The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-16
A. B. HAMMOND FINED
It Cost Him a Cool Hundred Pluhks
for Neglect Of Duty.
'cINCHED BY THE COURT
He Was Summoned to Do Duty as
q Juror But Didn't Re-
spond-Quite an Inter-
s esting Event.

Missoula, May 15.-Coi. II. G. Mar.
shall has in his possession this evening
4 slip OF paper which he probably
treasures as souvenir. 1t reads as
follows:
Missoula. May Is. 1s95.-Received OF
A. b. Hammond 800 in payment OF
contempt OF court. f. w. Mcconnell,
Clerk OF the Court, by c. III. Hall. Dep
uty.
Across the front in red ink is written,
Paid under protest, the court refusing
to fix bail. +, w. Mcconnell. Clerk of
the Court. by G. II. Hall, Deputy"
IT Is an interesting piece OF paper.
and few who have seen 1t have studied
IL carefully. There is a story connect
cd with IL that covers a period OF six
months. and the final chapted of which
conveys the lesson that courts must be
respected. When the court of the
Fourth judicial district convened for
the November term. with Judge Woody
on the bench, the name of A. B. Ham,
mond appeared on the venire which
was issued for trial Jurors. The jurors
were to report on Nov. z, and when
they appeared Mr.. Hammond was not
there. His attorney appeared with a
physicians certificate stating that Mr..
Hammond was Ill and unable to be
present
The court had learned that Mr.. Ham
mond had left for the coast in COM
pany with the Northern Pacific re-
ceivers, and did not consider the ex-
cuse sufficient, and issued bench war
rant for Mr.. Hammond. to be served
on him as soon as possible. This was
six months ago. and Mr.. Hammonds
business has kept him on the coast or
in the East ever since. Once or twice
he has passed ~through Missolua. but
the officers knew nothing of IL, and
not until to-day, when he returned
from San Francisco, has there been an
opportunity to serve the warrant.
That Mr.. Hammond would arrive on
% No. / to-day was known, and IL was
expected that the warrant would be
served at the depot, but Mr.. Hammond
left the train at Bonner and drove to
this city. reaching here about o'clock.
The court had not adjourned, and Mr..
Hammond, with his attorney, Colonel
Marshall, at once went to the court
house and appeared before Judge
Woody. The judge said to Mr.. Ham
mond
You have not only been guilty of
contempt of this court in not appear
ing when summoned as a Juror, but
you have aggravated the offense. 1
am told that you stated that you were
not on good terms with this court, and
did not believe that you would be ex-
cused from jury duty. l wish to state
that have never refused to excuse a
man from jury duty IL he has come to
me and told me that sickness or bust
ness rendered IL impossible for him to
attend to such duty"
Colonel Marshall at this point said:
II know that, your honor. and that is
why 1 thought that a physicians GER
tificate of illness would be sufficient ex-
cuse for Mr.. Hammonds absence"
The court replied that he had learned
that Mr. Hammond was not so i'll but
that he could give a dinner to the re-
-ceivers' party on that evening and go
West with them the next morning.
He then imposed a fine of 800 upon
Mr.. Hammond for contempt OF court.
Colonel Marshall stated that they
would resist payment of the fine and
asked the court to fix bail. Contempt
of court is not a bailable offense, and
Judge Woody would not fix any pail,
but ordered the clerk to draw up a
commitment and sent the bailiff for
the sheriff. adding: 4r
You must either pay the fine or
go to JAIL" W
Colonel Marshall said Your hon.
or need not send for the sheriff. We
will pay the fine"
Mr.. Hammond gave a check for 500.
laughing audibly. and that is how the
receipt came to be made out.