The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-09
Clash Over Admission of Evidence
as to Further Alleged
Misrepresentation.
STAR WITNESS OF
STATE rs ATTACKED
A. F. Timme Details the DISPOSE
ton Made of Insurance
Chiefs Statement.

With an attempt to introduce evil
dence Of another alleged misappropria-
tion of funds by the defendant to dis
charge part of the same debt that he
is alleged to have paid with the $1,000
check he is on trial for stealing, the
state s case will be complete against w.
F. Bechtel, the former insurance COM
pany president on trial before Judge
F. G. Brooks.
The county attorney made an offer
of this evidence Immediately beforo
the noon adjournment today and the
question of the admissibility of the evil
the jury being excluded. Outside Of
this evidence the state has completed
it's case against Mr.. Bechtel.
Judge Robert Jamison was expected
to open for the defense this afternoon,
and the case should go to the jury to-
morrow. What the exact defense will
be is somewhat of an enigma to those
outside of the defendant s COUNSEL but
Victor Welsh said today: "We have
a perfect defense,'' and judging from
the number of prominent attorneys
former insurance company officials now
under Indictment, in earnest confer
ence during the noon hour, a strong de-
Tense is expected.
Paying Private Debt.
From the cross-examination of A. F.
Timme this morning and from various
admissions and statements made by
defendant s counsel, it seems that the
defense will admit the taking of the
check and the paying of private debt
with it. It will, however, be -contended
that the company owed Bechtel much
more than this amount in return for
his payment of Legislative expenses
and for his other official services.
An attempt will be made to show
that the directors and the insurance
commissioner knew of this $500 check
deal and that there was absolutely no
eoncealment about the transaction.
This defense will, it is almost GER
tain, be backed up with a strong play
on the irreproachable character of the
defendants sworn to by prominent bust
ness men. by illusions. to the officials
great work in building an auditorium,
and by an attempt to break down the
evidence of the state s star witness,
Timme, by showing him up in the light
Of betrayer Of his benefactor and
best friend
A. F. Timme, former actuary of Mr..
Bechtel's company and later superin-
tendent of agents, was the principal
witness of the morning. He continued
the testimony begun yesterday after
noon and told of discovering the $4,000
check alleged to have been illegally
appropriated by the defendant.
The witness swore that he included
a statement Of this check in his re-
port made to the board of directors in
July, 1903.
"Were you present at the meeting
when this report was read to the direc-
tors?' asked the prosecutor.
Eyes, SIR
WAS there any explanation made of
this check affair by Mr.. Bechtel at that
time?'
"No, sir. There was no explanation
asked for or made.'
Judge Jamison then took the witness
for cross examination.
Timme ss-Examined.
Counsel for the defense brought out
the fact that the witness had had sew
eral conferences with the county attor-
ney, besides appearing before the grand
! jury, and that he did it all of his own
| volition.
"Now,' asked Judge Jamison. sf dur
ing your employment by the company
you and Mr.. Bechtel had a great deal
| to do with each other, didn't you9''
eyes, SIR
"Mr. Bechtel gave you your position,
didn't he?'
Eyes, sir
"He befriended you, didn't he9"
Treated you like a father would
treat a son?'' An objection to this
question was sustained
Now, in regard to Mr.. Bechtel s
written statement in reply to a Tribune
editorials:
"Mr. Bechtel showed you that state
ment, didn't he9'
eyes,
"And after he had left you had a
copy Of it made, didn It you7'
"Now, Mr.. Timme, tell us why you
took this copy?'
"Because it contained the early his
tory of the company
"Now. tell us the real reason. Mr..
Timme.'
II have given you the only reason
I had''
"What did you do with that copy7n
"I put it in my pocket
"That is the one the county attor-
ney had here yesterday, ism t it9o
eyes, sir
/ Denial by Timme
"Isn It it true that you made copy
of that statement and kept it secret
from Mr.. Bechtel for the purpose OF
using it some time to his detriments
ono, sir; it is not.'
"When did you give this copy te
the county Attorney"
"Last November -
"Didn't you say at the time OF
your conversation with Mr.. Bechte
relative to this statement, that yor
thought there ought to be some publ
cation of a statement of the company
affairs?''
II might have; that was my senti
ment. -
s'Did you put it in the strongbo1
you spoke about?'
81 IN not sure
"Wasn't that strongbox the store
house in which you kept ammunition
to be used against your friend Mr.
Bechtel?o
emo, sir. -
"Now, at the time of the proposed
examination of the company by Mr.
Wolfe, wasn't it commonly known thai
he was inimical to the company?'
/ "That was the general belief
WASN'T it believed that he was in
Cantinued an 9TH pace al Nnl,n,n