Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-03-25


Master Cobb then left the stand
and Mr., Killum was called. He tes-
tilted that on the afternoon of the
day named, his partner being out OF
town, he had left the market for a
few minutes to look after some hams
in the smoke-house in the rear of
the building; that while he was alb
sent some one had entered the mar
ket and taken a ten dollar bill from
the money drawer; he had not seen
any one around at the time and of
course had no thought of being
robbed.
When the next witness for the
state ohm Armstrong, took the
stand, there was quite a stir among
the onlookers, for it was well known
that he and his family were among
the best friends of Mrs Badleigh and
her son jesse. They were therefore
curious to hear what he would have
to say against the defendant.
Mr.. Harmon placed in his hands a
tenIdollar bill with the question
,,"Mr. Armstrong have you ever seen
this bill before?"
After giving the bill a careful ex-
animation the witness replied-"Yes
sir, have seen it before
please state to the court the time
the place and the circumstances un-
der which you first saw this bill"
| 1T was in the evening of the 18th
| of February at my store on Water
street. 1 was alone at the time
my clerk being out on an errand
Jesse here came into the store and
ordered some goods, offering in pay
ment this bill"
How do you know this to be the
same bill the defendant offered in
payment for the goods he ordered?'
Il was careful to note the name OF
the bank which had issued it and al
so the number Of the bill because al
this time mnch of our paper money
is not worth its face value; there is
a varying discount of from five Il
eighty per cent on what is known a.
wildcat, red4dog, shin-plaster anC
other changeable bank issues. Thi
/, bill as you see was issued by The
Planters and Traders bank of ct
Louis, in the year 1850 and is mum
bered 80. Now l always keep a de-
tector at hand and every bill tina
comes to me l carefully compare with
the report of its present value in the
detector; l found this bill to have
a discount of ten per cent, / also no
ticed that some one had made in rec
ink, a double cross on the left upper
corner as you will observe" said Mr.
Armstrong handing the bill back t.
MIR. Harmon who gave it into the
hands of Justice Barthell
For sometime" he continued, ."
have kept a record of all monies
receive, of five dollars and upward
whether of paper or gold, and as you
will see, my record Is correct as t.
the bill in question. AS soon as
!, heard Of the larceny 1 called upol
killum and Dressam and learned o
their loss from Mr. Killum direct
did this because / had heard tina
|, Mrs. Badleigh had sent Jesse 10 tn
meat market with a ten dollar bill
to pay for some meat she had beel
: buying. From Killum | also learn
ed the name of the bank the bill req
resented"
: No further question being aske
the witness he stood aside and MI
; killum was recalled for cross-exan
ination. re stated that he had nc
ticed that the bill which had bee
taken from the drawer was of tn
Planters and Traders bank of 81
Louis but he had not noticed tn
: number nor the date of its issue no
, anything else concerning it.
At this point, the state rested tn
case and Mrs. Badleigh, mother c
the defendant was called on behalf {
the defense.
She testified that on the afternoo
) of February sixteenth she had ser
the defendant to the meat marke
!, with ten dollar bill to pay for som
hams and side meat she was OWN
for.
T Mrs. Badleigh? is this the hi
: you gave Jesse to pay your indebted
ness at the market?" enquired Nj
, sayre, placing in her hands the bi
: which he received from the Justice
, 1T is not" she replied, "the bi
; gave him had a piece torn off Q
one corner"
"How large was the missin
piece?"
Il should think 1t was all Of a
inch wide each way, though it wa
not square"
Was it in the shape of a triangle
like this?" asked the attorney, fold
ing a piece of paper in the form O