Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-02-07
The Dunn Trial.


The Salvation Army case before
Judge Edes attracted great crowd.
One Dunn was charged with disturb
ing religious meeting. The Saliva
ZIONIST testified that Dunn and one
Ellis talked To each other and when
asked to keep still refused. They
would have been put out but it would
have broken up the meeting. Lieut..
Melvin testified that Dunn talked to
Ellis and that 1t was his duty to put
such men out. Ellis was drunk and
Dunn talked to him to keep him quiet,
Mofet testified that they whispered.
mumbled and made n little disturb
ande. They remained but a short
time but attracted great deal of at
tention. l.. l.. Welsh said Dunn and
Ellis were talking together at the
meeting Sunday evening. Knew
nothing that was said. Defendant
Dunn said he was at the barracks,
went there with young lady and her
sister: returned for them when Ellis,
who was drunk, followed him in: Ellis
made some talk but Dunn tried to
keep him quiet; he would not keep
quiet, when Dunn started TO go cut to
get away from him; Ellis followed |
him, and was put out; there was a
row but after II was all over went |
and took the girls home. Next morn
he was arrested. lie did not know
what for. Several witnesses testified
that Dunn did not disturb them, nor
the meeting.
Counsel for state said the jury were
just as competent to judge Of the evil
dence In this case as he was. He
never undertook to tell jury what IL
should do. He read the law. The
complaint charged that defendant
made unnecessary noise. IL was not
needed that all should be disturbed.
III anyone was disturbed IL was vio-
latlon OF the law.
Counsel Hayden called attention to
the peculiar wording OF the informa-
tlon. The law was clear that the
words spoken must be wilfully and in
and unnecessarily loud.
Dunn came with two respectable s
ladies, went away 10 mail two letters,
and took medicine home TO his sister a
who was slck-such men did not /
iisturb religious meetings. A man r
who went TO break up such meetings, a
vent drunk or went with hoOdlums. q
That was what Ellis did and he was
Dunn was charged with n
omething another man was already n
for A disturbance OF n !,
'ublic meeting must be wllful. N
Counsel McNary intlmated that the Il
tate had waived his opening speech ii
rom press Of business but IL should /,
lot he assumed that IL was poverty n
4 argument. lie ridiculed the Idea
4 disturbing religious meeting that
vas all noise anyhow. The more
oise they could make the more re- -
igious they were. People went TO -
heir meetings to hear noise and dis - :,
urbances and there was seldom ~
leeting where there was not fight. ~
Why did they not bring witnesses y
rom that audience to testify to the y, ~
isturbance, which was only heard by :.
he Officers on the platform. Mr.. "
lcNay's speech was facetious and
frequently evoked laughter. He ~
losed with a laugh at expense of 70 ~
'rosecuting Attorney Condit, who he :, :,
lid would get $40 II he won and s. II y. "
e lost He closed the case In an AZ
lrnest appeal to enforce the laws
gainst disturbers of religious meet. W
lgs, +"
The jury retired and after lengthy n,
CELEBRATION reported an inability to g,
gree, so they We're discharged, and h,
ne case was continued. n,
The district attorney has decided 10 M
OF press the case against Bert Dunn. or
n fact he admits there was no case 10 6a
reSs. ''