The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-29
BL0DGETT'S METHODS
Mary Byers Tells How he Signed Away
Her Property.
LAWYER BROOKS SARCASM
He Says Blodgett Represented Him
self as a First-Ciass Law
yer. Thereby Deceiying
the Plaintiff.

BUTTE, March 2s.-The case of Mary
Byers against o. j. Blodgett and John Z.
Lloyd was called and the trial began IN
Judge Speer's court before jury COM
posed of Frank Bateman, L. G. Reese. f.
). Paxson, p. III. Prior, Samuel Mulville,
j. ii. Rankin, Patrick Collins, Levi Prem
It's, j. ). Powell, o. n. Perry, A. NJ. Day
and William Fl. Clark.
Henry Kipp testified that no was pres
ent in Blodgett's house on December "a,
1894, when Blodgett gave him a bond TO be
signed for Louis Byers and told him to get
it signed. he went out and tried to get
somebody to sign the bond but could no;
get bondsmen so he returned and gave
the bond TO Blodgett. Mrs. Byers testi-
fled that her husband was arrested De-
cember 10 and in Jail December 81 when
she went TO Blodgctt's house. Blodgett
told her to sign paper for
a bond. The paper had a check pinned
to tho top of il for $500 which she signed
as BlodGett told her it was required for
security for the bond. She made her
mark as she cannot write. Blodgett was
to defend her husband at his trial in Deer
Lodge, but failed to be there and j. II.
Duffy defended him and Blodgett did not
do anything or render any service for him
nor has she or her husband received any
benefit whatever from what she has given
Blodgett. The witness could not under
stand English very well and it was diff
cult to make her understand. At one
time she said Blodgett told her the paper
she signed was chattel mortgage. Il
thought 1t was n bail bond. / was in great
trouble, AMI have six children, one of
them was sick at the time and has since
died and was worried"
The cross-examnation by Blodgett did
not bring out much that was definite as
the witness did not seem to understand
the difference between a note, receipt or
a mortgage. She admitted signing the
note and mortgage but kept on calling
it was a bail bond / was signing" she
said.
John E. Lloyd testified that he paid
Blodgett $500 for the mortgage and know
nothing of any charge of fraud.
Nj. Cavanaugh, one of the attorneys for
the plaintiffs testified that on January "a
he saw Lloyd and asked him if BIodgett
had endorsed the mortgage TO him, and
Lloyd said yes. Cavanaugh asked him if
he knew the mortgage had been obtained
10y fraud. Lloyd said no, he did not, that
he had paid Blodgett no money, but that
Blodgett owed him 500 and had can
celled that debt and endorsed Blodgett's
note at the State Savings bank for S400.
At the close of the plaintiffs case the de-
Tense moved for non suit which, after ar
gument, was overruled.
For the defense, L. NJ. Hodgens. cashier
of the States Savings bank, testified
Blodgett came to the bank on Jan. 8, 1895,
TO borrow money on note and mortgage
which was refused. He came back with
Lloyd, who signed the note with Blodgett
for 800 for four months. The note is
not yet due.
B.odgett testified that he drew two
mortgages, one real estate and one chattel
and told Mrs. Byers what they were be-
E,-.. oh. s~f.w aha...
they were. II was employed TO defend
Louis Byers at his trial IN Deer Lodge for
which ] was to receive $500 and expenses
lie testified, IL know nothing of any check
and never had or saw any check"
On cross-eXamination Mr. Brooks asked
B!odgett how he came to get into tho
Byers case. Mr.. Lippincott, the defend
ants attorney, objected.
witness went to Byers at Deer Lodge and
nal lawyer and so deceived Byers.
Blodgett rose and said. "If II was any,
where else | would not submit to the inn
putation."
The court said he could not see that the
witness was wronged in any way by the
question and ordered counsel to proceed
Brooks subjected the witness to a severe
cross-examination as TO where his office
Is and if he paid rent for il. etc, which
was admitted under repeated objections
of Lippincott. The witness said he was
not coed for a dollar.
The trial was not concluded when court
adjourned for to-day.