The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-16
GRANT PARK
DRAFTS PUT
IN RECORDS
State Tntrod du ices More
Than Twenty, Totaling
$14,575,O 900.

Waukegan. ILL.,, May 16.-(By the
Associated Press)-Drafts on the
treasury of Illinois, payable to the
Grant Park bank, a private bank
ing institution in Grant Park, ILL.,,
a town of 600 population, were read
into the record today in the trial
with conspiring with Vernon Cur
tbs, president of the bank, and Lieu
tenant Governor Fred E. Sterling
with conspiripg to embezzle state
funds.
The state introduced more than
twenty of the drafts, totalling S14,-
5000, as a link in the alleged
chain by which they charge the
three defendants with the late Sen
ator Edward c. Curtis, used $29,-
100000 of state funds through the
Grant Park bank for their private
gain.
The drafts were presented after
Judge Claire c. Edwards overruled
objections by the defense.
Harry C. Luehrs, assistant state
treasurer, who spent most of yes
terday on the stand identifying
books and records of the treasur-
er's office, was still on the stand
under direct examination at noon
today. He probably will be turned
over to the defense for cross-exam-
ination some time this afternoon.
Lawyers in Clash.
Counsel for the governor and
prosecution clashed almost i'm
mediately after court opened when
Mr.. Pree asked the witness about
the condition of records in the state
treasury at the beginning of the
term of the present treasurer, Ed
ward E. Miller.
The line of questioning led di-
rectIy to the safe account"
through which Governor Small and
his successor in the treasurer's Of
flee, Lieutnant- Governor Fred K,
Sterling, transacted business with
the Grant Park bank" the insti-
tuition which the prosecution claims
was fictitious and which the de-
tense contends was bona fide in
'stitution operated in connection
with the other Curtis banks at
Grant Park.
Mr.. Pree devoted considerable
time reading into the records,
amounts shown by the office tick
ler" to have been in the vault
and safe" accounts on various
dates during the Sterling term.
Several drafts of large denomi-
nations payable to the Grant Park
bank" were offered in evidence.
Sterling's Son Called.
A group of employees of the state
treasurer's office, subpoenaed as
witnesses, arrived today and wait
ed in an anteroom to be called on
the stand. Arthur E. Sterling, son
of the lieutenant-governor, who was
in the treasurer office with his
father, was among the waiting wit
nesses.
Judge Edwards overruled Charles
c. LeForgee, chief defense counsel,
for the defense, who objected 10
the admission of drafts payable to
the Grant Park bank as evidence.
Ralph Dady, former states attor-
ney of Lake county, relieved Mr..
Pree to read a batch of treasury
drafts into the record. The drafts
in sums ranging from $4,000 TO
81 100000 and totaling $14, 1000
were drawn on the state treasury
payable to the Grant Park bank"
and bore the endorsement of that
bank by Edward C. or Vernon 5.
Curtis.
Luehrs Recalled.
Mr.. Luehrs was recalled to the
stand by the state to identify some
of the drafts and explain custom
er's drafts attached to them.
The state and defense clashed
again when the governors attor-
neys objected to the introduction of
interest checks on funds which
passed through the Fort Dearborn
National bank of Chicago.
The defense claimed the interest
checks had nothing to do with the
states case. Judge Edwards over
ruled the objection and the checks
we're read into the record by James
II. Wilkerson, assistant attorney
general.
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