The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-04-30
Explanations Wanted.

Explanations Wanted.
q We wish again to call attention to
matter that hassheretofore gone without
explanation. It is. in reference to the
man arrested by Vim. Jones for setting
fire to the prairie.
The facts in the case are briefly these.
Last fall man was found near Scoria
who had built fire and allowed it to
spread. When spoken to on the subject,
he returned an insulting answer and
refused to put out the fire. Jones was
then askei to arrest the man and put out
the fire which he did. The man was
kept here few days and Jones then took
him to Mandan, for trial. Just as they
were getting on the train, the man
unsuccessfnlly tried to bribe Jones to
hberate him, showing that he had
money. Arrived in Mandan, the man
was tried, his guilt clearly proven and
he was bound over to the circuit court
and as he could not furnish the $500 bail
he was put in Jail. His crime, by the
way, was punishable with a fine of $500
or six months in jaiEtso ii Wilf lie seen
that the bail was certainly small enough.
6 In the jail, the prisoner was put at all
sorts of jobs and as near as we can make
out, became tired Of his surroundings
and walked away one day.
There has been much comment on
this case and no one as yet has been able
to learn any particulars as to the mans
release. Of course, all put the worst
construction on the case and state with
good show of truth that the man put
up all the money he had to parties in
the ring and he was turned loose, We
have no means Of knowing whether this
is so or not and we write this article
with the intention Of finding some sort
of an explanation. '@a5
Somehow and by some legal officer q
crime was committed in allowing the
criminal to escape. At some time also,
Billings county will be called on to pay
large bill In this farce. We propose to
know before that bill is paid whether it
is a just one or not. If not, it will as
surely not be paid as that the Cow Boy
is published In Medora. -
The history of county government in
Dakota is blackened all over with crimes
committed by legalized robbers in the
garb of county officers and as far as
Billings county is concerned we propose
it shall stop before it has fairly begun.
This remark may not apply to the case
in hand, but it looks nightly like it.
Under no circumstances except the
death or insanity of the criminal could
he have been liberated legally. He must
have stood trial at the circuit court,
which has not yet set. Eelt .t
To stop all further comment on this
question we would like to have an
answer from the officers interested and
will cheerfully make room for their
communications. "D3
Amarked copy of the Cow Boy will be
sent to the justice who tried the case, to
representing attorney and to the jailer.
From these men we shall expect answers,
to be published in our next issue.
We do not take this stand on this one
case SO much on account of itself, but on
account of the principle involved. 1t
has been altogether too customary for
county officers to learn "what there was
in i" receive their divyy and keep mum.
Especially is this the case when one
county is joined to another for judicial
purposes as Billings is to Morton. All
the officers Of the older counties cared
for was to run up as much costs as pos.
sible on the unorganized counties, get
their share Of the p1under and then like
a squeezed lemon, throw the rind away.
We have had enough Of this outside
interference in our affairs and want to
give notice that Billings co1nty's affairs
shall not be tampered with by any blood.
suckers, legalized or not. A perfectly
honest administration Of our affairs by
Morton county must and shall be had
Any other outside interference Is liable
70 leave the meddler with badly burned
fingers. n I. 3iss2s 3f}:
When Ne have received an answer al
to how and by whose authority thl.
criminal was released, we will have /
few other questions to ask relative I,
other matters. 4;