The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-12
GRANT PARK
BANK REAL,
He INSISTS
Tells Jury It Must Consid-
er High Position of
Governor.

Waukegan, H.. May 12.-CBy the
Associated Press.) - Emphasizing
his carefully prepared statement
with vigorous gestures. Charles C.
LeForgee, chief counsel for Cover
nor Small, hammered the opening
declaration of the defense homs 10
the jury in the conspiracy trial to-
day.
High spots in Mr.. LeForgee's
statement follow:
Emphasis that the first line of
the governors defense is to be
made behind the strictest interpre-
tation of law.
That the jury has a right to con
slider the high position occupied by
Governor Small.
That the Grant Park bank" al
legged fictitious institution, through
which Governor Small, Lieutenant
Governor Sterling, Vernon Curtis
and the late Senator f. G. Curtis
are accused of operating a con
spiracy to defraud the state, was
not the phantom pictured by the
prosecution, but bona fide and
functioning institution until the
state bank law of 1920 put an end
TO all private banks.
Paid Most Interest.
That the Grant Park bank" un-
der the late Senator Curtis, paid to
the state more than 2 per cent in
terest, whereas other banks, num-
bering into the hundreds, never
paid more than 2 per cent interest
That securities given by the
/ Grant Park bank" were as good
or better than those of other banks.
That there was no break caused
by an alleged conspiracy of the un-
broken chain in the system of Op-
Grafton in the treasurer Office for
20 years past.
Mr.. LeForgee was still building
the foundation for the defense ar
gument when court recessed at
noon.
During the recess Mr.. LeForgee
conferred with Patrick ]. Lucey,
and Frank Quinn, attorneys for
Lieutenant-G Sterling, who
/ have been close observers of the
governors trial the past two days
Continuing his statement At
: torney LeForgee declared that if
Len Small is guilty, as charged in
| the indictment he only stands
! where every state treasurer before
| him has stood for 20 years.
| Grows Dramatic
! Referring to the payment of
| Grant Park Bank" certificates for
pack--~-les, Mr.. LeForgee asked:
How in the name of God can
certificate be bogus and false, and
yet be paid in fuIl?"
AS a pure legal proposition even
the charge of collecting interest on
packers notes will not stand the
test of the defense's application of
law, Mr.. LeForgee continued, be-
cause the interest money never
was a part of the state treasury
funds If any money was obtained
by false pretense, it was obtained
from the packers and not the state,
he asserted.
When Treasurer Miller assumed
office in 1921, he accepted the pack
ers' notes as deposits in the
Grant Park Bank" Mr.. LeForgae
said, thus recognizing the institu-
ton as a bona fide banking concern.
When States Attorney c. F.
Mortimer of Sangamon county.
making the opening statement for
the prosecution yesterday. outlined
in detail the charges against the
governor and the alleged conspir-
acy by which Governor Small, Lieu
ttenant-Governor Fred E. Sterling
Vernon Curtis and the late Senator
Edward c. Curtis are accused OF
having manipulated state funds for
their private gain, Mr.. La Force
indicated that he would attempt
once more to obtain Immediately
from Judge Edwards a ruling on
the points of law to be touched
along the course of the trial
Mr. lie Forgee's tactics were
Continued on Page Two.)