Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1895-03-30
AN IDAHO SENSATION
City Marshal on Trial {or AI'ege5
Brutal Conduct.
THE CASE NOW ON TRIAL
Wife Vi Collector Gf the Port Mcclure
the Complaining Hi.ress ia
the taae.

Rathtirum, Idaho, March 26-Wha1
promises to be quite the most interest
ing if not sensational case coming be-
fore the present session of the district
court began this morning with the read
ing Of an instrument indcting G.. "
Bechtel, city marshal of Occur dAlene
for tn" crime of battery committed upon
the person Of Mamie b. kerchiyal, nos
Mrs. Mcclure, wife Of w j. Mcclure,
collector Of the port at Bonners Ferry
The forenoon was occupied in secur-
ing q jury, and when court was called
at p. m. all the parties were in court
Bechtel is represented by r. E. McFar-
land and James A. Keat of COeur
dAlene, and District Attorney Beal is
assisted by Judge Frank Ganahl OF Spo-
kane.
The first witness called was Mrs. Nc
Clure, who swore that on November o
1894 She. in company with her dau9sl-
ter. Miss Mary kerchival, We're just
leaving a certain store in Occur d AIene
when, without a word of warning She
was seized from behind by the defenl-
ant Bechtel and after a brief struggle,
IN which his clothing was disaTrangei,
she vas BY the defendant thrown VIC
lcntly to the ground. She was then car
r)ed and dragged to the middle of the
street, with the assistance Of another
man whom defendant had called. Other
assistance was given him here and the
woman was partly dragged, partly car
riel up 2 flight Of stairs to the office Of
justice Of the peace. Here she WAS
thrown violently against q window
ltan int
chair. AS "A result Of this treatment
bruised about the arms. shoulders and
hips, from the effects of which She has
not yet fully recovered. She also s,,s-
tained other Injuries Of d private ns-
ture which his necrsstated 1n-;iic.,
treatment five days out Of every eight |
since. Directly following the alleged as |
sault witness was very III. Physically |!
Mrs Mcclure is a. fine Specimen Of W.T. |
manhood, being tall and stately and car |
rying lightly the 45 years which she has |
possibly seen She has two handsome |
grown daughters, both Of whom ar |
witnesses in the case
A number Of other witnesses were
called, all Of whose testimony corrob-
Grated that Of the complaining witness
They all told a straightforward story.
varying little in detail, one from the
other. Throughout the examination Of |
witnesses there was frequent Interrupt
ton by the attorneys and it was nearly
O'Clock before the state rested.
A FINE LEGAL POINT
G. w. Bechtel, the defendant, was the
first witness called by the defense To
the first question asked, Were you al
officer on November 8, 1894?' the stat,
objected and after considerab discus
sion the state admitted that they would
attempt to show that defepdant was not
an officer. This brought out the county !
records, which show that Bechtel was a |
regularly appointed constable Still the |
state contends that his appointment
was, under the statutes, illegal and that |
therefore he had no right to act. Some |
time was taken up by this argument :.
1ld the court finally took a recess until
10 O'Clock tomorrow in order to advise !
and look up authorities. :
The ton brought out |
that defendant acted according to law I
IN arresting Mrs. Kerchival; that he
had a warrant for her and had carried
same for five months and did not serve
same sooner because the woman had
threatened to shoot him if he attempted
50 to do; that she was a dangerous wo- +
nan and he used very means to AVOID {
rouble. only resorting to force when it {
became necessary.
The case is a very interesting one on :
account Of the prominence of the parties :
% the prosecution and is being closely | i
watched throughout northern Idaho. | I