Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-03-30
Saw Kent Ia a Rascal.

. .Ha.
The Mandan Pioneer, in connection
with the killing of Mrs. Kent at that
place q week or 80 ago and the fight of
the husband of the woman some days
before, says that the man is a thorough
rascal, and details his c%rookedness, as
follows:
A few weeks ago a number of farmers
south of town were in trouble, as they
were threatened with indictments before
the grand jury of the federal court at Bis.
marck, for alleged theft of timber. 1t was
stated that they had taken diamond willow
and cotton wood from the Fort Lincoln
reservation. They consulted Kent. He
told them that they were in awful danger
he pictured to them the yawning gates Of
the United States penitentiary that was
before them; he described the trouble that
their wives and children would be in while
they were serving their time in the peni-
Tertiary, and suggested that it would take
$3.50 to fix matters. He did not claim that
ne wanted that for a fee, but intimated
that there was a United States attorney
and a grand jury to bride; that that was
the way to fix a little matter of this sort.
he prepared a note for $3.50 which twenty
i've OF these settlers were to put their
m to. The first man to sign it weak.
ened and went to another attorney in
whom he had confidence. The result was
that for a moderate and reasonable fee this
second attorney went to Bismarck, ex-
planned to the United States attorney that
the wood If taken, was not such as came
within the law and no indictments were
found.
kent'S antics at the last term of the dis
trict court in Mandan will be remembered.
He advised men who were here as witness
ses IN a felony case to go home; he at
tempted to compromise a charge of felony,
n then came into court and with his u.s.
ual glibness of tongue swore himself out
of a bad muddle. He was experienced in
getting out of tight holes, and he did this
to perfection.
He put his clutches onto the estate of
John Hannah-pushed himself in as at
torney for the administrator, and has sue
ceeded in getting away with a part OF that
estate, and the administrator will have to
put up what is missing. He wormed a
deed for some land in Oliver county, out OF
Col. Day. and painted a big picture Of the
way he wa going to sell Off the timber in
small parcels and make millions. Fort
unately he had to skip just a little too
quick, before he had a chance to put this
deed on record, and the chances are that
the colonel will still remain in peaceable
possession of his land. He made a collec-
ton On a note for Mrs. U. E. Richardson
and put the money into his pocket. He
to get money out of the railroad
company for Mr.. Mccormack, for the land
they needed to build their new track upon.
and it is claimed, sold out his client. de
borrowed money right and left; incurred
debts here and there; received premiums
OF the insurance companies that he was
agent for and never turned in the pre-
miums, and has skipped out with the pro-
ceeds.
The Pioneer also says that Kent's
brother-in-law, Laird, who was in Man
dan shortly after the death of his sister,
is well aware of Kent's r~ascality. He
says Kent was dismissed from a partner
ship with the Laird's some years ago.
for crooked dealings. Kent is supposed
to be in the region of the Rainy Lake
gold fields.