The Mankato free press., 1923-04-27
.HELL|NG THANK"
FEDERAL LAWY[K
Change Of Quarters Cause
OF the Glad Hand
FOUR YEARS TERM
Once Bank Gas hier Sentenced
To Reformatory Instead
Of LeavenWorth

Clifford Helling, former cashier Of
the American National Bank at Lake
Crystal. Mimi, was sentenced to
serve four years in the st. Cloud
state reformatory by Judge Wilbur
+. Booth in United States district
court this morning, following his
plea of guilty to speculations OF
/ bank funds.
Helling was brought before Judge
Booth yesterday afternoon for sent
ence, having pied guilty to two
counts of an indictment against him
returned by the grand jury. Attor-
neys failed to make clear eXplana
ton OF the conditions under which
Helling mis- appropriated the funds
of the Lake Crystal bank and were
ordered to appear this morning to
clear up the matter, By Judge Booth.
Helling was first sentenced to
serve four years at the federal pri-
son at Fort Leavenworth, but it was
later changed to st. Cloud.
What Heliing Had Done
Attorney Dempsey, counsel for
Helling told the court how Helling
committed the offense charged in the
two counts Of the indictment. In the
first count It charged Helling with
over certification of a check when
not sufficient funds were on deposit
with giving a note for $3.50 to the
bank and marking the note paid on
the bank books detailing total loss
to the bank of this amount
Following the detailing of the Of
| fense by Attorney Dempsey and AS
sistant District Attorney L. w.
Scott, Judge Booth requested that
| the entire, matter be reviewed to
. make 1t clear in his mind.
IL want to distinctly understand
the dealing between the defendant
and the bank. / want to know just
what kind of an offense was commit
| to defraud the bank by his actions
or committed technical error 1t is
very far from clear in my mind just
what transactions were made by this
young man which are alleged to
have been Illegal"
4 Had Covered Shortages
! TeAttorney S. b. Wilson, COUNSEL for
| the American National Bank of Lake
/ Crystal, told the court that Helling
| had from time to time placed items
totaling SIS 900 on the bank books to
cover shortages he had through his
speculations. The speculations of
/ Dduh " <aIlSi hSy
Wilson began about two months after
Helling became employed at the
bank, in May 1920
The specific charges in the two
counts of the indictment against
Helling was the over certifying of a
check for $102.25 when there was
not sufficient funds in deposit in the
bank to cover the amount, and the
giving Of a note to the bank for
$3.50. The bank officials allege
that numerous other speculations
were made by the cashier to cover
shortages already existing.
Thanked U. S. Attorney
When the place OF Imprisonment
had been made from Fort Leaven
worth to st. Cloud. Helling shook
hands and thanked Attorney Scott
That's the first time / ever had
man thank me for sending him to
prison" remarked attorney Scott.
Three men charged with violations
of the Volstead act, changed their
pleas to guilty this morning before
Judge Booth. Fines weres imposed
! in each case Eleven other liquor
cases are to stand for trial during
the term, in the event none of the
defendants chance their pleas.
Joseph Schwiller, proprietor of a
! soft drink parlor a. Nicollet was fin
ed 5000 when he changed his plea Of
not guilty to guilty. He was alleged
to have sold a quantity Of liquor to
| federal agents who also found
quantity of liquor in the establish
ment at the time of raid.
| Walter Menk. bartender for Scho-
wiler at Nicollet. was fined S100, on
charges Of sales to federal agents.
julius Berndt this morning chang
ed his plea to guilty to the indict-
ment char~i- top and illegal
sales of LIQUOR and received a fine
of 5000 Berndt was the first SEN
fenced and was peeved at receiving
the 5000 fine, but was jovial when he
heard of the fines the other defend
eutS received