The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-24

n. o. Racquet, farmer Eden
| Prairie.
Stephen G. Leslie, pIasterer, 1886
Portland avenue. - =. '~-'
Henry Babcock, retired real estate
man, GIG Eighth street S.
Frederick Parry, music teacher,
1000 University avenue NE.
Michael E. Keenan,. machinist, 1909
Fifteenth avenue S. -f5' o. /
Joseph C."Danz, contractor, 1905
Columbus avenue. - -, a"
After three and half days of tedi-
Gus effort, the last Of the twelve men
who are to say whether or not Dr..
Jacob +. Force embezzled $675 check
from the insurance company OF which
he was vicepresident, was selected and
sworn shortly before noon today. There
was a general sigh of relief, and the
settled down in their seats to listen to
First Assistant County Attorney John
+. Dahl IS opening for the state, to. be
followed immediately by the INTRODUCE
ton of the evidence that forms the
foundation Of the state s. case:
In opening his statement MT. Dahl
condoled with the jurors upon the fact
form SO arduous, public service and
assured them that as far as the state
was concerned every effort would be
made to make the evidence as brief as
possible He dwell upon the. import
ance of the present trial, saying that
no cases had been tried in Hennepin
county in many years that, were OF such
the state against Dr. Force and the
other former insurance officials.
History Of Company.
Following this, he outlined the his
was first organized as a mutual COM
pany in 1885, about which time the de-
PENDANT became connected with it as
a medical examiner. DR.. Force became
secretary some years later, and in 1895
was elected president Of the company
and gaveup the practice Of medicine.
T Mr.. Dahl stated that that company
| is the same, one ofTwhieha Mr.. :Bechtel
was president later being lcleeted51to
that office in the place ,of DR.. Force
in .February9f1901: - HeS related how
treasury and Was. invested. $4,000 of
it in stock of the METROPOLITAN Aank,.
owe will prove to- you, - said MI
Dahl, "by the sworn statement of this
defendant, made in an, annual report
| to the insurance commissioner for 1900.
that these l35, shares of metropolitan
| bank stock were the property of his
insurance company and part Of the
assets of its policyholders
February, 1901, DR.. Force resigned
from the presidency and was succeeded
by Mr.. Bechtel, this defendant ceased
to have any active connection with
the company, which was from that time
on managed by Mr. Bechtel. He still re-
NAMED vice. president. but we will show
you that he had no active. connection
with it's management, and that, in fact
he was in Europe during most of the
! year 1901. and that, while in the city
during 1902, he was not concerned with
was drawing $4,000 year from its
treasury.
| The Bank Stock.
"In 1902 the Metropolitan bank was
i National bank and the metropolitan
bank stock was liquidated.< In common
with the other stockholders the life in
: surance company was paid it's premium
i dividends.
d ut will be proved that on May 10
1902, the insurance company received
:. from the liquidation committee of thu
bank check for $3,375. By some hool
: or crook that check came into the pos
, money and kept it. It was Endorsed t.
him by w: F. .Bechtel, the president O.
the company. Now if there was all,
semblance of a pretense Of a transfer O
this bank stock to DR.. Force, the rec
ords of the company do not show it: -
: The prosecutor then told of tire
: other checks for like amounts, all O.
! I0h hoI INV
and explained how the three-year stat
ute of limitations prevented the stat
from bringing indictments based upol
the appropriation of these large checks
and reduced it to prosecuting for tn
alleged theft Of the 1878 check tina
was not barred by the time limit. Thi
smaller check was not Endorsed by MI
by DR.. Force himself as vicepresiden
| of the insurance company. --..s
y We will show you that DR.. Fore
never made any claim to this stock,
continued Mr.. Dahl. ,s"We will prov
,, that he never directed the bookkeepe
to make any entry Of it's transfer O
the books Of the insurance company
{ We will show you that there was neve
:. any assignment of the stock made a
! on the bank IS books More than that
i we will show to you, gentlemen, tina
3 there was not one cent owing from tn
{ insurance company to DR.. Force at thi
time.'' ~ !,
Immediately following his opening
' Mr.. Dahl introduced documentary ev
: dence showing the incorporation of til
, company, the 1900 report Of the insu1
) ance commissioner signed by DR.. Fore
: and showing the disputed stock as til
property Of the insurance company.
: The state next called Frank I
r Holton, former assistant cashier Of til
: bank but the witness failed to respon
] and it was stated that he was out c
/ the city on business. Upon motion {
9 the county attorney, Judge Brook
$ issued a writ of attachment for M
+ Holton and he will be brought int
court when found Mr.. Dahl state
that the witness would be here, but he
left unadvisedly and without consul
ing the county attorneys office.
The first witness of the afternoon SCI
q sion was J. T. Wyman, chairman Of tt
= liquidation committee Of the Metr'
:, politan bank and the man who signe
. the checks alleged to have been I'LL
y gally appropriated by DR.. Force. Il
!. will identify the checks and give son
q testimony relative to the drawing Z
Y them in favor of 4 the insurance cor
r lpany and his lack of knowledge til,
the stock belonged to anyone but Il
company.