The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-22
FOR FIRING A HOUSE
"The Irish Lord" Is Accused Of Ar
son in the Second Degree.
HIS CASE IS WITH THE JURY
c. p. Burns. the Owner of the
House. Testifies and Is Corro-
borated by a Number OF Wit
nesses for the State.

Missoula, Nov. 21.-The morning ses-
sion of the district court was mainly
occupied by the reading of the probate
minutes taken by the clerk of the
court during vacation. The minutes
were read in open court and Monday.
Nov. rs, was set as the date for approx
ing the same.
The divorce case of Florence Morgan
VS.. william Morgan, was dismissed by
the plaintiff without prejudice to
future action and another complaint
was fled this day. The first complaint
was filed in May and alleged as ground
for divorce, desertion in November,
1894. The new complainta filed to-day
is the same except that the date of de-
sertion is stated as October 10. 1894.
AT the afternoon session, the trial of
J. H. b. Wilson, ''the Irish Lord" was
begun. Wilson Is charged with arson
in the second degree in the burning of
a house belonging to c. =. Burns, Oct.
n, just one month ago. The jury was
composed as follows: Henry Clemens,
S. Terriault, Alexander Allen. A. j..
Urlin. II. NJ. Pierce. Arthur La Fleur.
Damas Asselin. Moses c. Goff, Charles
HART, j. A. Langley, A. Il. Chadwick,
Noise Reeves.
The first witness for the state was
c. p. Burns. the owner of the burned
house. He testified as TO the burning
of the house. He said further that he
had rented the house to Kitty Wilson,
the wife or mistress of the defendant,
and that defendant had been living
there. On the night of the fire he met
Wilson in the Jumbo saloon and asked
him ITO pay his rent. Angry words fol-
lowed and he ordered Wilson to vacate
the house the next day. Wilson then
angriay replied that If he did move out
the house would be OF no more use TO
the owner. Wilson then left the saloon
and returned a few minutes before the
alarm of fire was given. When Wilson
came back to the saloon (he seemed
agitated and looked as II he had been
running.
On cross-examination, Attorney Nc
Culloch attempted 10 show the charac-
ter and reputation of Burns, the wit
ness, but Judge Woody checked him,
reminding him of the comments of dihe
supreme court on similar cross-examin-
alton in the Glenn case.
Harry Honsman, proprietor of the
Jumbo saloon, and Fitzpatrick, the col
ored cook In the same place, corrobo-
rated Burns testimony in its essential
points.
Fred Williams and John Hughes.
who live near the house that was burn
ed, testified to meeting a man whom
they believed was Wilson coming from
the direction of his house shortly after
IL O'Clock on the night of Oct. 81 as
they We're going home. Hughes was
In bed when he heard the alarm and,
looking out of his window, saw the
house in flames. Williams saw the fire
after he reached his home. When they
had passed Wilson they saw nothing
n - M 1t.ter IL,
the house.
A man named Rowley also testified
TO meeting Wilson ait the same time
between IL and O'Clock coming from
the direction of the fire. Rowley went
back to Schilling's saloon after meet
ing Wilson near the bottling works.
and was there when he heard the
alarm
This concluded the states testimony
and Attorney McCulloch asked the
court ITO instruct the jury to bring in a
verdict OF not guilty, as the state had
not proved the charge. This request
was denied by the court. and Mr.. Nc
Culloch moved the discharge of Wilson
on the same grounds. This was also
overruled.
The defense then introduced William
Dixon and Gus Schmidt who testified
TO meeting Wilson in the Headquarters
and Capitol saloons from 20 to 80 min
us iOCAoit INT dldTIn OF IRE was given.
The defense then rested and County
Attorney Dixon began the argument
for the state. He started to comment
upon the fact that the defendant had
not been put upon the stand. but was
stopped by the court upon the objec-
ton OF Mr.. McCulloch. He then re-
viewed the testimony and connected
the evidence TO show that the circum-
stances all pointed to Wilson as the in
cendiary.
Attorney McCulloch made a good ar
gument for the defense. showing the
weakness of the circumstantial evil
dence advanced by the state. He ar
gued that II was impossible for Wilson
TO have set the fire and have been seen
in all the places where witnesses said
ne mad been. Court adjourned for din
ner at the conclusion OF the argument
and reconvened at O'Clock, when
Judge Woody gave instructions to the
jury. The Jurors retired at 7:30 O'Clock.
RRIEES AND pEpSnM