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SALESMAN CHARGE Bankers Invoke Old Minnesota Law Against Minneapolitan Alleged to have uttered false and malicious statements against the Olmsted County State bank of Ro. chester, Minn., causing run on the bank resulting in closing last week, Bert Kelso, 40 years old, Minneapolis traveling salesman, today was under arrest Rochester charged iwth criminal libel against bank, the first case of its kind in history of Minnesota courts. Kelso was arrested his home, Nicollet avenue by Irie Mallette, operative of the state bureau of criminal apprehension, on warrant by the county attorney Rochester. He was. lodged the Hennepin county and turned over Rochester authorities Sunday be taken to the southern Minnesota city for arraignment day. First Action Under Law Although the Minnesota banking laws for years have included provision for arrest and punishment persons uttering falsehoods about the condition banks in state, this is the first time the has been invoked, Mel. vin Passolt, chief of the bureau criminal apprehension. Filing the unprecedented charge Kelso's arrest said to resulted from the campaign of Minnesota State Bankers' association halt "whispering campaigns against banks of the Several weeks ago association officials they intended to trace all false and malicious rumors garding banks and prosecute persons in spreading the rumors. Details Unavailable Kelso, married and reprein south. was said to been Rochester shortly before the run on the Olmsted County State bank that resulted its said. No available garding his alleged activities in the case. Bank Had $725,000 The warrant for Kelso's arrest sworn out last Thursday Lamprecht, of the bank, days before the bank orderclosed by its board of The last Wednesday and Thursday, officials The warrant gave details of the charges, simply stating Kelso alleged to "maliciously and falsely started rumors" tending diselose that the bank was carious position. bank had deposits of $725,000, directors
