The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1888-02-24
The Liquor Case Continued.

There was another big crowd in
Justice Abbey's Office at 10 o'clock last
Friday, when the now celebrated
Orswell and Wills liquor cases were
again taken up. The jury was sworn
in, after the usual interrogatories by
counsel, and was composed Of the gen
tlemen named yesterday with excep-
tion of Geo. A. Clark, for w. III.
Knowles, excused. AS the Justices
office was too small an adjournment was
taken to the city council rooms, where
business began about II o'clock, after
a slight delay to secure the presence Of
Mr.. Orswell. The case opened with
presentation Of the side of the city by
Mr.. Hitchcock who impressed the jury
with the Importance of dismissing all
prejudice from their minds, and pass
ing on the evidence purely on its mer-
its. The fact that the mayor had
employed professional detective to
secure the evidence that he could get
in no other way, was praiseworthy
rather than otherwise. If your place
OF business is robbed, said the attorney,
or your friend murdered you would be
justified in securing the best profess
sional skill to ferret out the guilty par
ties. Here is a violation of the law,
in which the same legitimate means
have been employed.
The first witness called was the de-
tective, whose presence in town for the
past two weeks was made public for
the first time yesterday. He testified
in substance as follows:
My name is ]. s. Connors; I live at
Aberdeen, Dakota; am professional
detective; have known the defendants
since the 4th of February; met them
in their saloon in this city; have been
IN there nearly every day since that
time; was there on the 10Th from 9 to
1915 p. m.; passed in and out during
the evening; saw the defendants there
during that time; Wills was behind
the bar; Orswell had his overcoat on
when saw him, getting ready to
leave; there was drinking of beer and
singing; there were six or seven drink
ing; there were Marks, Tully, DR..
Crane, Scott and Corbin; they were
drinking at the bar; Wills stood be-
hind it.
At this juncture Mr.. Dillon made
the point that the prosecution should
confine itself to one act or offense,
which was ended when the drinks
were paid for.
The court ruled that everything that
occurred that day with reference to
the selling of malt liquors as alleged
in the complaint could be proven.
Witness continued-Scott and Cor
bin drank with me about 9:15; Scott
and drank beer; it was poured from a
bottle by Wills; l know beer; l paid
zoe for the three drinks.
Mr. Hitchcock-Did you see any one
drink again during that evening?
Objected to by Mr.. Dillon on the
same grounds as before, and argued at
some length and with much earnest
ness. He said there must be limit
fixed to tits offense or we can be forced
to come in and here defend our acts
for all time. You might as well charge
these defendants with selling liquor at
8 O'clock, and stealing q horse at mid
night under the same complaint, as to
charge them with dozen different Of
lenses in one evening.
The court again overruled this OBJ
lection and counsel took an exception.
Witness continued: l drank beer
several times; paid five cents q glass;
got it of Wills each time; Crane, Max
well, Moriarty and Trelly drank with
{ me; both defendants were behind the