The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-15
BILLINGS.
The Court Occupied All Week With Grim
inal Cases.

The Court Occupied All Week With Grim
inal Cases.
BILLINGS. May IA Special district
court has been bnsily engaged in the trial
of criminal cases this week and the town is
full of farmers and others Interested in the
court rs jurors or witnesses. Two OF the
most importent cases came from the lively
little town of Saltwater, and there is q
large influx of visitors from there. The
most serious case from that town is the
charge of murder in the first degree against
Charles Countryman, who, on Feb. IL,
killed his cousin, Henry Countrymen. TIL
family of deceased have retained Hon.
Robert b. Smith, of Helena, and Hon. G.
r. Middleton, of Miles City, to assist
County Attorney Goss in the prosecution,
and the case against the defendant has
been vigorously pushed. Senator Goddard
fought this brilliant array of legal tai
emit single handed. and made a strong
fight for his client. Tn defendant and
deceased had had some business differences
previous to the day of the fatal occurrence
were separated by the village constable,
deceased being the aggression. No blows
had been struck. Deceased then went and
procured a revolver and returned
to the saloon where deceased had been
drinking, and WAS somewhat intoxicated.
WueU henry saw CuhEiea come IN he
started towards him to resume the quarrel,
when the latter drew his revolver and fred
three shots in quick succession at close
quarters. None of them proved fatal and
Henry staggered away about fifteen feet,
and was fetreatlng when defendant took
deliberate aim and sent a bullet through
his Cousins heart, killing him INSTANTLY.
The prisoner was found guilty of murder
in the second degree.
Richard Howard was tried on Monday
on the charge of assault with intent to com
NIT great bodily injury. Several months
ago James Cook and the defendant got
into a scrap at saltwater and the defendant
fired a shot at Cook, the bullet going
through Cooks o~veralls ind grazing his
skin. Mr.. Goss, COUNT attorney for the
state, and Judge Campbell for the defense.
After e hard fight the jury returned q YER
dict of not guilty, evidently accepting the
theory of the defense that the act was COM
mitted in self defense.
Great interest was taken in the case of
the state vs.. Armour, which was tried on
Wednesday. Armour IS the Wyoming
horse thief who has been held in jail 80
long awaiting the arrival of Witnesses, and
whose recent attempt to break Jail was 40
brhgely thwarted by the sheriff. wife and
daughter. County Attorney Goss and SEN
ator Goddard appeared for the state, and
II. i. Clemen and q. A. zane for the de-
Tense. 1t was proved to the satisfaction of
the jury that Armour. undar the alias of
Mccoy, shipped a carload of horses be-
longing to Fred Hesse, of Wyoming, to
Dakota, and there sold them, The verdict
of the jury was guilty, and they fixed the
penalty at ten years in the penltentlary and
$500 fine. Great satisfaction ia expressed
by the stockmen at the action of the Jury
and the court officials.
Mr.. and Mrs. Paul Bretecher are in from
the cnttle ranch IN Wyoming.
Mrs. Matheson ID visiting friends il
Bozeman.
Mrs. w. B. Chrysler has returned from
visit to relatives IN the east.
DIR. and MIS-. Chapplo left this week fo
Old Point Comfort, Va, where the docto
will attend the annual meeting of tn
National Association of Railway Engineers
After that the doctor will take post pradu
ate course in New York. DIR. Mcdowell, a
honor graduate of Trinity college, Toronto
will attend to DIR. Chapple's practice in hi
absence.
Fred II. Lee, formerly our county clerk
who has been for several years in bushes
i'll Michigan, has returned and may locat
in Billings.