, 600 in the safe and it has
not been explained why the
whole amount was not taken.
The exact date of the robbery is
not known, but it was discovered
almost simultaneously with Wal
, sens disappearance.
The evidence that has been
secured of his guilt is very scant,
! and it is likely that he viii afford
= the prosecution no little trouble
in securing conviction. The
only evidence secured up to this
: time is the mere fact that Wal
sen disappeared at the time of
, the robbery and there was a
, rumor that he left with consider
able money with him. 1t is also
, reported that in the presence of
a young man by the name of
Taggert, he counted thirty-four
: 800 bills. Au affidavit to that
! effect was made and will be in
: troduced as evidence in the case.
; In the affidavit it is also said that
he gave Taggert So and purchas-
: ed for him a suit of clothes.
Other evidence was secured by
Z the sheriff that he had plenty of
! money while in this city and that
: he spent it freely While there
: is no doubt of Walsen's guilt of
: the robbery, said the sheriff, it
( is extremely doubtful if the evi-
dence that has been secured will
Z be able to secure conviction.
; Considerable doubt has been
expressed by the officers as to
the likelihood of Walsen's S so far
!. losing himself as to exhibit that
amount of money in anyone's
presence. The sheriff also ex-
; pressed great wonderment that
4 he ever permitted himself to be
!. inveigled into the meshes of the
! net that had been so carefully
d prepared for his arrest. 1t is
d believed that the only reason for
: his return to this city and con
:, seuuent arrest was the fact that
e he had spent the money and
hoped to get more from his wife,
1t is said that he used every
means in his power to secure the
= sum of $500 from her previous to
: his arrest.
, A special to the Boise States
y man from Salmon May 18th, says
Z George w. Walsen, late mar
age of the Idaho Recorder OF
: this place, who was arrested il
. Salt Lake a few days ago charg
y ed with the theft of $1,000 from
Y the treasury of this county, was
< brought in today by Sheriff
4 Hughes.
81 The county commissioners ex
u amined into the affairs of th'
z treasurer's Office and found ;
Z shortage approximately $1,000 a.
: charged in the complaint of th'
s treasurer, Mrs. Ada Merritt. Tbs
u grand jury is in session and vii
r. doubtless return an indictmen
9 against Walsen, but as to tn
= outcome of the affair, it is yer,
N problematical, owing to tn,
u complicated nature of, the case
s. it appearing that the treasurer
8 Mrs. Merritt, is the wife of Wal
: sen, they having been secretl,
NJ married in Omaha last winter
y AS the law of Idaho forbids
Il wife to testify against husband
s and vice versa, it may be difi
4 cult to convict the prisoner, al
vi though few here are bold enoug
- to declare a belief in his inno
q cence.
Si