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THE WASTEBASKET The former cashier of the Bank of Brookline has been acquitted of deposits he the bank in failing condition. This is the nical charge on which bank officers of bankrupt financial institutions prosecuted and generally there an acquittal. There seems to jury law that banker is be punished If that he has accepted deposits when the bank Bankers victed under that statute but crime has been linked with some other illegal act the state showing forgery embezzlement and other things It no easy matter to prove that banker actually knew the bank was going to fail. He has hope and belief to the contrary to the last minute in many cases Greene county has never convicted anyone for violation of that statute. although several bankers have been prosecuted under its visions The first cases of the kind were against the officials of the old Bank of Commerce on Commercial street The bank suspended payment the officers placing all their property in the names of others the night before the suspension and the president cashier and others were arrested The state finally dropped all cases except those against the cashier. There were several trials and he was at last convicted in Joplin but the supreme court reversed the case and it was dismissed. In the Holland bank cases there were no convictions under the statute Three Springfield bankers have been convicted in the federal court here One had to serve term and two are awaiting decision on appeal from the higher court. They were not convicted. however for receiving deposits when the bank was in failing condition. One banker pleaded guilty in the state court and this is the history of banking cases here. Unless It shown that there has been something else done than merely accepting deposits which should not have been accepted, juries show little inclination to convict There has been some talk of pealing this law but the best opinion is that it should be allowed to stand It does cause reckless bankers to be more careful and is good technical charge which gives authority to bank examiners but as far as the prosecuting attorney is concerned not strong law for him to Too often the whole thing turns out to be merely question of busiThe banker is hoping to make meet If the borrowers would only pay. He has reason to be- the borrower will pay and the borrower Intends to do so but finds The banker may not have borrowed cent However bankers have borrowed all the of the bank themselves and in that case juries more inclined to convict as looks like looting William Alfred Kellond general manager of freight and baggage for the Katy who died this week in Parsons will always be recalled in Springfield as cheerful. considerate man who was never out of sorts. impatient or impolite He had trying job here with the Frisco when A. J Davidson was general superintendent A St Louis newspaper says that "he was nationally recognized as an authority on the handling of freight and baggage and was a leader in obtaining for the railroads refunds from the gov ernment for wartime service Dr. Ruelkeotter when professor of Drury college. had some pecultar characteristics The Ozark NewsLeader in speaking of former student of Drury says "He attended the old Springfield Normal and had classes under the late Dr. Ruelkeotter of Drury college. He still remembered the following words repeated at the beginning of every class period by the professor: Constant dropping of water will wear hole in the hardest stone Dr. Ruelkeotter became obsessed with the idea that the water of Springfield was impure and dangerous to use He caused great commotion but he was not backed up by scientistists who examined the water to the fullest extent The apricot trees are in bloom There are quite a number of such trees in the city and they are early bloomers. They are nearly always caught by frost or a freeze and are not as good bet as peach tree. They are also subject to the bug and worm peril and must be looked after with great care even If they escape the freeze I suggest that President Hoover appoint another of his commissions to interpret what the Wickersham commission has said Governor Harry Woodring of Kansas