The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-06-18
ACQUITTED ON
FIRST BALLOT
WEDNESDAY
UNANIMOUS DECISION GIVEN
IN FAVOR OF DEFENDANT
ON CHARGE OF LOOT
ING TREASURY.
Jury Was Out But Few Minutes
Charge Against Peterson in Ram
stedt Report Proves to be Hell
Brewed Lie" as Designated by At
torney General Months Ago.
Especial to Caldwell Tribune.)

Boise, June l6.-The trial of Attor-
ney General ]. H. Peterson, charged
with completely in the Allen defalca-
ton, came to dramatic conclusion
today. After the state had presented
its testimony, the defense placed the
defendant, Attorney General Peterson
on the stand, and at the conclusion Of
his testimony, submitted the case,
without argument. The jury was out
about 90 minutes, but at least as min
utes of that time was consumed in
waiting for the instructions of the
judge. The verdict of mot Guilty"
was returned to the court in short
order, the jury being unanimous from
the first. General Peterson was sur
rounded by friends who rendered their
congratulations and as the news
spread in the down town district, the
telephones at the Generals office and
at his residence kept UP a constant
ringing as friends called up to offer
their fluctuations.
The weakness of the case against
General Peterson and the verdict of
the jury has produced profound i'm
preston and it is just beginning to
dawn upon the public that a great in
justice has been done a most worthy
official. The stigma of the indictment
will be wiped out as result of the
manner in which the trial terminated.
A great injustice was done in indicting
the Attorney General, at least that is
the verdict of the jury as we'll as the
talk of the town.
General Peterson stated his defense
to the jury in a Straightforward man
ner, admitted having received the
1,,A Il ~
was a personal loan, and without the
slightest knowledge on his part that
the money was part of state funds.
The prosecution had no evidence to
present that Mr.. Peterson had any
knowledge that the money was state
funds. This was all there was to the
case and verdict of acquittal neces-
sarily followed.
One of the dramatic incidents of
the trial was the appearance of Axel
T. Ramstedt, president of the Utilities
Commission, as witness for the pro-
secution. Ramstedt in his report at
the conclusion of his examination of
the treasury, put Peterson in the same
column with Allen and Coleman, the
self-confessed embezzlers. Peterson
has always resented this and there has
been bad blood between the Attorney
General and the President of the Uti-
lities Commission ever since. Prior
to the publication of the report, Peter
son had endeavored to have Ramstedt
modify his report to the extent of en-
larging it so as to cover his defense,
namely that the money was a person
al loan from Allen. and that he had
not the slightest intimation that it
was advanced from public funds. This
Ramstedt declined to do. This was all
brought out in Ramstedts testimony
and the friends of the Attorney Cen
eral thought he was over-anxious to
get it into the record. 1t may be set
down as certainty that the future
will see political fight to the death
between Peterson and Ramstedt
There is no evidence that the General
has changed his opinion of the Rams
tedt report which, is printed inter
view at the time he characterized as
being "hell-brewed," and it is probable
that this term will figure more or less
in future political campaigns, AS
both Peterson and Ramstedt are of
Swedish ancestry, and each one be-
ing something over six feet tall, they
might be depended upon to make
things lively. However the subject
IS rather too serious to be spoken of
lightly
The vindication of General Peterson
is a vindication for former Governor
John M. Haines as WELL as Peterson
was his trusted associate in the adj
ministration While all kinds of out
ragous attacks were made upon the
Governor during the campaign, II will
be observed that he has come through
all Investigations unscathed.
OF the jurymen before whom the
case was tried, the predominating
number were farmers
AS a result of Mr., PeterSon'S acQuit-
tai, there will be no new attorney
general to appoint, and several i'm.
portant state boards, now composed
of Republican majorities, will remain
Republican.