Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-12-29
'0.K.'S Indictment
ON EMBEzZLEMENT
trial SET JAN. 9TH
Waukegan, ILL.,, Dec. 29.-(By the A. P.)--
Judge Claire c. Edwards Of the circuit court Of
Lake county today upheld an Indictment charging
Governor Len Small
with embezzlement Of
$500,000 of state funds

$500, 900 of state funds
and nine Of the thirteen counts of an
indictment charging the governor,
lieutenant governor Fred E. Sterling
and Vernon Curtis, banker of Grant
/ Park Illinois, with conspiracy and
operating confidence game involving
/ $2,000,000 in state money.
Governor Small reached the court
room shortly before 1 o'clock, accom-
panied by his son, Leslie, Vernon
/ Curtis, and his attorneys. Judge Ed
wards started reading his decision
at 1904 and concluded at 1888. At
torney La Forgee for the defense
asked that the state furnish a bill of
particulars.
The court ordered the governor to
trial January at $3.50 o'clock on the
$500 600 embez2lement charge
Judge Edwards sustained the at
torneys for the governor and Mr.. Cur
lis in part by quashing an Indictment
charging them, together with Mr..
Sterling with embezzlement Of $780,
600: and quashed three counts charg-
ing conspiracy and the one charging
confidence game in the other joint
indictment As a result Mr.. Curtis
will face trial only On the nine re-
naming counts Of the conspiracy
charge
5000 Word Decision.
While Mir. Sterling is not a party
to the proceedings here, he never
/ having asked change of venue from
| Springfield, where the indictments
were returned July 20. 1921 by the
Sangamon county grand jHry. Judge
| Edwards action i'm quashing the joint
embezzlement Indictment against the
governor, lieutenant governor and Mr..
Curtis will automatically kill that
charge against Mr. Steflingsa
The courts decision-as 5000 word
document which goes at length into
the arguments of c. G.. Leforgee and
other attorneys for the defendants in
support of their motions to quash---
was read in court this afternoon in
! the presence OF Governor and Mr..
Curtis.
Bitterly Arraignes Clerk.
The decision was marked by a
scathing arraignment Of Charles w.
( Ilgt D. tOullJ tlGlh VI ACelli6niAlDh
county. who admitted on the stand
that the records of his Office contain
ing the minutes of the county board
which selected the grand jurors who
! subsequently indicted the governor
and his fellow defendants had been al
tered
He was o willing witness" Judge
/ Edwards said willing to commit per-
I Jury, to face even the charge Of falsi.
flying the records of his Office. IN a
word he showed a willingness to do
whatever was necessary to be done TO
sustain these indictments"
Regarding the changing of the
minute book, the judge said, "the court
is of the opinion, however, that this
effort was Unnecessary.
After disposing of the defense mo.
tions and detailing his decision on
each indictment, Judge Edwards said,
| in conclusion:
"This is an important case from
! three standpoints
FIRST; From the legal principles
involved which have been so ably
presented,
SECOND: Important to the de-
PENDANTS to have an immediate trial
and
THIRD: All important to the peo-
| pie of the state of Illinois, that their
governor be either convicted il guilty
/ of this offense or if not that he be ac-
quilted and permitted to give his at
tention to the duties of the high Office
which he now holds.
Anything now pending on the dock.
ct Of this court sinks into insignili-
canoe as compared to the Importance
Of this last point.
"Accordingly, believing that speedy
/ Justice is as much to be desired as
exact Justice, and without consulting
/ the wishes of counsel on either side,
/ the court Of it's own motion, hereby
sets the first of these cases for trial
on Monday, January 9. 1922, at $3.50
/ o'clock a. M
| Acts Performed AS Treasurer.
The charges against the governor,
! lieutenant governor and Mr.. Curtis
center around alleged illegal practices
| during the term of Governor Small as
state treasurer 1917-1919; and the
/ term of lieutenant governor Sterling
/ as state treasurer, 19t9-1921. The al
legged Illegal operations according to
a special report" returned by the
grand jury and made public by Judge
| f. S. Smith. of Sangamon county,
consisted of the deposit in the Grant
/ Park bank at Grant Park, q town of
about 500 population in Kankakee
county. a few miles from Governor
! c,,,,l,., bor,o of eun1S of state money
aggregating $10,000,000, GOO which was
CONTINUED On page ), col 81