The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-07
FORMER INSURANCE PRESIDENT
MAKES HARD FIGHT.
Attorneys for Defense Exercise Elk
traordinary Care in Examining Ven
iremen- Peremptory Challenge Final
ly Used to Get Rid Of Bookkeeper-
Jurors to Be Kept in Confinement.
RECHTEE JURY. >-a
Charles E. Larson, fuel dealer, 1888
First avenue S. - 80 s... -

William F. Bechtel, former insurance
president, was on trial today before
Judge f. G.. Brooks, accused of grand
larceny in the first degree. The court
this morning denied his request that
the question of immunity argued Sat-
urday be certified to the supreme court.
Bechtel re-entered his plea of not gull,
ty, withdrawn for the purpose of inter
posing his motion to quash, and the pro-
cess OF drawing jury in the first Of
the cases growing out of the recent in
surance investigation was begun.
The task Of securing a jury promises
to be difficult one. It will not be
made easier by the order Of the court,
made at the request of County Attorney
Al j. Smith, seconded by counsel for
the defense, that the jurors shall be
Kept in close confinement until after
their verdict is rendered. Charles E..
Larson, the only juror sworn this morn
ing, looked unusually sad when he heard
that he was to be locked up and not
Z" allowed to separate,' and his feel
ing will undoubtedly be shared by; the
other venlremen on the panel who will
use all legitimate means to keep from
being chosen to sit in the case.
A new venire was in attendance this
morning and the other courts are not in
session, as they are waiting for venire-
men. to pass thru the Bechtel mill in
Judge Brooks court before they be.
come available for the ordinary run of
cases. At the rate the veniremen are
being examined, operations will be sus-
pended for some time, as only two men
were set at liberty after an hour IS work
this morning. .., s...
No Bookkeepers Wanted.
That the defense does not want iur-
ors conversant with figures and book
keeping, seems evident, from Judge
Jameson s examination of the first We
nireman called. Counsel exhausted
every device to get rid Of the venire.
man, who is an expert bookkeeper, all
to no avail, as he insisted that he had
no. accurate knowledge nor any pref
udlce In the insurance cases. A per
emptory challenge was finally used by
Judge Jameson, after extended con.
su1tation with Victor and Welch, and
the defendant himself, who is also a
lawyer and who sits beside his coun
The Bechtel case is being watched
closely by large number of lawyers
and the legal representative Of the 9th
er insurance men under. indictment arc
in attendance and will be ready with
suggestions when the introduction OF
evidence is begun The case, being the
pioneer of the insurance prosecutions
is of especial Importance, as it: will, in
a measure, set a precedent and will let
the other defendants have an insight
as to their positions and dangers Coun:
ty Attorney Al j. Smith and First AS
sistant County Attorney John F. Dahl
are trying the case for the state u :
Nature of Charge. l.
The indictment on which MI, Bechtel
is being tried is one of seven returned
against him by two grand juries. The
bill charges the defendant with having
Illegally appropriated to his own use
$500 of the insurance company s
funds. He is alleged to have drawn a
check on the company for $4,000 and
Herewith. i. =:
The defense. is understood to be that
this money was taken with the consent
OF the directors of the company AMI
that it belonged to Bechtel-b being due
him in return for funds disbursed BY
him in furthering the company s inter
ests in the legislature. - p