The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-02-17
News About Town.
Mr.. Conting Tells the
Other Side of the
Story.
About the Keweenaw Affair.
swykert Won the Race at the Ice
A. Rink Saturday asvening-Mas-
Querade Tonight.

On Saturday afternoon we were in
formed that Freely Conting was in the
Office wishing to see us. Upon entering,
to our surprise, instead OF seeing, as
we expected, stalwart lumber jack OF
ferocious appearance, We found seated.
reading paper, nicely attired, gentle
manly looking young man, who certain
ly looked nothing like what our fancy
had pictured the assailant to be. Mr..
Conting informed us how badly he felt at
having his name mentioned in the man.
ner il had been 10 the Evening NEWS, as
people who read il might imagine he was
rowdy OF the worst kind, which certain
ly no one would infer from his appear
ance or manner. Mr. Coming stated that
he, with his brother and Guibord, start
ed for the camp where he acts as book
keeper, that they were run into by Jew
peddler and that both thills were broken.
These they tied up and when they met
Grossman they were afraid to turn out
into the deep snow as they thought the
thills would part, but he claims they gave
Grossman fully two-thirds OF the road;
that for some reason Mr.. Grossman did
not drive past, but allowed his horse to
remain standing, and in consequence Mr..
Conting's horse, which is rather wild, be-
came restless and he jumped out to hold
his horses head. He claims that he
never took his beaver driving gloves off
and when Grossman got out and ap-
preached he did not strike Grossman,
but merely raised his hand to push him
back, telling him to go where he belonged,
meaning into his sleigh; that Grossman
pushed him in return and left slight
scratch on his right cheek; that they after.
wards drove to Trudel's, where he OBJ
tanned hiscutter which he had left there
when2he came to town. He afterwards
heard that Deputy Sheriff Sullivan, accom-
panied by Grossman, was at Trudell's en-
curing after the party in the cutter; that
Mr.. Trudell got the impression from Sui
Ivan that Mr.. Grossman was down for
the purpose OF obtaining some money TO
settle the case. (In justice to Mr.. Gross
man it is only fair to repeat that gentle
man claims he never had any other
idea in his mind but OF having his assail-
ants arrested and punished.)
That afterwards Mr.. Conting received a
letter from Mr.. Trudell informing him
that Sullivan was after him and that Mr..
Grossman had been down there to settle;
that Mr.. Conting, not wishing TO get his
name before the public and not wishing
to give his mother, whom. he informed
us, was an Invalid, any annoyance, de-
cided it would be better to come up and
make terms with Mr.. Grossman rather
than have any further trouble, not, how
ever, admitting any guilt on his part.
He came here and saw Mr.. Sullivan and
made an appointment to meet him, but
a. Sullivan did not turn up he drove
down to Lake Linden to consult his
friends. He was there informed that a
warrant had been issued and he immedi-
ately started back to Red Jacket to meet
CutrlH hltCutil uuu 50 Keep tue mdUter III
possible away from his mothers ears;
that upon arriving at Red Jacket he
again saw Sullivan, who informed him
he had to meet Sheriff Mitchell upon some
other business and could then arrange
with him 80 that the matter would be
kept quiet. The next morning Coming
was informed that Sheriff Mitchell had
passed through Red Jacket for Lake Lin
den; that Conting at once returned to
that place, sought out the sheriff and re-
turned TO keweenaw, caIliug on law
yer friend on the way, but az Coming
told such clear story it was thought it
would be cheaper not TO employ lawyer
but to demand jury. This was done,
the result being an acouittal. 1t is only
fair, however, to Mr.. Grossman to state
that the Jury were out about three hours,
deciding on a verdict, so they must have
had some doubts as to which tale was
the correct one, Cheeseman's or Conting's,
hut decided to give the latter the benefit
OF the doubt, which is only proper 10 cases
where doubt exists.