The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-02-04
WERNER ENDS
STORY Of GREAT
DEFALCAT|0NS
Embezzlements, According to
His Evidence, Involved
Three Others
P0sE0 As MARTYR POURING
OUT COLO TO SHIELD CuLPRITs
Two Treasurers Before Him We're
Short in Accounts and az He Was
Already a DefauEer, to Hide Crime
He Continued the Policy.

.e@SA, HCU' f.-WlIQ CQacl0S
y: Warriner, the chief witness, out
OF the way, the road was open today
LOT speedy termination of the trial
OF Mrs. Jeanette Stewart Ford on the
cnarge OF black mailing, although sew
erai other interesting personages were
ON hand to give testimony. One wit
ness to be heard is Frank Comstock,
VINO Warriner testif 1, was short
$1O,500 when the former turned the
treasurer's office over to him.
chain of embezzlements involving
three men. extending over many years
ana nnally eliminating in the almost
wholesale loeting of the Big Four was
the startling story told by Warriner.
,Warriner represented himself as a
man pouring out gold with both hands
and In ever increasing amounts to
keep sealed the mouth of the woman
who. through her infatuation for one
OF the accused embezzlers, e. s.
Cooke, had learned the secret. Frank
Comstock, WARMERS predecessor as
local treasurer, was declared tn he
the third man.
Calmly and in unruffled tones War
riner told the almost incredible story.
According to the witnes. when he as
sun ID office as local treasurer in 1902
he learned that Cooke was short in
his accounts $4,000 He also learned
that his predecessor, Comstock, as
short $1O.500. He himself was a de-
faulter and to prevent his crime from
being discovered he engaged to con-
ceal the thefts of the two former o.
nc1als. In the story of the gigantic
theft there is one question which has
never been definitely answered and
the" attorneys for the defense made
anothr futile. effort to -obt ain. .its sofa.
tion. What became Of the S643.OOO
which Warriner has. confessed to have
stolen? f7
He claims to have paid out $685..
GOO In blackmail and that $4,000 had
been stolen by others than himself.
The remainder of $4,000 is explained
by him as having been lost in "specu-
lation.''
Although he knew exactly the
amount embezzled and the approxi-
mate amount of "hush money! paid,
to all questions as to his investments
he replied that he could not .remem-
ber."
A lurid light was thrown on the
strange tale when the letters of Cooke
to Mrs. Ford were read to the court.
In the letter Cooke wrote that 20. H."
was threatening to expose him If he
did not abandon Mrs. Ford. Warri-
ner stated that 20. H. stood for "old
hag" and was the name Cooke used
for his wife in his communications
to Mrs. Ford. In another letter Cooke
advised Mrs. Ford to have nothing to
do with other men unless there is
big money in It,"
The judge would only permit. en-
cerpts of the letters to be read on
account of the expressions with which
they abounded. During the reading
of the letters Mrs. Ford endeavored
to conceal her face and wept con-
tinually.
An early closing of the case was
prOsaged today when the state, frus-
tfated in attempting to get certain
letters in evidence. suddenly an
nounced that the prosecution rested.
The four officials of the Big Four,
whom Warriner mentioned yesterday
as having been cognizance of. or be-
ing in position to discover his short
age of s643,00O. have been subpoenaed
by Mrs. Ford's lawyers. w. 3. Com
stock, MARINERS predecessor as local
treasurer, here has publicly denied
WARMERS statement that a shortage
of S1O.500 existed when the office
changed hands. Horton. according to
the defaulting official. knew that the
discrepancies existed in the accounts.
Only two witnesses we're examined
today to the disappointment of the
spectators. The testimony of Ida
Brockway failed to develop the SEN
sational features that had been eX-
pected.