The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-06-20
G. c. KING GETS FIVE YEARS

Charles g. King. The jury found
indictments against King on ninety |
ive different counts, FIVE for EN-. !
bezzlement, thirty for misapprop. |
ration Of funds, thirty-six false en-,
tries on books and returns to the
comptroller, and the others for |
fraudulent issue and putting forth
certificates and drafts. This is
said to be the longest indictment
ever returned in the state. There
are many other charges that have
been discovered by the national
bank examiner, hut they were not |
brought into the case, as the in |
dictments returned we're believed
to be sufficient.
F. d. Wicks, attorney for Mr.
King asked for copy Of the indict-
ment, stating that his client had
no money to pay for the same, and
the court ordered that copy be |
prepared at government expense, |
and directed the defendant to make
his plea on Saturday at 10 o'clock,
"a. M.
At the appointed time Mr.. King
and his attorney appeared in court
and pied guilty to 10 of the counts
in the indictment. When asked
by the judge if he had anything to
say why sentence should not be
pronounced upon him Mr.. King
broke down completely and could
say nothing. MIR. Wicks replied
for him, pleading for mercy Of the
court and claiming that crimes
had been committed in an effort to
save the bank on account OF losses
from bad loans, that none of the
money had been used personally,
or for reckless speculations. After
listening to the appeal Judge Car
land pronounced sentence on Mr.
King fixing the sentence at five
years Imprisonment in the federal
prison at Levenworth, Kans.
When taken back to jail MIR. ling
broke down completely and was OBJ
liged to have the attention Of a
physician almost constantly during
the following day.
It is doubtless true that by plead
ing. guilty Mr.. King secured a much
lighter sentence than he would if
he had stood. trial but the general
feeling here is that it was too light
to strike much terror to the hearts
of would-be bank wreckers. There
is no general desire for vengeance,
but considering that between sixty
and seventy thousand dollars rep
resenting the hard earnings of de-
positors of the bank was either con-
fscated or recklessly squandered,
the sentence appears to represent
more mercy than justice.
When the First National Bank
was closed by the examiner Febru-
ary 2, 1907, the total assets of the
institution we're listed at $104,98O,
"a. Of these more than half were
listed as worthless snd about one
third as doubtful. Among the
worthless list was included a bunch
of certificates of deposit issued by
the old Bank of Scotland which
went out of existence when the
First National was organized.
These certificates to the amount of
$21, ,777,84 had been redeemed by
the First National, and were being
carried as bills receivable. There
were school warrants amounting to
| ST., ,946.19 that had been sold to a
bank in Sioux City but still carried
as assets; notes to the amount OF
| Sc, ,433.13 held as collateral by a
bank in Sioux City to secure loan
of $1,000 and also to secure the
payment of over $11, 900 worth oi
notes that had been sold with
guarantee of payment; unsecured
notes signed by Mr.. King, his wife
anu his mother amounting to 81
800, and notes signed by j. P. Res
ner, his wife and son amounting te
$2,715, besides bunch Of fictitious
notes amounting to many thou
sands nf dollars Tn the doubtful