Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-10-18
SEVERAL LOCAL PARTIES
CALLED AS WITNESSES.
Sensational Developments Expected
During Trial; Bill Hass and Charley
Ross SubpOenaed by Wire.

VIM. Haas and Chas. Ross, farmers
of the Outlook country, were sub
poenaed by telegraph to appear as
witnesses in the Sheridan county
robbery case which started Tuesday
of this week at Great Falls.
These two farmers had money on
deposit with County Treasurer Eng
Torstenson "for safe keeping" when
the treasury was looted. Their tesii-
mony, it is expected, will throw some
light on Incidents previous to the rob
berry and also on the manner in which
Treasurer Torstenson guarded county
funds.
Hass to the Rescue
In the good old days." when Hass
was the principal financial backer of
the Producers News, it also fell to
his lot to make up shortages in county
funds about the time the state e.
aminer would arrive. On more than
one occasion, it is said, Mr.. Hess rs-
pleted the treasury so that the trea s.
urer's cash on hand would balance
with his books.
Just why these shortages should ex-
lst makes up quite an interesting
story which Mr.. Hass expects to tell
the court at Great Falls.
The Gangs Bank
On more than one occasion. the
Herald is informed, the county treas
ury was merely loan office where
Taylor and members of his gang
would deposit rubber" checks ard
get cash for travelling expenses. Ed
Weiss, former Plentywood merchant,
| says the treasury was also a conven-
ience to the now defunct Pyradiun
| concern which was going to maze
millionaires out of many of Taylor's
trusted lieutenants.
Charley Ross Mystery
Everyone has heard the old ques-
tion: "Who is Charley Ross ?" Now
it develops that genuine Charley
| Ross is a much respected farmer OF
Sheridan county; that he placed
much trust (about $1,000 worth) in
the Taylor Salisbury Torstenson gang,
and--as could only be expected-he
lost. The Sheridan county looters got
| it.
| Mr.. Ross left for Great Falls
Wednesday. He has some very inter-
esting things to tell the court, it is
said.
Others More Fortunate
| Then, the bonding company main
| tains, there were other farmers WHO
trusted like Mr.. Ross did and VIII,
for some reason or other, just a f
days before the robbery, withdre
| their deposits with the county trea
urer.
How much of this will be ADMITTED
in court will be decided by the Fedel-
al Judge. However, the bonding
company must believe it has sufficiert
| grounds for contesting payment or it
would have paid some time ago, and
will, no doubt, endeavor to throw a.
much light upon the mysterious rob
berry as possible.
If the Sheridan county officers are
| entirely innocent they should be Civ
en- clean bill of health in the trial
of the case. But, only a complete
| airing of the manner in which the
| officers conducted themselves in the
handling of the county funds and dur
ing the looting can give it to them.
just why the county treasurer's
| office should have been kept open long
after the regular hours on the day Of
the robbery; why no means were TAX
en- to guard such a huge sum Of
money belonging to the taxpayers;
why the treasurer happened to be
all alone when the robbers entered;
why no effort was made to obtain
finger prints of the robbers; why the
sheriff was holding whispering con-
versations previous to the robbery.
and a dozen other why's may b. Civ
en- an airing at the trial in Great
Falls.
Sheridan taxpayers will follds, all
testimony in the case with much in
terest, and especially will they be in
terested in the testimony of the farm