The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-13

IQI IEDuOlS ana Cast TGnESAApHS Oh
the administration
"Bill said: The old gang was al
ways fixing these things up. and If
we do IL well be in the same boat
Tom came to me as soon as Ed
wards told him the books showed
there should be cash balance OF
$1,000 and told me he vas afraid II
wasn't there. He said The ONCE had
cost him more than IL was worth and
referred to the trouble he had had
with, Void. He said he couldn't be-
lieve Walla had been stealing. was
sympathizipF with Tom because I
was sorry for him."
You're sympathizing with him
right now, aren't your asked At
torney Stutsman-
Yes, / am"
The principal additional informa-
ton brought out on cross-examina-
ton was that Hall and Waters had
made the first move to consult the
attorney general and had insisted
upon his coming into the affair.
...a Petition Circulated.
Frank Mccormick. Bismarck man
ager for the Washburn Ignite Coal
company, was put on the stand to
testify relative to a petition which
Kilmer, an empioye Of the secretary
Of states ONCE. wanted circulated,
presumably for the purpose Of rails
ing money. Mccormick said Hall
asked him casually whether Kilmer
had seen him; that Kilmer had just
called him up and later did see him
and asked him to circulate q petit
ton; that he (McCormick) had de-
clined because he was too busy, but
had offered to do anything he could
to help.
WaIIa Will Appear.
Eugene M. Walla, co-defendant
with Hall, again was called Monday
afternoon as a witness for the state,
and his counsel, Judge e. 7. Burke,
stated that Walla was sick, but
probably would be able to appear by
noon today.
Judge Burke has changed his tao
tics. Saturday he opposed every bit
Of evidence to implicate his client.
Monday he made no objections, al
though the testimony presented was
OF much more serious nature. He
also has withdrawn his threats to
prevent his client from taking the
stand through habeas corpus pro-
ceedings, If necessary.
Thorbers's Testimony.
Deputy Bank Examiner p. A.
in substantiation Of the evidence pre-
scented earlier by w. @. Edwards.
He told of finding Hall in the Of
fee Of the Automobile Mutual In
surance company in The Tribune
building Oct. 20 while he (Thorberg)
was seeking Walla. Hall. he said,
seemed under great nervous strain
and advised he was waiting for
Walla. Hall referred to the trouble
he had formerly had in the automo-
bile registration department and
wondered what would be done with
him. He expressed great confidence
in Walla and surprise over the de-
velopments. He said If he only had
a few days time he could raise the
money through his brothers.
Thorberg later met Walla coming
out Of the Bismarck bank.
without referring to anything in
particular" said Thorberg, "Walla
said, Well. I've got 1t fixed"
Hall Is bearing up well and seems
to be in good spirits. He showed
emotion Monday only when his inter-
views with LANCER were being de-
scribed bv Bank Examiner Waters.
Short Last January.
I'VE intend absolutely to prove
that the automobile registration fund
in the secretary of states Office was
$1,000 short Jan. /. 1917, and that
when the Warwick. Mitchell, Peet
company certified that there was a,
shortage of but $24.51 Dec. 81, they
had something put over on them. And
Mitchell, Peet company for the,
amount paid Them" announced As
sistant Attorney General Dan v.
Brennan in the course Of the exam
ination early Monday afternoon.
This statement came out during
the examination of Deputy State
Examiner w. G. Edwards. by whom
the state attempted to show that a
certain amount of receipts for 1917
tags not yet issued had been included
by the secretary Of state in his 1915
business in order to make his books
balance. This subterfuge. the state
commended. was slipped over on the
firm Of certified accountants to whom
the state paid $50, 1000 for an examin-
alton of it's books"
Assignment Common.
j. Leonard Bell, president of
the First National bank. testified
that Mr.. Hall had had business deal
irgs with that institution for eight
years past and that during that time
he had negotiated many loans, ma
jority Of which were secured by the
assignment Of his salary in advance,
a practice which Mr.. Bell testified
was more or less common among
state officials and state employees.
A. J. Arnot, cashier of the First Ma
tional, testified with regard to a $50
check deposited to the credit of the
automobile registration funds in the
state treasury by the secretary Of
state and returned unpaid by the
First National because Of insufficient
funds. He stated that Mr.. Halls ac-
count lacked about IS of enough to
Currency Identified.
]. o. Lyngstad presented in court
and identified $2,61s in currency de-
posted by the secretary Of state to
the credit Of the automobile registra-
ton fund Oct. 30. There was one set
Of 80 federal reserve $40 bank notes,
running serially, and another OF 30
$40 federal reserve notes, also in
serial. An effort was made 10 connect
these amounts with loans negotiated
by e.. M. Walla or checks cashed.
as per evidence previously presented.
The remainder OF the deposit consist
ed Of miscellaneous currency.
The deputy state treasurer testi-
fed that following Nov. "a. 1915, no
license tag number was assigned
checks and drafts deposited, and he
stated that there were thus deposited
about 400 items, representing $1,000,
prior to Jan. 1, 1917, and that checks
were not again assigned numbers
until Jan. II, 1917, up to which time
about $4,000 had been deposited in
900 unidentified items. The aggregate
OF items to which no number was
assigned was. Mr.. Lyngstad testified.
about $4,000.
He identified exhibit is as printed
statement bearing the printed sig
nature OF the secretary Of state
showing the number Of automobile