The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-04-03
THE HARRIS ROBBERY,
Preliminary Examination of J. C
Hunt.
A NIGHT SESSION.

| A NIGHT SESSION.
| There was large crowd gathered in
the court room yesterday afternoon at 4
o'clock on account of the examination OF
James c. Hunt for burglary. The crowd
was so great that many had to stand on
the outside. The large form of the blow
ing porpoise of the handbill was almost
crushed in the assemblage, but his per
sistency made him way through the
crowd amid the ridicule of those present.
The witnesses were excluded from the
room. Ftsot
About s o'clock, Mr.. Taylor, county at
torney, stated the substance of the COM
plant; saying that he was sorry to pro-
ceed against Hunt, having been a great
friend of his,but if innocent, Hunt should
be glad of an opportunity to prove it; if
guilty he should suffer the penalty.
Pat Sweeney was the first witness, and
testified to having examined the store
about the goth of November in the morn
ing.
Meyer Harris was then put on the
stand and testified that Ben. Harris was
the owner of the store; the robbery took
place on the 9th of November. He
found the grating over window broken
in, catch broken and the window open.
He lost a beaver coat, some socks, silk
handkerchiefs and ties. The coat was
worth $115OO aud the robbery took place
in Cascade county, Montana Territory.
He left the store the evening before about
half past nine. No one but himself and
Levi the clerk had keys to the store.
Reddy Ormond was then sworn amid
intense excitement
| He stated that he was at Great Falls
the 26th of November, 1888; was not do
ing anything; had known James Hunt
year and was always on good terms with
him. He broke into Harris store to get
beaver coat for Mr.. Hunt. He took a
crow bar and went there to get into the
basement, but couldn't do it, and broke
pane of glass in the back window.
Hunt offered him $25 to get Thompson's
coat week before, and he broke into
Thompson's drygoods store to get it, and
it wasn't there, and he came back and
told Hunt SO. One night George Rice,
Jack Carter, Frank Stone and James
Hunt were In Hunts saloon. Hunt Of
fered him and George Rice gas tn get in
to Harris store and get a beaver coat.
He first went there Sunday night, but
some one was there, and some days after
wards he went there again. He got the
coat, two pairs of pants, coat and vest and
that was all. He took the coat to the
house and gave it to Hunt. The lady
Hunt was living with, Miss Hattie, was
present then. Hunt gave him IS at one
time and S. at another. Ormond owed
the saloon $15 and Hunt called if square.
Hunt had given him one dollar before to
buy dark lantern at Bach, Cory & Co.'s.
Hunt told him where the coat could be
found. At the time of the secohd rob-
berry he got through one Of the upper
windows. Both robberies occurred
about 1890 at night; the first one might
have been 2 o'clock a. M. II broke in at
Hunts and my instigation." Hunt want
ed some handkerchiefs, ties, etc. l got
one mink overcoat, three suits Of linen
underolothes, two pairs Of pants, 80 silk
handkerchiefs, two silk shirts, sealskin
cap, six pairs Of socks, two hats, coal
and vest, and took them to Hunts house.
Hunt didn't want the lady living with
him to see them, but took them to the
saloon and left them there. l left here
about the 10th or 18th of March. Con-
versed with Hunt about going away; told
him l would be arrested and asked him
what had better do. He told me l had
better leave town and gave me 81 1.50 and I
left. gave one pair of pants to Carter,
and Hunt gave pair of pants to George
Rice.
The witness was then subjected to a
rigid cross-examination by Mr.. Leslie,
who was assisted by Thomas E. Brady.
In cross examination he said that he did
not say to Joe Herring that he would
make the suit against him cost J. G. Hunt
$500, it was in reference to Tom Hunt.
He did not state to j.. G. Hunt in the
presence of Tom Hunt that he would get
even with him. George Rice was with
him when he went into the store, The
second time he went into the store 1t was
about o'clock in the morning; didn't
thiuk there was any moon. The crowbar
that he took belonged to the Hook and
Ladder company. Hunt told him that
there was an account Of $15 against him.
He didn't look over the books himself.
The account might have heen running
one or two months. He didn't renem-
Der whether the first robbery was before
the Allen fire.
The examination was adjourned until
3 o'clock p. IN.
EVENING SITTING.
AL Devine, restaurant keeper, testi.
fed thas Grmond left a valisc with him
on March 18th. He didn't know wha,
, it contained till Ormond told him that
Hunt must not so to cracking. lie said
he was put up to the job. Charles c
Cochran of the LEADER testified that he