The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-12-20
NO PROMISE
OF IMMUNITY
, II SAYS WALlA
Continued From Page One.)

Continued From Page One.)
mat amount and took what / had in
the cash drawer and from day to day
came in and got more, which was
charged against this check until the
full amount had been taken out.
Hall told me it was costing him
a lot of money to do some lobbying
for an insurance bill for a company
for which he was state agent, and he
was kicking because they didn't come
across W..
Wa!la got "Leary." .,.
Later in 1917 the secretary Of state
came in and collected all his slips and
checks from Walla and informed him
he was going to borrow some money
and take them up. Time dragged
along and the money didn't come in,
and, said Walla: 81 got leary' about
the checks and slips and went into
Halls private office one day when no.
body was about and made list of all
that l found lying in his SAFE"
This list was in evidence. 1t totaled
$2,O36.75, and did not include all of the
slips and checks which Walla had
turned over to Hail. and which Walla
later saw destroyed by Mr. Hall when
the latter turned over currency in the
amount of 5000 for them.
Two trips made by Hall to Mime
apolis in March, 1917, were financed
from the automobile registration
funds, said Walla. One trip cost $45
and the other $50. During the last leg
islative session Hall got about all the
currency that came into the depart
ment in amounts ranging from $40 to
$50 a day. ..''S'. '' "
-. Examination Begins.
October Is Hall told me an exam
nation was being made of the offices
about the building and wondered if
we couldn't stall it off in our depart
ment till he had time to get money in
to the till in exchange for his checks.
The same, day l saw Eric Thorberg
and suggested that we 60 hunting.
Hall was stalling things along while
trying to get money from Stutsman
and from the Guaranty Life Assurance
Co., for which he was agent" Walla
told of having endorsed for Hall
checks made out to employees and run
through the department because it
looked better to make them out to
the state treasurer.
Not Surprise.
The states calling to the stand
man whom it plans to prosecute on
the same offense charged against Hall
occasioned littlee surprise this morn
ing. The state made several efforts
to call Walla in the preliminary exam
ination of Hall, but was frustrated by
the illness of Walla which was de.
termined to be real after the attor-
ney general and two physicians had
accompanied Judge L. T. Burke, coun-
sci for Walla, to the Walla residence.
After Hall had been bound over, it
was stipulated that the, same testi-
mony apply in the case of Walla and
the latter was held to district court
without any preliminary examination.
His appearance today, therefore, is the
first in which he has actually been in
jected into the case, and his testimony
was heard with evident interest by
the roomful of spectators.
Youmans on Stand.
The states first witness this morn.
ing was Grant S. Youmans, who sued
Secretary of State Hall, Governor
Hanna and other members of a former
state banking board for $225,00O dam
ages on charges growing out of the
closing of Minot bank in which You.
mans was interested several years
ago. More recent bad blood between
Hall and Youmans was created when
Hail. as a member of the North Da-
kota blue sky commission, declined
to vote in favor of a Youmans' bank
ing enterprise in which large
amount of stock was to be sold, pref
erably to farmers in the northern part
of the state.
Youmans testified that Hall about
Get. 20, had written him letter ask
ing that Youmans call the secretary
of state by long distance phone and
intimating that things had occurred
which gave him (HalD clearer light
on certain matters of interest to You
mans. Youmans after conversation
with Hall mailed the latter cashier
check for $500, which was returned
the same day, Hall advising that he
found he had no need for this money.
Prosecutor Brennan made an effort
to bring out in Youmans' testimony
the alleged i'll feeling existing be.
tween him and Hall prior to Hall5s re-
quest for a quick loan, and after sew
eral such attempts Judge Coffey call
ed halt.
1--WE are not trying everybody's bus
mess here" said the court. ut is evil
dent from your questions that this
matter has nothing to do with this
CASE
State Treasurer John Steen on Wed
nesday evening declined to be made
peg upon which the state might hang
its prosecution of Secretary of State
Thomas Hall.
The state in it's opening argument
had referred to a complaint made b!
the state treasurer as one of the &C
tuating factors in the prosecution O
Hall Similar references had beer
made by other witnesses or had beer
interjected by counsel.
Called to the stand Wednesday at
ternoon to verify these statements
Mr.. Steen was asked:
did you file complaint of short
age in the secretary of states Office
with the attorney general?"
81 did not replied Mr.. Steen, rath
Io% 1x,