The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-17
PARDON BOARD
WILL EXAMINE
Case of Cashier Salverson
Demands Investigation
81. of Books.

In the discharge of its official func-
lions and powers the state board of
pardons has now found it necessary to
dlverge into bank examination
Ihls necessity has arisen in the case
OF b. K. Salverson, now confined in the
state prison on the reformatory plan
under sentence Of the district court of
SWIFT county. tSalverson, who was tried
at Benson, was found guilty of grand
larceny in the first degree and SEN
fenced May 81, 1901
j. A. Peterson, formerly county at
torney of Henpepin, appeared for Sal
version, and said he did so not as an
attorney, but because he was convinc-
ed that the prisoner was innocent, and
he felt 1T his duty to represent the case
to the board as he understood it. He
was sure he said that neither the trial
court or the supreme court had under
stood the facts in this case.
Mr.. Peterson reviewed the history of
the case In detail, setting forth that
SaIverSon at, the time of his conyic-
ton was cashier of a bank at APPLE
ton, which was inselvent when he took
that position, and the crime of which
he was convicted was embezzlement of
$3.50. This charge, he explained. grew
out Of transaction which involved
the bank s methods of bookkeeping and
which when explained in the light of
SAAOoC lllCthOAo IlOL only SuRgeSted'
grave doubt as to Salverson's guilt, but
In his belief ,exonerated Salverson from
any criminal responsibility.
The bank, he stated, had taken a.
note of $4,000 secured by a mortgage
on some land, and then had forecIosed
the mortgage, and bid in the land, and
at the time of Salverson's alleged en-
oezzlement was carrying both the note
and the land as assets. Then in the
course of a trade involving a portion
OF the land secured under the mort
gage, the purchaser of this land paid
into the bank and into the hands Of
Salverson note for $780, This note
SalVerson marked on the back to be
applied on the larger note previously
mentioned and charged off the books.
Mr.. Peterson stated that it had not
been shown in the evidence that the
amount named had been embezzled
from the bank or that any money had
really been taken from the bank. but
that SalverSon was convicted on the
statement of former Bank Examiner
Pope, who said on the witness stand
that the two features Of the transac-
ton, the entry on the books and the
treatment Of, the note, indicated the
embezzlement Of $3.50.
The bank had in the meantime gone
into insolvency and the people Of that
vicinity wanted some person convicted.
and Salverson was the one to suffer.
The board, on Mr.. Peterson's showing,
determined to- ask the district court
to send for the books Of the bank for
examination by an expert accountant
that the true; nature Of the affair may
be aScertained.
At the request OF the father of Guy
Aultman, who said he had travelled
LOO miles to, be present, the board
continued his case to the July meet
ing. Mr.. Aultnan said he had paid an
attorney to appear in the case, but the
attorney had left the city, and he was
unable to hire another attorney at this
time. The boy is serving a ten-year
sentence for grand larceny in the sec
ond degree. He was sent from Hen
nepin county in April, 1900.
The case of John Fritz, sentenced
from Hennepin county Oct.@3, 1901, to
serve five years for burglary, and that
of Edward James. from Hennepin
county, March 5, 1903, to serve six
months for forgery, were taken under
advisement. James is a painter, and
has a wife and two small children,
who live in Minneapolis, and who are
in needy circumstances. His case was
argued by members of the Painters