The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-24


threw up his hand and said Some
body's crazy Finally, though, he
broke down and admitted that he
must have $500 or 800 more, and he
told me he could get the money IL
he went TO Baldwin. That was on
Sunday. and said, I'll see that you
get to Baldwin this very day, my boy
Gene didn't seem anxious TO go and
said his car was not in shape, but /
insisted. and he went" r..
Witness did not believe anyone
recognized him at Baldwin. He wore
a. heavy sheep-lined overcoat and
the hotel was not well lighted.
Cashier Streeter OF the Baldwin bank
came up to where the secretary of
state was seated, took him for a
taxi-driver and opened a converse
ton as TO the condition OF the roads
and the weather. Finally Gene came
back, and they climbed into the car,
and when they were about a half
mile out OF town, Hall asked Walla.
how he had come out:
Walla said there was nothing
doing; that everybody had been taxi
Ing discounts and buying Liberty
bonds, and they couldn't help him"
Hall swore that he did not know
that Walla had negotiated an $500
loan through c. A. Holiday of the
Baldwin store until after the money
was discovered amongst the mass Of
currency which Walla produced from
his desk the day the cash was count
ed and Walla so accounted for 1t
then.
Didn't Know About Note.
Hall testified that he did not
authorize Walla to 70 to the Bis
fnarck bank and negotiate a loan on
a note to be signed by Hall and Alex
Macdonald. He knew nothing of
that note having been given or the
loan having been made, he swore,
until f. NJ. Thompson called him up
the day after the climax and asked
MIN to sign the note. Then Walla.
pleaded with Hall and begged him
to sign the note, and for the sake of
all concerned, the witness testified,
he did sign the note, but did not ask
Macdonald to sign it, nor ever con-
Ter with Macdonald on the mat
ter.
The $500 which someone had testi-
fied had been raised by Hall in small
amounts came from Mrs. Halls saw
lngs deposits under protest, testified
the secretary OF state. He explained
TO Mrs. Hall, he said, WalIa's
predicament, and at last persuaded
her TO loan him the money that he
might make up the shortage,
LANCER ls "Huffed."
Hall told OF the conference in
Langer's office, in which the attorney
general especially scored Waters for
MS conduct of the examination, and
also turned his guns on the secre-
tary Of state. LANCER didn't seem
pleased because he hadn't been called
into the matter before; at first re-
fused to have anything to do with
opening the safe and would not per-
NIT Brennan to take part, but finally
consented to the presence of the lat
ter.
Then came that night interview in
a private room in the Grand Pacific,
when LANCER called Hall in and in
the presence OF Brennan and Waters
told the secretary OF state he was to
De arrested. He proved adamant to
all OF Halls pleas; stepped out OF
the room for few minutes, and re-
turned with Sheriff French and a
police magistrate and warrants for
the secretary of states arrest. Then
Hall 'phoned around town and called
out of bed friends who at first could
not take seriously his statement that
he was under arrest and must have
bondsmen, but who came promptly
to the rescue when convinced that he
was not playing a practical joke on
them.
Hall Proud of Record.
Hall testified that he did not know
OF shortage existing at the close Of
business in 1916. nor that it was
covered up by using funds received
for 1917. Warwick, Mitchell, Peet
gave me a clean slate In their re-
port, and said we started out the
new year with our books balancing
In every. respect, and was kind of
proud Of the fact, and Dragged some
to my friends about it," said Hall.
He denied that 1t was ever in his
mind in mailing out circulars toward
the close Of the year calling upon
automobile owners to send in their
checks and applications early in
money was to be used to cover up a
shortage.
His Lobbying Expense.
The secretary Of state denied that
during the last session he had lobbied
a bill in favor of any
particular insurance company in
which he was interested, but stated
that he worked in the interests OF a
bill admitting mutual insurance
companies to the state, and that he
did on several occasions entertain
legislators at luncheons, spending
perhaps So or 81 on such occasions.
He positively denied Walla's story
Of having counselled the latter to use
1917 funds to make up 1915 deficit
before the Warwick, Mitchell, Peet
began their examination
Of the books in the office OF the
secretary of state. Hall stated that
he knew for weeks in advance that
these accountants, at work in other
would make a thorough
audit OF his books, and that he
did not know OF anything that need |
ed fixing before their advent.
He stated that the afidavits of |
and disbursements Of auto |
mobile funds made over his sigma
ture were prepared by Walla, as head |
Of the automobile registration de-
partment, and vouched for by him, |
and that he (HalD before making |
AFFIDAVIT always had asked Walla IL /
the reports were correct. He stated |
that he could not personally verify /
the reports of all of the departments
included in his office. and that he
relied upon the department heads,
who were under bond, and whom he
had had no reason for suspecting.
Judge Asks Dignity.
Assistant Attorney General Daniel
Y. Brennan's batting tactics won
aim three severe reprimands from
Judge Coffey during the cross-exam-
nation OF Secretary Of State Hall on
Saturday night.
Il must insist that you abide by
The rulings of this court. Mr.. Bren-
lan," said Judge Coffey after the
assistant attorney general had in
iulged in Dutch auction" tactics to
ret before the jury point which the
court already had ruled out. Brennan
lad opened at $1,000 and in a series
Il questions had descended to $500 Il
:. -, nAg,,.t -, aaooY.fafF fha amount III