Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-06-23
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Especial to the Irihunel

Especial to the TrIbune)
WASHBURN, June 23-1n present.
ing to the ury the outline of the de.
fense, George Bangs took occasion to
relate the life of the defendant, dwell
ing upon the fct that he had been
reared in small towns, had little
knowledge of bookkeeping, and little
experience in banking methods when
elected state treasurer, also, that when
he took charge of the office only four
OF the 245 state depositaries were
available to him for use as such, as
four and no more had been Checked
out" to him by his predecessor. All
of these four had deposits in excess
of the limit when he took charge.
Bangs said the Rugby bank failure
left doubtful paper in the hands of
the state treasurer and that this was
sent to the First State Bank of Bow
bells to be collected and then to be
kept on deposit for the state.
Gangs said that the prosecution had
already offered in evidence almost all
of the books and files of the state
treasurer's office and that the defense
would offer the rest. He said Mrs.
Mitchell was mistaken in some of
her evidence but that he could not say
whether some of her mistakes" were
Intentional or otherwise. Referred to
her once as ELLEN" but later used
her full name. Said defense could and
would explain many things brought
out by the prosecution which made in
territorial wrong apparent, and would
show it to be only error in bookkeep.
ing caused by confusing conditions
in the office between the treasurer's
in the Office and between the treasur-
er's office and other state Offices.
WASHBURN, June 22-The real
feature of today's session of the Bick
ford trial came at pm. when States
Attorney w. L. Smith of Burleigh coun
ty. who is conducting the prosecution,
that the state rested. This
coming after only ten
witnesses of twenty-five subpOenaed
1ad been used. created considerable
surprise. The defense will put its
first witness on the stand in the morn
ng.
The testimony of Gunder Olson,
tate treasurer. was important to the
Olson testified that
when he came into the office and
ound 100000 of certificates of deposit |
n the First State Bank of Bowbells
n the cash drawer, he refused to ac-
,ept them. that Bickford called him |
nto the private Office and asked him
o carry them as cash for probably |
,inety days. Bickford saying he had
oaned brother money and had also |
made bad investments himself and |
.ould not take up the certificates of |
leposit for ninety days. This Olson |
efused to do.
Senator H. H. Steele. president of
he First State Bank of Bowbells. tes-
flied that the purchasers of the bank
greed as part of the purchase agree
lent to pay all liabilities of the bank.
nd that the bank then took up the
The prosecution was per-
istant on the point that the payment
-as made after the arrest of the de-
endant.
Other witnesses today used to make
links in the testimony
ON the records were Cashier Fos-
I'm of the State Bank of Flaxton:
oy Nelson. deputy state examiner:
'. d. Austin, deputy under Bickford;
ohn Andrews, deputy in the secre-
Try of states office; E. c. Cooper.
ate insurance commissioner during
ickford's term, and W. L. Smith, the
rosecutor
Cross-examination of Mrs. Mitchell
,cupied most of the forenoon ses- y
on -