The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-22
BABY BORN IN JAIL
The Father a Convict Awaiting Re
moval to the Penitentiary.
SAD STORY FROM SPOKANE
Bert Johnson and Ella Siesel Have
INDUCED In Real Romance
and Sorrow During the
Past Year.

Spokane Spokesman-Review: Early
yesterday morning there was born IN
the new county jail a bouncing baby
boy. Mrs. B. c. Johnson was the moth
er. the father now being In jail await
ing action on a conviction Of catue
stealing.
Mrs. johnson, accompanied by Mrs.
Lewis, was In Monday as a witness In
the John Harmon trial. and wishing to
see her husband she went in the jan
about 6 O'Clock. She was a few minutes
later taken sick and was taken TO the
jailer's rooms, where she was attended
by Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Beatty, the
wife of the cook. Both mother ana
child are doing well.
There fs a romance connected Win
the parties. Bert johnson has for
years lived In the south end of this
county and Whitman and by his sur
roundings was soon drawn into COM
pany that made him a reckless COWBOY.
He became accustomed to their Wild
ways and IL the verdict Of the jury -
correct, then he became a cattle thief.
Many a time In his journeys did ne
meet little Ella Siegel. the daughter OF
Alex Siegel, whose name Is widely
known in eastern Washington, for he
was a man of violent temper, always
| mixed up In some kind of a law suit.
| and threatened the life of nearly every
lawyer In the county. A short time ago
he was convicted of trying to kim a
man, and Is now serving a term at
| Walle Walla.
The daughter WAS a girl Of differ
emit nature. She became attached to
the reckless cowboy and the attach
ment which was mutual, in time grew
| into love. The father of the girl, II Is
| said did not like the young man, ana
they knew too well his temper to think
| of approaching him upon the subject.
During one of the times that the odd
man was in Spokane for the purpose
| of putting some one OF spokane
prominent lawyers under the sod, the
| young people ran away, and over in
| little town in Idaho were secretly mar
ried. They came back and the matter
did not reach the fathers ears. In
some manner the record which had
been intrusted to the keeping of the
young man was lost, and that no
| trouble might arise, he travelled over
| to the Justice who had married them
| to get a certificate from him, only 70
| find that he, closed out by mortgage
company, had packed up what lsttle
baggage he had and left the county.
No one knew where he had gone, and
| no record of his acts as justice q
4
that absolutely no record OF the mar
rbage existed, the girl broke out cry
ing. Old man Siegel had been convict,
ed and the young people had arransec
to get married In a way that the whole
world would know. for secret marri
ages to them had proven anything but
happy.
About this time johnson was arrest
ed and lodged On the Spokane county
jail. The condition of his wife-the CIR
that everyone called Ella Siegel, wa
becoming apparent. He told his stor,
to the JAIN officials and they advised
him to send for her and remarry her
This was done, and late one evening
a couple of months ago, one OF the jus
tices officiating, with several of thu
deputy sheriffs for witnesses, B. c
Johnson remarked his wife in a man
ner the evidence of which could not b.
effaced. Johnson was tried a shor
time ago and being found guilty wa
sentenced to six years at Walla Walla
After serving out his sentence he say
| he will rejoin his wife and with thei
baby, born last night in Jail, they viii
move to some other place, away from
the influence that caused him thu
| trouble