The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-10
UNIQUE TURN IN
WALLA CASE
CONTINUED from page H.

been SuDpOenaeu TO Mandan as VIII
nesses for the prosecution.
Offered Dismissal.
In Bismarck there still is a great
deal OF talk about the tom Hall
case, as 1t is so popularity known,
One point not generally known about
the state, nor even about the city Of
Bismarck, is the fact that on the
Thursday evening preceding Christ
mas. James Manahan Of st. Paul, at
torney for the Nonpartisan league,
and who was a daily attendant at the
trial of the Hall case, approached
one of the attorneys for Mr.. Hall,
suggesting that the boys"--pre-
sumably referring to William LANCER
and Dan Brennan-were pulling to
dismiss the prosecution IL II was
satisfactory to the defendant. Mr..
Hall declined to consider the prop
osition. insisting that he was ready
and anxious to go on the stand to
clear his own name Of the charges
that had been made against him.
Mr.. Manahan, 1t appears, occupied
a seat at the prosecutors table, seat
ed directly behind Mr.. LANCER, and
he participated at several instances
in conferences between attorneys for
the prosecution.
Confessed Partial Responsibility.
In the opening round or the Hall
case, the state offered as testimony
a sworn statement supposedly made
by Eugene Walla. In 1t, the registry
clerk is purported to have confessed
to partial responsibility for the
shortage in the auto fund, insisting
that part Of the shortage was
to the secretary of state.
This statement was denied a place
as evidence by Judge Coffey,s and
the prosecution placed
Walla on the stand as a witness
against Mr. Hall. Walla, as a wit
ness, denied all responsibility for the
IS 400 shortage the state says existed
In the department It was subsequent
to Walla's testimony that the state
bank examiner, ]. r. Waters, was
called to the stand by the defense
and said Walla had, in one Of the
opening phases Of the inquiry into
the auto fund, admitted a $1,000
shortage.
. ... Story of pictanraph.
The participation Of the prosecut-
ing officials with Walla in a plan to
trap Thomas Hall into making adj
missions with respect to the auto
fund administration, also has serv-
I'd to add no little interest to the
whole case. Only a hint of the die
.agraph operations were revealed inl
he trial of Mr.. Hall. and these came
1t the eleventh hour. as it might be
said, for IL wasn't until Attorney
Burke, called to the stand as one of
he last witnesses in rebuttal for the
state, was questioned by the de-
ense with respect TO the dictagraph. !
md admitted that 1t had been plan
led to trap Mr.. Hall.
Additional features OF the dicta-
graph campaign are not generally
Inown except 10 a small circle of
officials and a few outsiders. 1t APP
lears, however. that Walla's home
vas used as the place to lay the /
rap. It was proposed that Mr.. Hall
hould go TO Wallas house for a |
A dictagraph transmitter
vas concealed in the room where
he conference was to have been
leld, the receiving end being drop
led into the basement, where an
perator would be stationed. The
cheme failed. however, for Hall de-
lined Walla's invitation.
Move to Capitol Building.
The scene Of operations was then
moved to the state capitol building,
nd the dictagraph instrument was
laced in q senate chamber stenog-
aphers' room, the wires strung out
( the window. and the receiving in
was located in the ONCE
f the attorney general.
When Mr.. WallR undertook TO In
tie Hall to the room for a confer
nee, Walla was invited out OF thel
ecretary of states office. The inter-
lew between Walla and his formerl
hief was brief Walla entered MIR.
IalPs office In the capitol building
nd was Immediately ordered out
nd, furthermore, he was ordered tOk
.ay out
The dictagraph ruse failed COM
letely.
Nothing is known as to just when
ne attorney general will call ThOm-
5 Hall to the stand as a witness
gainst Walla. When Mr.. Hall is
allied, 1t is likely he will repeat tho
.ory OF the administration Of theI |
lto registry fund as he told IL In
Is own defense less than three /
eelSs ago, and which won for him- ,
sif a verdict Of not guilty.