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

ris, wherein Baum was charged with
having collected $40 and failed to ac-
count for II. went g~limmering when
Harris testified he had never asked
Baum for the money. and had never
presented the receipt to the Aberdeen
Springfield canal company and claimed
credit for It. Baum's answer denied
that he had collected the money. There
was introduced, however. a letter
written by Baum to Harris demanding
a settlement OF the Aberdeen-Spring-
field canal account. and on the bot
tom Of the letter. under different dates.
was a receipt for SIS and a receipt
for s25, signed by Baum. Baum ac-
knowledged his signature. when shown
the letter. but could give no reason
other than an oversight as 10 why the
money had not been turned over to
the canal company. and the lapse OF
time (the payments were made four
or five years ago. 10 blot the %transac-
ton from his memory. II vas a re-
ceipt which no one could deny. and
Baum testified that had II ever been
presented TO him. the matter would
have been promptly adjusted. Presi-
dent Fugate OF the canal company tes-
tilted that credit would have been CIV
en- Harris had the receipt been pre-
scented at the canal cOmpany's office.
In connection with this transaction
Harris testified that he went TO Baird
a. Davis with the letter TO get them
tc collect the $40 from Baum, and they
told him II would cost the full amount
10 COLLECT Il. They asked him for an
affidavit. however, and one ear not
escape the inference that they were
at hat time seeking 10 discredit Baum.
Otherwise they would have presented
the claim for Harris, and II would
have been paid. No nan In Power
county has a better reputation for
paying his bills promptly than o. r.
Baum.
The entire list OF charges against
Raum might be run through. and they
would fade just like the ones above
noted The prosecutions case fell
from the very first just like the pc
tails from a willing rose. and the pub
llc wondered what prompted the pros
ccutiOn 90 present such charges unless
they we're misled as TO the evidence
the complaining witnesses could pro-
duce.
So much for the known and partly
known things relating 10 the Baum
charges and the things directly or re-
motely connected with IL. Now for
the unknown things. the meanest and
most contemplate of them all.
Ploticrs at work.
Early last spring o. Il. Baum was
asked TO come TO his office. He came
and there was told that a plot was on
foot to get him The plan outlined
was 10 get him In a compromising pO-
sition with a woman. and To- humiliate
him by an exposure. His informant
admitted having been a party to a
plan TO lessen his influence aud UNI
dermine his standing in the communi-
81. but baked at the methods that
were 10 be employed. Names. circum-
stances. and dates were mentioned.
About that time a proposal was made
to a woman to use her wiles to entrap
Baum She scorned the proposal. and
knowledge OF II and It's maker. came
ia Mr.. Baum. On two subsequent oc-
caHiOns attempts were made TO induce
her to change her attitude. Conhrma-
ton OF the statements above have been
secured from the woman by a third
party. Some time later a strange wo-
man. stylish and well dressed. attempt
cd 10 force herself upon Mr.. Baum in
his own office. To protect himself
from her advances he was compelled
to open his private office-room door
so that his office employees could OBJ
serve anything that took place and
hear what was said.
Mr.. Baum knows the first woman
mentioned, knows who talked to her.
aud knows at least some of the people
who were scheming to bring about his
humiliation. His Information comes
from two sourcos-the party who first
warned him and the who ad-
mittod that she had been asked 10 be
the means of accomplishing that end
Who was the second woman? And
had she been employed by the same
parties for the same purpose? Mr..
Baum does not know. but feels that
there are reasonable grounds for sus-
picion that she was.
In this connection. the names OF
Spencer T.. Baird and Ren W. Davis
we're not mentioned as being parties 10
this nefarious plot. There is no rea-
son 10 connect them with f.. There
rs nothing in their lives In American
Falls that would Justify a suspicion
that they had any part in IT, The
writer viii go further. and state that
nothing short OF positive proof will
make him believe that they counter
anced or sven knew OF such plans and
proposals.
But somebody knew. and there is
reason 90 believe that those who did
know lent every encouragement TO
Baird and Davis In pressing the case
against baum. and were possibly the
means-uuknoWn 20 Baird aud Davis
of circulating damaging rumors
against Baum. calling his integrity
and character into question. and even
OF causing Baird and Davis TO be mis-
led as to the facts in the matters pre-
scented TO the referee.