Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-04-12
L0CKHART is AR
RESTED AGAIN

Charged with the crime of grand lar
ceny, L. B. Lockhart, Cascade count,
banker, was arrested on Great Fall
street Thursday AFTERNOON. Deput,
Sheriff G. s. Dennis, who took Lock
hart into custody, accompanied him t.
the county Jail, where he Immediately
gave bonds in the sum of $1,000. Pen
atty for grand larceny is a sentenc.
of not less than one year or more thar
ID years in the state prison.
A direct information was filet
against Lockhart in district court
Thursday by County Attorney F. A
Ewald and bench warrant was is.
sued for his arrest. Lockhart, who
gave his age as 28 at the county Jail
is president of the State Bank of Belt
and vice-president Of the Miners
State Bank of Sand Coulee, both in.
stitutions having closed their doors in
October, 1922.
According to the information filed
against Lockhart, he is charged with
the theft Of $3,357 from the funds OF
the State Bank of Belt. The informa-
tion contains two counts of larceny
against the banker, one as an officer
of the bank and one as bailee.
The information charges that Lock
hart "did, on or about the 29th day of
May, 1922, have in his possession, Gus
tody or control, as bailee, servant,
agent, trustee or officer of the State
Bank of Belt, certain money, property,
evidence of debt, contracts, articles of
value, credits, things in action, of the
value of s3,355.00, then and there the
property of said bank, and did, will
fully, unlawfully, feloniously, deprive
the true owner Of said property"
In the second count, it is cited that
Lockhart, as president of the Belt in
stitution "did, on or about the 29th
day of May, 1922, take, steal, with
hold or appropriate to his own use
certain moneys
L. @. Shelton, state superintendent
of banks, E. M. Klebe, H. G. Lescher,
and H. E. Stewart, deputy bank super
intendents; M. t. Messelt, Mr.. and
Mrs. Ed. Gerber, E. E. Dawson, James
G. Larson and E. Lundell are named
as witnesses for the state. Mr.. Les
cher was named receiver of the bank
at Sand Coulee in November, 1922,
shortly after it closed its doors and
at about the same time he took charge
of the Belt institution as deputy state
superintendent of banks.
Asked as to whether any action
would be taken in connection with
Lockhart's association with the Sand
Coulee bank, Mr.. Ewald said that rec
ords alleged to be missing from that
concern have prevented the finishing
of an investigation there. Mr.. Ewald
stated that on the night before the
state examiners deputies took charge
of the Sand Coulee bank, certain rec
ords are alleged to have been removed
from the vault, and that all efforts on
the part of state officials to locate
them have been without success.
1t is specifically charged in the in
formation against Lockhart that the
defendant wrongfully transferred
$1,000 to his own credit at the Belt
bank. 1t is alleged, Mr.. Ewald said,
that Lockhart raised the value Of the
banks furniture and fixtures in the
amount of 81 300 and later placed that
sum to the credit of his personal ac-
count. No intimation was given by
officials as to the way in which the
balance Of the amount named in the
is alleged 10 have been
talen-
Lsckhart has been in Belt and Sand
Coulee for the last two years. He il
married and has one child Lockhart
.sme to Great Falls about three weelu
lgo and has been maintaining his resi-
hence at the Y. N. C. A. Great Falls
Tribune
A plea Of not guilty was entered
Friday morning IN district court by L.
B. hockhart, Belt banker, when ar
aligned before Judge H. H. Ewing,
.hsrged with the crime Of grand lar-
'eny. Lockhart's trial was set for
April 25. Attorney ID. j. Doyle Of
)Teary & Doyle appeared for Lock
lsrt-
County Attorney r. A. Ewaid said
friday that he was unable 10 state
vhetfor a1di'sorsl charges against
.ockhart would be made. Disappear
nee Of books from the bank at Sand
,ouIee the night before the state su-