The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-04
LEYDEN In THE DOCK
The State Reads the Information t
the Jury.
ILG CARRIED NO WEAPONS
Neatly Dressed and Apparently In
different to His Surroundings,
the Prisoner Favorably Inn
presses Spectators.

n oiios o1dICn O.-lne second
day Of the Leyden murder trial opened
with an incomplete jury. A special
venire was demanded twice before the
panel could be filled, and it was well
along in the afternoon before IL good
men and true" stood up and took the
oath. They were as follows: James II.
Gillett, rancher, Belt; William Elliott,
expressman, Great Falls; II. A. Miller,
rancher, Cascade; w. H. Saford, mer-
chant, Great Falls; Henry Tietjen.
merchant, Great Falls; Robert An
drews, track foreman, Great Falls
street railway; S. r. Wilson, drayman
Great Falls; +. Kelley, bank clerk
Great Falls; T. w. Pursell, rancher
Cascade; E. L. Cornell. rancher. Sand
Coulee; NJ. II. Allison, laborer, Great
Falls. The witnesses were all called
sworn and warned, at the request of
both parties, excluded from the court
room.
The prisoner. Leyden, whose life is at
stake, sat at the side of his counsel
his face as immovable as a sphinx.
hardly moving during the entire ses-
sion from the position he took when
he seated himself. He is of medium
height and of slight build. His feat
ures are comparatively regular with
the hair closely cut, a rather low fore
head, heavy eyebrows, prominent
cheek bones and a bushy mustache
which covers the lines of the mouth.
His appearance. indifference to every
thing passing around, was contradict
ed only by the keen glances of his blue
eyes as he carefully scrutinized each
juror as he was drawn and interro-
gated. Neatly clad in black he looked
anything but man under the charge
OF murder in the first degree
County Attorney Fraarnap onapa1 The
case for the state by reading the in
formation to the jury. He said that
the state expected to prove that Victor
Zig, on the evening of Dec. 2 became
intoxicated and while in that condition
entered Johnson's beer hall in Belt,
sat down at the faro table, where a
dispute arose between Leyden and the
deceased over the dealing or over a
bet; that Zig reached over towards the
cards, when the defendant pulled a re-
VolVer out OF the drawer and struck
Zig with it three or four times over
the head. infiicting several wounds.
and that Victor Zig had not struck or
inflicted any injury on the defendant.
Also, that although Zig made threats
after the blows, yet he was so drunk
that no reasonable man would pay any
attention to him, and at the time of
the shooting, which soon followed the
state expects to show that Zig made no
attempt to inflict any injury on the
defendant nor did he at any time at
tempt to pull gun, and, further, that
the defendant knew he had no gun
when he fired at him, the fact being
that at no time did Zig have so much
as penknife about him.
While not seeking to either excuse or
palliate the fact that Zig was under
the influence of liquor, Mr.. Freeman
said that the state would seek to prove
81
Tor the taking OF human life and that
1T could have been avoided If the de-
PENDANT had so seen fit
officer Richardson of Belt was the
first witness called. He testified that
he was called to the saloon by the re-
port that a man had been shot and de-
scribed the condition of things in the
hall when he arrived. He arrested Lev
den, whom he saw putting some chips
into valise and took his gun away
from him. He then turned him over TO
Deputy Sheriff Mcleod. Leyden told
the witness that Zig hit him, after
which Leyden fired three shots at him.
one of which missed. During this tes-
timony the faro layout was brought in
and worked as exhibits
Cross examination by Wallace |
brought out the fact that Leyden made
no attempt at escape when he had full |
opportunity and that he did not resist |
arrest. but it also brought out the fact |
that Leyden refused at first TO saw |
where his revolver was
Deputy Sheriff Mcleod was the next |
witness and identified the revolver as
one officer Richardson gave into his
charge with the prisoner. Sheriff Dwy-
er then took the stand and testified TO
finding bullet marks on the faro table
and ceiling.
George johnson. a tie-maker. was
next called and testified that he was
present and saw the shooting occur.
He gave a description Of the AFFAIR and
the position of the men when the shot
was fired. His evidence was not ma
terially shaken by cross-examination.
Wallace Hoffman testified that he in
terviewed the prisoner when he arriv-
ed in Great Falls in charge OF the Off
GERS and reported the interview in sub
stance. He said that Leyden told him
that he Geyden) knew that Zig did not
have gun. Court ordered that he
bring copy of the paper. containing the
interview, into court tomorrow, at
he trio x..sII l. /