The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-23

can Sugar Manufacturing & Refining
company" said Root.
DO you know anything as to its
vaIue?"
mo. sir
You ere trustee. Didn't you in
vestigate the value?"
mo, SIR
Ibid the assessor call on you for
property statement"
He did"
Did you list this stock for taxa
tion?"
Il did not
"Why?"
Because I understood its value was
based on future developments"
Where did you get that idea?''
From MounDays."
(which one?"
II don't know now
Did you ever get the idea that this
stock of the American Sugar company
stock was of New York.
mo, sir. 1 knew it had no con-
nection with the sugar trust
who was the stock issued TOP"
Understood to MounDay."
Wasn't it issued in blank?"
Objection by defense sustained.
On cross-examinttion, Root said he
had received nothing for holding the
stock and acting as trustee and that
his only knowledge of the entire con-
troversy over the alleged securities had
been gained during recent legal pro-
ceedings.
Does the Corporation Own Land?
Does the corporation whose stock
you hold own any land?" asked Conn
missioner Bond.
Not that 1 know off, replied Root.
E. c. Skelly of Pueblo, Col, followed
Root on the stand. Skelly identified
number of letters sent to him by Noun
No. ND h xxrifn q ttnnfinn
was called by the government to one
letter in which Mrs. MounDay wrote
to Sicily that MounDay had gone east
to the annual meeting of the stock
holders of the American Sugar COM
pany-the so-called sugar trust.
District Attorney Fred Robertson
was the only witness called to the
stand by the defense For half hour
D. r. Hite fired questions at Robert
son regarding his personal knowledge
of the guilt of MounDay and wife at
the time he signed the complaint for
their arrest. Formal objection was
made to practically every question and
it is probable that no testimony from
the prosecuting attorney went into the
record which will be of great value, al
though Hite shrewdly read into the
records his offer to prove facts at the
time each objection was sustained by
the commissioner.
IIite Thought Proceedings Unusual.
Il want your honor to know said
Hite, that this procedure and pro-
ceeding is a most novel one. Never in
ten years to my personal knowledge
and l don't think in twenty years-has
the prosecuting attorney in this district
loaned his name to be used on COM
plant of this kind; and L think that
fact should afford the most searching
Investigation
The court took a different view, how
ever and was inclined to limit the ,
scope of Hite's investigation.
AS soon as Robertson had been ex-
cused, both the government and de-
tense announced that their evidence
had been submitted.
Evidence so far as the examining
ma gistrate is concerned is ample and
sufficient to show that a crime has been !
committed and there is reason and
cause to believe the defendants guilty.
said Commissioner Bond in holding the
defendants to the investigations of the
grand jury.
Robertson then asked that the bonds |
of the defendants be increased to &c.
900. The defense offered to compro-
mise with a bond of $1,000 for Mrs
MounDay and $1,000 for her husband |
After considerable delay, the court |
fixed bond of each defendant at S., OOO |
Mrs Hiram c. Root, of Topeka, sis |
ter of Mrs. MounDay and wife of the |
trustee for the half million dollars |
worth of securities, qualified for 81, SEQ |
and signed the bonds of both MounDay |
and his wife. Root also signed the |
bonds. Both defendants were then re-
leased pending action of the federal |
grand jury in Leavenworth in October |
They returned to Topeka on a night !
train