The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-08-17
HERMAN-MEE
How q Bad Spleen has given a Weeks
Work 20 line VI. y. Commissioner
and several Lawyers.

The Herman-Mee case is still dragging
its slow length along in the U. s. Commits
sioner's court, and the end is not near. The
examination commenced last Friday, and
this "wednesday afternoon the first Of three
cases has not been disposed of. AS explain
ed in last weeks RIVER Press, Herman
Gunther was arrested for disposing Of gov
eminent property without authority, and
Isaac and Richard Nee for purchasing the
same, the information in the premises having
been filed by Jacob Herman, q former part
ner Of Mr.. Isaac Nee. The case against
Gunther was first taken up, and at this writ
ing has not been concluded.
Mr.. Herman is the principal witness for
the prosecution. He was called to the stand
on Friday, and the lawyers succeeded in
making life miserable for him until Tuesday.
The direct examination was concluded the
first day, but it rarely falls to the fate Of q
witness to get such a s'hauling over the
Goals Of cross-examiration as did Mr.. Her
man. He was taken in hand by Judge Tat
tan, and by ar adroit series of questions and
c~ross-questions was made to give all sorts Of
color to his testimony, and when the Judge
got through with him almost any proposition
could be proven by the volume Of testimony
written down word for word. In his direct
examination Herman told a plain, straight
forward story about Gunther selling grain,
timber and iron to the Mees and receiving
money for the same, with much more in cor
roboration of the principal narrative. In
his cross-examination his evidence was badly
shattered, however, and the force of the
same broken. Apart from the story of Her
man the prosecution had little to offer in
confederation.
Lieut.. Henry and Sergt. Nagle testified as
to the character of Gunther, and gave him
the highest praise possible. The former
said he had always found Gunther faithful
in the performance Of his duties, and that
bis work in the Quartermaster's office was
considered by the officers efficient and hon
est. Sergt. Nagle testified to the same effect.
Other witnesses were called by both the
defense and prosecution, but the RIVER
PRESS has not space 10 give even q resume Of
their evidence. If the testimony taken down
were printed it would fill all the columns of
this paper and many more.
Max Waterman represents the United
States, and the defense is maintained by
Messrs. Tattan, Donnelly and Settle. There
has been a good deal Of ''sparring" on the
part of the attorneys. Every inch of the
ground is contested bitterly, SO that toe ex-
animation has developed into a rather tedious
affair.
1t is impossible as yet to tell what will be
the issue, but the common opinion On the
| streets is that the whole affair is founded on
| spite work and that the defendants should be
discharged.
LATER.-The Gunther case was concluded
Wednesday evening and that defendant
held in the sum of So, 600. He promptly
gave the necessary bond. The Nee brothers,
seeing that it was needless to go on with the
examination in their cases, waived further
p1OCCCuluRS anu WC4E UOunu ORCA IL tAV 6uHI
Of So, 500 each and gave bail to that amount
this morning.
To-day Herman, the prosecuting witness,
was arrested for perjury, in swearing falsely
IN the present case, and the trial will
come off before Squire Kanouse this after
noon. The legal combat thickens!
We are the duly nuthO lied Agents
FOR IN New Series OF school Books
"a fNAl supply EaO w ON hand
MURPHY NEEL IL CO.
The Ministries.