Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-05-17
TREASURY AID SPENDS
THIRD DAY ON THE
WITNESS STAND
RECORDS PRODUCED
MORE OF STATE FINANCE METH.
obs ARE READ JURY AT THIS
MORNINGS TRIAL OF GOV.
ERNoR FOR CONSPIRACY TO
DEFRAUD.

Waukcgan. H., May IL Harry G..
Luehrs. assistant state treasurer. con.
sidered one of the prosecutions star
witnesses In the trial of Governor
Small, spent his third day on the wit.
ness stand today More records of the
state treasurers office were intro.
duced and Identified by Imchrs. Whpl
the state questioned hom on redirect
examination and the defense, on cross
examination, sought to strengthen by
llehrs' testimony its claim that the
Grant PARK bank was not a fiction and
a fraud, as charged by the state
Little evidence of a startling char.
acter was developed in the morniny
session, which was occupied by TIE
taking of testimony concerning treas.
ury records and drafts upon which
the state bases its charges that Coy.
ernOr Small CunSpired with Ideutpn.
ant Governor Sterling, Vernon Curtis
and the late Senator Curtis to defraud
the state.
Defense Scores Point,
Over the objections of Mr.. Wilker.
son. the defense brought out that
drafts with Grant Park bank endorse.
monts went thru clearing house chan.
ne!s The same as other banking paper.
State treasurer, Edward f. Miller
was in the court room again here to-,
day, he sat of the railing a short dis.
tance from the prosecution table. AL
e. Ballinger director of finance. inI
overnor Smalls cabinet sat nearby
About twenty spectators in addition
TO persons directly or indirectly inter.
ested in the case, attended the morn.
ing session
Luehrs said he was unable to dis.
tinguish from ent,ies in the draft reg ,
listers Of the treasurer's office which /
drafts were drawn in connection with |.
state business and which were not |
The witness also said he was unable !
from memory to tell what Illinois /,
banks held state deposits from the
vault fund during the term of Lieut. !
Gov Fred +. Sterling, as state treas.
urer Mr.. LeForgee then questioned
the witness about private banks in
which state deposits were made Tho !
banks included the Ashkum bank. a
private institution up until shortly |
before private banks were abolished |
by state law in 1921.
The rOss-eXaminatiOn Of the witt
ness was continued by Charles G. Le-
Forgee chief counsel for the COVER |
nor
Attorney LeFOrgee began by Ques-
tioning Luehrs about securities in the !
treasurers office During the cross
examination LuehrS testified that the
beginning of Smalls term as state
treasury in 1917. vault space was very |
limited and there was not sufficient |
room for all the collateral and securi- |
ties of the office The vault space
was enlarged during Smalls regime,
Mr.. Luehrs said
James n. WilkersOn. assistant at
torney general repeatedly objected to
LeForgee's line of questioning.
Other banks specifically mentioned |
bv Mr.. LeForgee in his cross-eXamina-
ton included institutions at Anchor,
Arrowsmith, Annawan. Bardolph,
Greenvallev. Law Point, GOOdtield,
Savbrook. Walnut Hill, Winchester,
Highland Park and Bluffs.
''Did YOU ever hear of TINS BANK, |
asked Mr.. LeForgee as he mentioned
one at a time the names Of long list
of Illinois banks.
- vno - private bank, wasn't it, |
ne continued.
To each repeated question Mr..
Luehrs usually replied with the an
swer: 81 think it was up to certain
date" =
The certain date" it was brought |
cut was some time prior to January, !
1921. when the anti-private bank law
became effective. Mr.. Leforgee then
questioned the witness to what extent
the organization of the private banks |
was investigated before deposits were
made but the question was stricken
ont upon the objection of Mr. Wilker-
son who contended the witness was
not in a position to know.
"As assistant treasurer. YOU knew
of the Grant Park bank, didn't you,
Mr. LeForgee asked
Yes" Luehrs replied.
"You know YOU We're drawing drafts !
that were sent to it for the purpose