The Nenana daily news., 1918-06-18
CURTIS EXONERATED
 OF SERIOUS CHARGE

was sLoWH III WdecHLeT TeclepC as one hind quarter weighing 128 pounds, and was shown in Mir. Ehlen's record as one hind quarter weighing 127 pounds.
 The prosecution rested their case at this stage.
 Ralph Waechter was the first wit ness called by the defense. He testified to having arranged with Curtis for the loan of the meat, which was taken delivery of on the
 1st of October. The loan was made necessary owing to the fact that Waechter Bros. barge was not able to come up to Nenana, owing to the low stage of water. He said that he received from the Commission on that date hind and 2 front quarters of beef, but gave no re- ceipt for it at the time. It was agreed that the meat was to be re- urned to the Commission as soon as the barge McNab arrived in Ne mana. He also testified to having borrowed chickens, pork Joins and mutton from the Commission prior to this transaction and to having re- turned it later. Shortly after the arrival of Watcher Bros.' consign- ment of beef, he offered to return the quantity borrowed, but owing to the difficulty entailed in getting the exact number of pieces of meat he offered to return four instead of five quarters, amounting to the same weight as the meat borrowed. A letter written by MT. Waechter to Curtis to this effect was produc- ed and acknowledged by Waechter. There was a footnote on the letter written by Curtis agreeing to the return of four instead of five quar- ters, but of the same weight as the meat loaned to Waechter Bros., but this footnote, MT. Waechter said he did not see. He was not aware of the fact that Curtis had agreed to take four quarters in lieu of the five borrowed, as Curtis had orally insisted on the return of five quar- ters. He said he explained to Curtis that he could not get five quarters to equal the weight of the five quarters borrowed, as they were at the bottom of the pile of meat stored in the apartment in the Com mission cold storage plant rented by Waechter Bros. and Curtis told him to lay aside these quarters when he got to them and return them later on. An agreement was entered into later on between Waechter Bros. and Curtis for the loan of about five tons of meat. Waechter produced telegrams ex- changed between him and MT. Par kin, the manager of the company, in regard to the transaction. He gave a receipt on the 7th of March for the five quarters of beef bor- rowed in October, and produced his stock book, which showed the en- tries to have been properly made out. The entries in the Commission meat book and MT. Waechter's book tallied except that Waechter's book showed one pound more meat than the A. E. c. claimed.
 In cross-examination by Mir. Pratt Waechter confirmed his previous statement and also spoke of a con versation he had with Bailey and Curtis regarding the storage of some smoked meats. MT. Bailey, who was at the head of the Com mission at the time, was aware of the transaction regarding the 792 pounds of meat as we'll as the pro- posal to borrow further five-ton lot. He admitted the letter written to Curtis about the return of four instead of five quarters of equal weight, but stated that he did not get the letter back with Curtis endorsement agreeing to a settle