The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-06-06

repeating. time and time again hi
queries regarding the fact that Ii
decker verified the accounts by sim
ilarity," with each time Lidecker re
plying that was the method used.
Lidecker still was on the stand q
the close Of court.
As the afternoon session began
Judge Miller asked Lanier how man.
more witnesses the government ex
pected to call for testimony along tn
lir.es Of that already given.
Lanier answered he expected to hav'
several more.
The court said he did not want K
interfere with the government In try
ing its case, but pointed out that from
five to six witnesses have been ex'
amined on one point and 1T seems *
the court to take too much time X
take cumulative testimony"
Lanier, after q brief conference witt
other members Of his staff, callet
Miss Vera Inman, highway depart
ment telephone operator, declaring
he was placing the witness on thu
stand to show q violation Of q STATE
law.
Girl Pledges Per Cent
Miss Inman testified. on examina.
ton by Lanier, that she was solicited
for pledge to 1.-THE Leader" Shl
said she thought the solicitor Wal
Oscar ]. Chaput. business manager Of
the newspaper and one Of the defend.
ants.
what did he say?" Lanier queried
II don't remember the exact words,
the witness said, but he outlined The
plan. SO I told him I would sign the
checks" She added she gave fou,
post dated checks. each for $l0.50
payable quarterly. She testified hel
salary was 500 q month.
Miss Inman then identified exhibits
of vouchers received by her for hel
salary for April, May and June o.
last year. The government brought
out the checks were drawn on the
state treasury.
L. A. Cook, assistant bookkeeper foy
the state highway department. then
was called to testify.
Cook told OF being solicited foE
The Leader" by Mcdonald. He said
he gave five per cent OF his salary In
the form Of post-dated checks. each
check being for 1920. Two Of the
checks still remain unpaid, Cook said
Mcdonald, he said, explained the pur-
pose Of the solicitations were to OBJ
tain money to organize THE Leader
Cook was asked IL he knew Of any
employees In the highway department
who were paid out Of a state appro-
priation for clerk hire and he re-
piled, II do"
He identified series Of checks "a
having been paid out OF the appro-
priation, and testified his salary came
from the appropriation He named
four girl employees of the department
whose salaries, he said, are also paid
from the fund. Among them was
Miss Inman.
The court was asked to take judi
cial notice Of several state laws re-
garding appropriations Of money for
clerk hire.
Court Points to State Law
The court Mondays pointed to q
state law making it q misdemeanor
for state officers to receive and ap-
ps opriate for their own benefit any
part of allowances made for clerk
hire. The court permitted testimony
BY state employees who said they had
contributed toward The Leader" de-
claring it lis pertinent to the intent
Of the defendants. II there is q con-
spiracy."
Under cross-examination by J. M.
Hanley, Cook testified he had signed
four checks for 1920 each. paid
almost" two Of them, that his SAL
airy was sos.
Each month you drew your salary
and afterwards you paid on the sub
scriptions?" Hanley asked.