The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-14
A FORMAL
ACTION AGAINST
CHRISTENSEN
Ex-State Treasurer Charged in
Two Complaints With Mis-
appropriating Funds.
PROMPTLY RELEASED
IN BONDS OF $4,000
HIS ATTORNEY SAYS NO GRIM
iNAt INTENT CAN BE
PROVED AGAINST HIM.

James Christensen, former state
treasurer, who. since Friday morning
until yesterday afternoon. had been
held In custody at the county jail BY
Sheriff Sharp. has now been formally
charged in two separate and distinct
complaints with apprOpriating 10 his
own uses sums totalIng SIC. 62s. "a,
rightfully belonging TO the state OF
Utah. and he Is now out on bail with
instructions to hold himself in readi-
ness TO appear in court for srraign-
ment at time TO be later set by the
court, He may be called for arraign-
ment tomorrow, but the belief was ex-
pressed last evening that he Will not
be summoned to appear before Tues
day.
The complaints against Mr. Chris
Hansen were drawn up yesterday fore
noon by County Attorney Job {. Lyon,
and we're sworn to by State Auditor
Jesse D. JeWkes The first one charges
him with appropriating Illegally to his
own use the sum paid over to him on
May IS, 1908, by Mrs. Julia A. Kimball
as an Inheritance tax. the second COM
plant charges him with the defalcation
of $4,000 paid over to him on Jan. >.
1903, just few days before his term
of Office expired, by the treasurer Of
Salt Lake county. These two COM
plants, were filed Just before noon yes
terday, and the warrant was served on
Mr.. Christensen in the county jail by
Sheriff Sharp.
Arrangements had previously been
made for the securing of bail, although
the amount of the bail was not fully
decided upon until shortly after the
noon hour The matter was taken up
with Judge J. F. Bowman, and at the
solicitation Of Attorney Samuel A.
King, It was finally agreed to fix the
amount of bail at $4,000 on each COM
plant, or $4,000 for both. It was stat
ed that eight or ten men had expressed
/ a. Willingness to sign the bonds Up to
! that amount As soon as the amounts
were definitely settled upon the bonds
were made out. and. by appointment.
| Van D. Spalding. +. W Kelly and John
Q. CritchiOw met with Attorney kins
and Sheriff Sharp in the Office of Judge
Bowman shortly before 4 O'Clock and
affixed their signatures TO the two
documents. Judge Bowman then in
structed the sheriff to release Mr.
Christensen The men went directly
from the judges Office to the county
Jail in an automobile and Mr. Chris
Hansen was Immediately given his lib
eruy. In company with his attorney
AMI several close friends he went at
once TO his home.
Bondsmen Decline,
II was stated that further efforts
were made yesterday to induce some Of
the boudsmen to swear to the infOTma-
ton against Mr.. Christensen, but they
declined, stating that they did not feel
disposed to proceed against him under
thu circumstances, he having readily
sacrificed al his property to make good
the amount he was short and taking
from them the responsibility of making
good the amount. 1t was then decided
to have the complaint sworn TO by tho
state auditor, as 1t was previously stat
ed would be done if the bOndsmen re-
fused 10 sign the information.
When about to make out the COM
plant it was at first intended to file
one information stating two counts,
one for the appropriation Of st0,s2s.94
which had been paid over to the treas
urer as an inheritance tax by Mrs. Ju-
liza A Kimball on May 20, 1908, and the
other for appropTisting 10 his own use
$50, coo paid ever to him Just before the
close of his administration by the
treasurer of salt Lake county as school
tax money. 1t was the appropriation
of this sum that Mr.. Christensen IS
said TO have endeavored to conceal by
making d false entry on the ledger Of
the state auditor
Because tire instance Of taking the
amount turned over to Mr. ChristNn-
sen by Mrs. Kimball seems to consti-
tuts the ClsaTeSt case against the for
mer state treasurer. Attorney General
Barnes suggested that two complaints
be issued one to cover each offense,
and this was the course followed. It
was pointed out by the prosecutor that
aside from AIr. Christiausen's ready
confession, the facts stated in the first
complaint. concerning the taking Of the
$40. "a inheritance tax, are substau-
tiatcd by evidence in the shape Of the
receipt given to Mrs kimbsll, which IS
now in the hands of the authorities
The second charge against Mr.. Chris
Hansen. IT was explained has some
rather confusing and complicated fea-
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