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THAT MERCHANTS BANK CASE Some Interesting Facts Shown Up by the Matter in the Courts. BONDSMEN TRY TO SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY No Particular Attempt Made by State Authorities to Secure Payment of Money Lost by Commonwealth in the Crash. LINCOLN, May 13.-(Special.)-In the recent trial of the case of the State against the bondsmen who guaranteed the deposit in the Merchant's bank, judgment was rendered against R. S. Young, C. L. Chipman, William Ryons and David Fitzgerald for $9,903.36. J. L. Ryons, J. C. Fullerton, William Fullerton, J. H. Sheen and E. A. Stephens, whose names also appeared on the bond, were released from liability. Although it was well known that Joseph L. Ryons and William Fullerton were the only ones of the lot financially responsible for any amount it does not appear that the attorneys for the state made any special effort to get a judgment against them. At the time Joe Bartley turned his office as state treasurer over to J. B. Meserve the Merchant's bank of Lincoln had on deposit state funds amounting to $6,418.24, which, together with $32 interest, was checked out at that time. On the 27th of February, 1897, the bank presented a new bond, which was promptly accepted and on that same day Meserve made a deposit of $8,950.24. The balance was $9,404.61 on the 31st of March, $8,845.20 on the 30th of April and $8,731.85 on June 1, when the bank closed its doors. When the smash came it was at once apparent that the state was not well secured in its claim against the defunct institution, most of the bondsmen being also officers of the bank. There were also rumors that some of the bondsmen would deny their signatures. This state of affairs induced the attaches of the state treasurer's office to give out the statement that the state deposit in the bank was smaller than the one carried when Bartley was in office. An examination of the records, however, exploded this story. The balance sheet showed that Meserve had increased the deposit to a considerable extent. This favor had been extended because the Fullertons and Crawfords had been especially active in securing signatures on Meserve's own official bond a few months previous. No Money Fortheoming. Twenty-five days after the bank closed its doors the state treasurer made a demand for the money, but of course did not get it. The fusion bank examiner was then in charge and it will be remembered that this official pocketed nearly all the available cash in the bank in payment of his services, which consisted in keeping the doors locked for three or four weeks until a receiver could be appointed. Along about this time the Fullertons commenced to talk. They intimated that the signature of William Fullerton had really been placed on the bond by his son John W. Fullerton and that there were other irregularities. At one time they made the threat that if the state did not release them from liability they would withdraw some names from Meserve's bond and would make disclosures that would compel the state treasurer to rustle for a new lot of sureties. With 60 many political and financial complications surrounding the case it was no surprise that every possible excuse was allowed to delay the suit against the bondsmen, while their available property, if they ever had any, disappeared from view. In the trial the bondsmen present a variety of defenses. William Fullerton, president of