Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-11-20
HIS STORY Of The FRAUD.
Captain Williams Gives His Verdict
Of the Masonic Temple Tax
Scandal Case.
Testimony of the Witness Tends to
1mplicate President of the
Temple Association.
Declares DR.. Rush, Treasurer of the
Association, Was Also Party
to the Deal.


Williams, the former manager Of the
Masonic Temple, who returned to the
city Tuesday after having been in hid
ing three weeks following his convic-
ton in the Masonic Temple tax scan
dal, took the stand as witness for tie
state in the trial of President James
H. Gormley for conspiracy.
He testified that he had entered into
an arrangement with Luke Wheeler
and man named Storm, presuming
them to represent the county treasur-
ers Office, to secure a receipt in full
for the Temple taxes, amounting to
$2G.77O.17, for 100000 and that he had
done so with the full knowledge and
consent of President Gormley and Of
Director Rush of the Masonic Fra
ternity Temple association, then it's
secretary and treasurer.
'I said to Mr.. Gorm1ey," asserted
Williams, "that the county treasurer's
Office had offered to give me a receipt
in full for the taxes for $4,000. Mr..
Gormley asked if I had said anything
to DR.. Rush I said No. but told him
if he wished me to do so I would see
him. He said, You better speak to DR..
Rush
Il conferred with DR.. Rush on the
10th or 18th of April and went into
complete details. He wanted to know
how it could be done and I said that
that was mystery to me, but that
had investigated and was satisfied that
it was with the full knowledge and ap-
prbval of the officers of the county
| treasurer's office.
''Dr. Rush said: What does CORN
ley say?'
Il said: I don't know. I first want
| to know if you, as treasurer, wish me
to do this. l said it was very gen.
eral practice to fix taxes for reduction.
Then he said: Since we are in Rome
we had better
Do as the Romans Do
said. DO you want this done?' He
said, Yes The matter was then
thoroughly discussed with Gormley.
Gormley asked if there was enough
money in the treasury to pay the taxes
| and said if not to borrow some.
"'See what is wanted he said, and
if there is anything to sign, send it
| over.'"
Williams testified that he had moth
! ing to do with the drawing of the mon
ey for the $4,000 check The pay
! ment, he said, was made in his Office
in the Masonic Temple. He was not
satisfied, he testified, with Wheeler's
explanation of his ability to secure
the receipt for that amount and
Wheeler agreed to bring one of the
principal officers of the county treas
urer's Office over. He appeared later
| with man whom he introduced as
Mr.. Storm who said he was authorized
to make the arrangement and that it
was done by Encouragement of the
personal property taxes.
Peter Storm, who is presumed to be
the man in question, was an employe
of the county treasurer's Office at
that time, but has since committed
suicide.
did you ever have any further con-
versation with Gormley after that al
ready related?" asked Mr. Barnes.
Yes" replied Williams. ''On the
I'd day of August l went to his Office.
He said that Clos, the tax title buyer,
had been to see him and said there was
trouble in the county treasurer's Of
fee; that the property had been
marked paid and that Chief Clerk
John w. Becker had erased the mark
l saw him again just before the COM
mencement of my trial When money
| was needed for my defense Mr.. CORN
ley signed two notes of $4,000 EACH
Williams declared that he had re-
| ceived none of the 100000 himself.