The daily sentinel., 1914-06-08

.
able him To pull it out of its
difficulties.
Having known the Grand Junction
man for a great many years as
Felose personal friend, Judge Lewis.
District Attorney Kelly. United
States Marshal Dewey c. Bailey and
other officials OF the court found
the task that confronted them in
/ dealing with this case to be one of
the bitterest and saddest experiences
OF their lives. Especially for the
Judge was this a most trying ordeal,
for upon him naturally fell the duty
OF passing sentence upon an old
friend, but controlling his emotions
and not permitting friendship to in
rluence him. he passed impartially
upon the case in the fair and Just
manner that has been characteris-
tic OF Judge Lewis actions upon the
bench.
The chief attorneys for the de-
fense-Messrs. Stevenson, ODonnel
and Ward-were most yisably af-
feeted throughout the proceedings.
Every one OF these men had known
Orson Adams intimately for more
than twenty years, Mr.. Stevenson
having known him for nearly thirty
years. They plead for him and
worked for him as only one OF them
would have plead and worked for a
brother
Today from all parts Of the coun-
try, from friends and acquaintances.
the family has received messages OF
sympathy and loyalty
This afternoon in the custody OF
United States Marshal Bailey and ac-
eompanied by Attorney A. NJ. Steven
son, Mr.. Adams left for FIT. Leav-
enworth to enter upon the service
of his term.
The sentence for six years is one
year above what the minimum SEN
tence in such cases is. In otner
words the sentence could have been
as low as five years. With credits
for good behavior the sentence i'm
posed this morning may be reduced
to something less than four years !
with the nolle pressing OF the re-
naming counts in the general in
dictment, and the dismissal OF the
Shields case in Grand Junction, no I
charges that are not covered by the |
sentence this morning remain against |
Mr.. Adams.
Closed in November.
1t was on Friday. November 2s, OF |
last year that the Mesa County Ma
tional Bank, rated for many years as
the strongest and most influential
banking institution In western Colo
rado, closed its doors by the order of
the comptroller OF currency
Walter w. Smith, special national
bank examiner for the city of st.
Louis, took temporary charge OF the
institution. II was the result OF in
vestigations OF the affairs OF the
bank carried on by Examiner Smith
that led to the closins OF the big
O,nking house.
AT the time of the failure an
nouncement was unofricially made
that the failure was caused by the
depreciation OF certain securities held
by the bank, mainly irrigation Sc
ourities.
The closing of the bank naturally
created tremendous sensation, and
stood as the greatest single financial
blow this city and county ever expe-
pienced.
President Adams insisted that In
due time the bank would be reopened
and all depositors paid In fun. A
depositors' committee was appointed
at big mass meeting OF the depos-
tors and every effort made to CON
serve the interests of all concerned.
Extended Investigations.
Other officials of the treasury de-
partment and the department of jus-
ticc visited the city and made inyes-
legations.
Rumors became rife that the in
stiturion had been mismanaged and
that its affairs were in an extremely
bad condition.
Nearly Half Million Deposits.
At the time of the failure the de-
posits of the bank amounted to about