The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-21

Following County Treasurer Hal
version of Barnes county on the stand
Deputy State Auditor Jorgenson took
the stand and identified numerous
drafts and checks offered as evidence
by the prosecution. as those he had
received from Halverson and later
turned over to the then State Treasurer
Bickford
JorRenson also testified that with
these checks he turned over to the
state treasurer drafts on the Barnes
county treasurer for corresponding
amounts with instructions to the treas
urer to cancel said drafts and return
to Barnes county.
The amount of Halverson checks
now admitted as evidence amount to
nearly $4,000. Jorgenson submitted
to long cross examination by Bangs
and his inability to fix certain dates
and recall certain details of some
transactions is believed to nave
strengthened the position of the de-
PENDANT.
The political aspect of the case to
which much attention was paid by
the defense in the selection of the
jury appears to have dropped from
sight.
L. r. Buxton of the First National
bank of Fargo; w. D. Austin, formerly
deputy state treasurer. Gunder Olson,
state treasurer; T. E. Byrne, secretary
to the governor; j. L. Bell, vice presi-
dent of the First National bank of
Bismarck. and Roy Nelson, deputy
state bank examiner. are among the
fv1n nd NIB will ~a
called soon.
Side Lights on Biekford Trial.
Washburn, June 21.-One Of the
prospective jurors misunderstood a
question put to him by one of the. at
torneys and the following query and
reply was the result:
Have you ever been a member of
the legislature?"
Not that | remember Of"
Owing to the peculiar phase of the
case attorneys for both sides took
pains to ascertain the political belief
of the jurors composing the yenire
| summoned and as a result many of
those questioned had to publicly place
themselves on record as to party af-
| filiations and also as to their attitude
4
| One of the jurors, asked as to his
political faith, replied:
| well, sir, have been in all of EN-
| One of the prospects" questioned
is a director of an elevator company
which is till mourning for a manager
who skipped out with h lot Of the con-
GERMS coin. When questioned as to
whether or not he could render an i'm
partial verdict he replied: II don't
know-our elevator company is in the
same fix as the state right now, and
that might influence me somewhat.
There are some straight republicans
in Mclean county. Out OF about ten
who confessed their political faith
eight confessed stalwart republican,
ism. one declared himself an insurgent
and the other claimed to. have kept out
of political rows. But two said they
were democrats. The insurgent was
soon returned to his family.
One juror was asked If any con-
versation he had held with anyone
regarding the case would influence him
regarding the case and IL so to repeai
the conversation. He replied, We'll
he said. Bickford embezzled $4,000, anC
| said, that's nothing and he said
well, its quite a wad amt it?'"
Judging from the efforts of the at
torneys on one side to ascertain
whether or not any of the prospective
Jurors has a knowledge OF bookkeep
; ing, it was believed that at least =;
part of the books of the treasurer
Office will be introduced during thu
trial.
A noticeable feature of the exami
nation of the jurors was the eviden
fact that nearly all of those examines
were willing to serve-and this despit
; the intense heat of the building II
which the trial is being held. and tn
prospect of a trial of ten days dura
ton and despite the fact that many o
them are farmers, busy at this seasol
of the year. But 1t isn't every da,
that former state treasurer is place
on trial on felony charge in Wash
burn.
The furnishings OF the Washburi
y operahouse are not SO well adapted t
use as courtroom fixtures IS the
might be, and for several days prev
ious to the opening of the case, tn
court baiIiff was kept busy rustlin
special props" for the occasion.