Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1908 — PARKER BANK [ARTICLE]

PARKER BANK

Cases Set For Tuesday, April aB. CHANGE OF VENUE QUITE LIKELY. And Possibility of Trial Before Next Fall I« Remote Ex-Banker Was Here Tuesday. The three indictments against Robert Parker, the Remington banker who failed last December and whose affairs were found in such a bad condition that it is thought the creditors will scarcely realise 10 per cent., were Tuesday set for trial on Tuesday, April 28, of the present term of court. The general opinion, however, seems to be that the cases will not be tried this term. In fact that they will not be tried here at all, but that a change of venue from the county will be asked for next week and they will be sent elsewhere.

In this event there is very little likelihood of their being tried until after the summer vacation of court, as stated by The Democrat last week. No action has as yet been taken toward calling the county council together to appropriate money to hire assistant counsel for the prosecution, as petitioned for by many of the unfortunate victims of the bank. This in Itself would indicate that the prosecution does not expect the cases will be tried now, for the petition is very likely to be favorably acted upon whenever the county council gets an opportunity to take it up. Mr. Parker was here in person Tuesday morning. He came in from the south on the milk train, walked up town from the depot and carried his suit case. He went to the office of his local legal advisors, Foltz & Spitler, and after matters were discussed to some length and it is presumed a plan of defense or delay was agreed upon, he walked back to the depot and took 10:55 a. m. train south, going back to St. Louis, Mo., it is understood, where his wife, son and two daughters are now living. In addition to the legal firm of Foltz ft Spitler of this city, Palmer ft Carr and E. B. Sellers of Monticello have been retained to defend him, and, unless —as some people profess to think will be done at the last moment—a plea of guilty is entered and the defendant throws himself on the mercy of the court, a stiff legal battle is likely to be put up. <