Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1921-04-13
CASHIER FOUND
GUILTY OF FELONY

~~OsAASA9
fenced to Pemtentiary for For
gerry of $500 Note. Ofen.e
One Of Alleged Many
Oscar A. Orred, for eleven years
cashier of the State Bank of Spicer
at Spicer, was sentenced, after a plea
of guilty to charge of forgery in the
Second Degree in District Court, to a
maximum of ten years in the State
penitentiary at Saltwater The SEN
tence imposed by Judge G. E. Qvale
Saturday morning at o'clock was
the elimination Of an exposure of a
startling breach in Orred's conduct
of the banks business as exposed by
the bank inspectors who discovered
the crime. The offense of alleged fall
styling of records, forgery of signatu-
res on notes of number of patrons of
the institution and of embezzlement
was committed secretly during the
past four years. The acts have been
traced over that period of time.
Two bank inspectors made their
customary calls at the Bank on Thurs
day, March 31st. 1t was on that day
that the shortage was discovered.
Gross tampering with notes, record
books, etc.. were revealed after the
suspicious of the bank examiner had
been aroused. Explanations were de-
manded Of Orred. Alterations in figu-
res were found as the search went on.
Orred admitted his guilt to the charges
as the bank inspector confronted him
with them. Forged notes made up neat
pile, it is alleged. The average demo-
mination was $500. One of these $500
notes bore two forged signatures. This
particular note formed the basis of
the charge of forgery in the second
degree, upon which charge he was
convicted after plea of guilty. This
note was one forged on D. J. Downs
and ]. C. Nelson, both of Spicer This
note was dated on Dec. 30, 1920. The
notes ranged in amounts from 5000
and upwards. 1t is stated that the
total extent of the monies appropria-
ted by Orred will go even beyond the
figure Of 100000 To this amount
Orred conceded his guilt. His friends
claim that the shortage was due to
losses of the bank which Orred hated
to make known. During the first Sc
ven days in April the bank inspectors
ransacked the records and documents
of the bank for further information
and new dicOveries were made.
Orred explained his method of for
gerry in this manner. He placed a
light beneath plate glass upon which
he placed a new note. Between the
light and the glass he inserted the
good note with signature on it, The
light brot the signatures out in relief
the lines of which were traced on the
blank note on the glass. State Supt.
of Banks of Minnesota, Frank E. Pear
son, arrived from the St. Paul and
after a survey of the case immedia-
tely conferred with County Attorney
Charles Johnson and secured the issue
of a complaint against Orred for the
forgery of the one $500 note. The
ming, one week after the crime had
been discovered.
During thesd seven days efforts
were made by the directors of the
bank to replace what had been alleged
as taken and to repair the damage.
This was accomplished. Involved in
this amount were the following items ::
farm and real estate at Grove City,
Oscar Orred's stock in the Witte Ra-
diator Co. Of Minneapolis. Orred's pro.
perty in the Village of Spicer, the
Orred lake property, store in Spicer
stock owned by Orred in the Bank
at Spicer and various property hold
ings of relatives and friends.
Upon the issuance of the complaint
Sheriff Peter Bonde arrested Orred
at Spicer Thursday evening and brot
him to Willmar. Friday morning he
was arraigned in Municipal Court be-
fore Judge Muller, waived examina
ton and was bound over to the Dis
trict Court. r. w. Stanford appeared
for the defendant in the Municipal
Court.
An attempt to fix the bail Of $25, ,O0(
failed during Friday On Saturday
morning, after petition by Orred fol
himself to place of plea of guilty be
fore the Court, he was charged, plead
guilty and given an indeterminate
sentence in the Saltwater Peniten
tiary. The information was filed by
Frank A. Pearson, State Supt. o1
Banks. Sheriff Bonde took Orred tC
Saltwater on Sunday morning.
Conditions at the Bank are becoming
normal again. Henry Olson has been
appointed temporary cashier. Irwin
Nelson has been retained as Assistant
4 i'Cashier. Irwin, it is learned, was en-
tirely unawares of any wrongdoing or
the part of Orred, but he has noticed
during the last months that the cash
ier showed in his actions and beha
vior that he was troubled over some
thing.
Commercial Amateur League
A meeting to for ma definite organi
zation fthe Commercial Amateur
League will be held Tuesday evening
at 1880 at the City Hall. Just forge
all other engagements and be sure t.
attend this meeting. A president ant
Board Of Directors will be elected