Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1919-12-10
DISTRICT COURT
PROCEEDINGS
Bertl L. Backe is Convicted of Grand
Larceny in the First
Degree.


Bertil L. Backe, former banker of Holt,
occupied the attention of the court for
several days last week and was con-
cluded Saturday afternoon. County
Attorney A. N. Eckstrom ably repre-
sented the State and Attorneys j. M.
Bishop, E. NJ Stanton and Mr..
Chommie, of Thief River Falls ably
y conducted the defense. r.
The defendant, Bertil L. Backe, was
cashier of state bank at Holt. In
order to strengthen the institution he
conceived plan to increase the capital
tional Bank with a capital of $4,000.
In order to obtain the additional capital
stock required, he induced number of
farmers in the community to subscribe
for stock, each to the amount of 81 900,
and to give their notes in payment for
same. The notes of the farmers were
sold to other banks and the proceeds
turned into Mr.. Backe's bank. But no
National Bank was organized and in
course Of time the holders Of the farm
ers' notes began to call for payment of
same. Then of course there was
trouble. Even at the time the notes
were obtained, it would appear that
the bank was insolvent, as no one seems
to know what became of the money re-
ceived from the sale of the farmers
notes and turned into the bank, some
where about $4,000. It was probably
frittered away in paying debts of the
bank existing at that time. But the
farmers received no National Bank
: stock. Some of them did receive a
beautifully autographed paper purport-
ed to be stock in a holding company, to
be known as the Holt Realty and In
Vestment Co., which it also was pro-
posed to organize at the same time.
said stock certificates being of course
valueless. Those who received them
were not specially proud of them and
deemed it unnecessary to have them
framed and hung on the parlor wall.
The troubles Of the bank finally landed
IN court and the state bankfng depart
Inent closed the bank and had Sa' re-
ceiver appointed. BERTH %. Backe the
cashier, was indicted for grand larceny
in the first degree by a. Marshall county
grand jury and the trial held: as before
stated. " -. q 1850 ~ -, :.
The jury after being out some hours?
voted for conviction and on Monday.
evening Bertil L. Backe was given an
indeterminate sentence, from one to ten
years, by Judge Grindeland: Mr.. Backe
received his sentence calmly. He is a
young man whose downfall is to be re-
GREETED and should serve as q warning
to others that it issnot safe to depart
from the path of rectitude in conduct
ing any business, and especially that of
q bank -'
The case against Mr.. Backe would
have come to trial a year ago but for
the fact that he served in the U. S.
army in France for few months, re-
turning to this country in June last.
The case Of State Of Minnesota VS..
Alexander Januskewicz, also charged
with grand larceny in the first degree,
has been on trial this week, A. N. Eek
strom prosecuting and H.. A. Brekke,
assisted by w. r. Rowe, handled the
case for the defendant, who was
charged with taking fax owned by an
other farmer. The jury thought the
evidence did not substantiate the
charge and returned a verdict Of ac-
quittal.
-ftSt@}l K -.
The case Of James II. Fiers VS.. The
Village OF Argyle. Suit brought for
salary as :, superintendent of electric
HIGHT plant, the village dispensing with
his services before expiration of con-
tract. O'Connor & Johnson for plain
tiff Olson & Hage for defendant.
MADcuAIr n0T1NTV FAIR