American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-08-09

The cover of the personal file Of
Fred Walworth was left in the office
but everything contained in the file
was taken. and Is still missing.
The W. T. oliver. trustee, and L. S.
Fidelity files are still missing. Wheth-
er these files we're all taken at the
same time, or at different times. or
just when, is not known. They were
discovered to be missing in April.
4 Second Robbery.
On Tuesday morning. July %. the
second day of the Baum hearing. the
attorneys for Mr.. Baum were going
over the papers IN the Union Iron
Works VS.. Moss case, getting ready
for the hearing on this charge. The
papers we're collected and arranged,
and returned to the file. Among them
we're copies Of the p~leadings. letters
to Judge Guheen, and a memorandum
OF the supreme courts decision. They
have not been seen since. though
search was made. and every file in
Mr.. Baum's office gone over piece by
piece, every desk and drawer search
ed, for these and other things needed
at the trial.
" MdA ONAAAAN VI Nh'At vi bnAAA
attorneys are firm in the conviction
that his office was deliberately bur-
glarized and With the sole purpose Of
placing these papers beyond the
reach OF the defense. But by whom2
Suspicion would naturally point to
someone connected with the %prosecu-
ton. But suspicion is not enough. Sus-
picion, backed by affidavits, fell away
from Baum like petals from a willing
rose, when the makers Of the affida-
Wits got on the stand under cross ex-
animation. The writer can not be-
lieve that those engaged in the prose-
cution Of the case are office breakers.
But II Is possible that someone who
knew enough about the case to divine
what the defense would be, sought to
hamper the defense by removing the
evidence upon which it relied. These
are the mysteries or the case, the
things that probably will never be
known. but that point toward a con
spiracy.
Another Mystery.
Here Is another mystery that may
be remotely connected with some of
the things discussed.
Between September 20. 1915. and
October l6. 1915. bound files of the
Press for seven years, were removed
from the Press office. The files were
frequently used for reference, and
were used last just before the fair Of
that year. The writer attended the
Dry Farm Congress at Denver, and
upon his return had occasion TO refer
to the files again. They were gone.
The office was searched time and
again. Every conceivable place was
looked into. not once. but often.
Everything in the office was moved.
Half a dozen persons were taken into
the secret, and for months kept their
ears open and their mouths shut, hop
ing that some chance remark might
lead 10 their recovery. In the closing
months of 1917 they returned to the
Press office. as m~ysteriously as they
disappeared. Who had them. where
were they kept. and for what purpose
were they taken? The theory was
and is now that whoever had them be-
lieved that he could find something
that would be OF political value In the
campaign of 1916. But nobody knows.
This is another mystery. and is only
mentioned to show that some strange
things have been going on. The dis
appearance of the Press files had no
connection with the Baum case. For
nearly two years the office was never
locked. in order to permit the files to
come home as 1t was hoped they
would, and as they eventually did. No
clue as To their whereabout was ever
obtained. and not the least thing ever
leaked out to point suspicion to any
one. Unless some political use was
sought TO be made Of their contents
there is nc reason that comes within
the scope OF imagination for their tax
ing.
Political Aspects.
Now for the political aspect. 1t
will be- recalled that in 1915 there was
a persistent effort made to have a
grand jury Investigation made of city
and county affairs. Those active in
trying 10 force an Investigation we're
] sCuelched when they were called be-
fore Justice Travis by County Attor-
ney Baird and forced to say under
oath that they had only rumor as a
hArAn AWA AnN SCI AOuN NndA kt0 AlH9
were preferring. and that strangers
were responsible for the rumOrs. Part
Of the evidence at that Investigation
was printed in the Press. and II came
so nea fastening the rumors on the
a~gitators themselves that they have
forever since remained quiet on that
score. 4 grand jury Investigation in
the fall Of 1915. or the winter of 1916
1916. would possibly have. by perjured
testimony. resulted in indictments that
could not have been tried before the
spring term Of court in 1916. This
was the purpose of the agitation-to
make trouble To reap political advan-
tage. II readers of the Press will
look back a few years they will
recall that the character assassination
that has been attempted has come in
campaign years, or at a time when a
settlement would have carried over in
10 a campaign year. They will also