Whiteside

The defendant was convicted on three counts of an information, each of which charged obtaining money by false pretenses. He was the president and manager of the Montebello Oil Company No. 1. Soon after he became acquainted with John R. Crowley and his wife, defendant told them that he had three oil wells at Montebello; that his first well was giving 5,000 barrels a day and that he had two other wells about to come in; that the Union and Standard Oil Companies were piping the first well off for him; that all there was for him to do was to check it up every week or month; that his oil was of the finest grade in all California. On June 10th, the Crowleys sold a lease and furniture of an apartment house, which they owned, to the defendant. On June 20th defendant requested the Crowléys to come to his office. This was on a Sunday. He told them that he appreciated the sale of the lease to him and that he wanted to do something nice for them; that a friend in the east had sent him 3,000 shares of stock in an oil company; that the well had run one week giving 3,000 barrels a day; that he had capped it; that his friend did not know that the oil well was flowing; that, if the Crowleys wanted…