Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-24
RANKIN EXPECTS
To FINISH HIS
CASE THURSDAY
Two Causes of Action
Finished Tuesda
Four More Remain.
Evidence Is Submitted
Tending to Show Farm
Offered Low to State.
(Tribune's Helena Bureau)

Helena, May 23.-The case of the
state in the matter of its suit for an
| accounting against Frank Conley, for
mer warden of the penitenrlary, is rap
idly drawing to close in the district
court of Lewis and Clark county, two
causes of action, the seventh and tenth
having been finished Tuesday. Attor-
ney General Wellington ID. Rankin an
nounced that he had but four causes,
the sixth, eighth, ninth and thirteenth
to finish and that he expected to have
all in by Thursday evening"
Evidence was put in Tuesday which
made it appear that the offer of Con-
by Conley and McTague 20 the state
had been priced at figure less than
that which a state expert appraised the
buildings thereon.
A letter copy book formerly used at
the prison offices, was brought into
evidence Tuesday for the first time. In
it was found the copies of the letters
written by Conley telling of the agree
ment TO purchase the prison brick yard
from John Berne and of the under
standing that large quantity of brick
was to be delivered to Berne as part
payment.
Letter to Governor Norris
Another letter, written in 1912 by
Conley to Governor E. J.. Norris,
portion of which had been introduced by
the state to show the quantity of
brick manufactured in 1911 and 1912.
was more fully read into the record at
the instance of the defense to prove
the renting by the state of the Ayles-
worth ranch, of the great amount of
vegetables produced on the ranch in
1912, as well as the use of convicts in
the erection of prison buildings and
in the construction of many miles of
highways. in several counties.
When r. c. Hugenin. state building
resumed the stand Tuesday
for the completion of his
cross examination. he was asked by
Colonel Nolan, for the defense, a
question as to his opinion of the value
of the Silo ranch. Mr. Hugenin had
testified that the value of the build i
lngs on this ranch aggregated about |
$500. exclusive of a barn valued at |
between $4,000 and $1,000. 1t had /
along with other properties. had of !
fered to sell this ranch of 123 acres /.
at 500 per acre. or S12.30 and coun- |
sci asked Mr.. Hugenin if he did not |
think Conley foolish to offer to sell /
the ranch at such a price To this |
the witness replied:
Thinks Price Too Low
We'll. if / was farming and had |
those buildings | wouldn't offer it at |
hat price"
Attorney General Rankin then caused |
to be entered into the record of the !
proceedings the fact that it had been
by the defense that all the
,rick used in the construction of the
WO Conley warehouses and the build
ngs on the Silo and Lake ranches were
made at the prison brick plant. with
he exception of the clinker brick used
n the exterior finish of the bungalow
It the Lake ranch. 1t was also re-
'orded that he defense conceded that
Ill rough lumber used in the buildings
It the Lake ranch was sawed at the
prison saw mill. and that the price of
'ats in dispute as of the fall of 1920
vas from S1.@ to 50 per hundred
weight.
Miss Gertrude Rathbun assistant to
ne state accountant. was called to tes-
ify as to her examination of the books
or entries of payments by Conley and
1cTague for brick, She said she had
!
f payments by Conley or Conley &
1cTague this being made in 1920 for
payment of S4764S. |,
Witness Driven to Tears
Under a rigid ross-examination
'hich resulted in tits between the wit
css and Colonel Nolan, during the
alter portion of which the witness
,as driven to tears, Miss Rathbun said
he had examined the books as far
ack as 1912. could find no record of
ow many bricks had been manufac-
lred. that she had been unable to find
nything wrong in the account of brick
old to the Deer Lodge Realty company
nd that she had found record of
800 paid for brick by this company.
She said that from stubs of receipt {
ooks she had found that 100000 com
Continued on Page Thirteen.)