The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-03
IN A SMALL WAY.
How the idea of the Ore Stealing Proba-
bly, Originated.

| bly, Originated.
| Charles Jones. through his attorney
E, O. Jackson. pleaded not guilty yes
terday to the charge of grand larceny
IN stealing ore from the cars of the b..
A. & I: railroad company. MIR. Jack
son safd ne had three requests to make
| one was that the hearing should be as
| speedy as possible; the second that the
| heavy bond of $1,000 be reduced: and
the third that the ore which IL Is claim
ed Mr.. Jones stole be placed in the GUS
tody OF some responsible and disinter-
eSted party.
rs not Mr.. Meikeijohn responsible Y''
asked County Attorney Wines.
He Is responsible, but not disinter-
ested," replied Mr.. Jackson. I'VE want
the ore where II won't be sailed or
monkeyed with. Some one should have
the custody of 1t who is not interested
in the prosecution
That Is the most preposterous thing
/ ever heard Of" said Mr.. Wines 1.-THE
idea OF asking officers of the law to
surrender exhibits they are reserving
for a criminal action before the case is
put on triad. The ore is not yet in the
possession of the court. 1t has not yet
been placed In evidence"
Judge Turner denied the request for
a custodian to he appointed for the ore.
Owing to the crowded condition of the
calendar, he found IL impossible to set
the case before Jan. 8, and me placed 1t
for that date. He reduced the bond to
1880.
The police now have no doubt that
there are between nine and IL in the
ore-stealing gang. 1t is understood
now that Mr.. Jones has been willing for
several days to tell all ne knows under
promise of immunity. but the officers
consider him the ringleader, or at least
the man who suggested the scheme of
robbery. They have no doubt of con-
victing him and have given him no in
ducements to squeal
The stolen ore that has been recover
ed is now in Dave Meikeljohn's back
yard. Several samples have been as
sayed and the ore runs from $50 to $50
per ton. II is likely that the whole of
1t will be reduced, to ascertain the ex-
act value of what was stolen.
A number of parties have volunteered
information to the police regar ding the
ore-stealing scheme, and there are sew
eral nervous persons at large In town,
fearful that in the course of trial they
may be exposed The police think they
have the complete list of those con-
cerned in the DEAL but lack evidence at
present TO convict more than the three
behind the bars. Some of the friends
or Mr. Jones are interesting themselves
greatly in the case, and evidently will
do their best to clear him of the charge.
III is UNDERSTOOD that kenna end Smith
nave offered to plead guilty without
trial, If given assurance of a light SEN
tence, but their offer was refused
1t seems that the ore-steahng prop
osition originated in a very small and
hardly illegitimate enterprise In the
transportation of the ore cars from
Butte to Anaconda some pieces of ore
fell of naturally and remained beside
the track. Quite a good deal of ore
was to be picked up around the switch
es. Two or three men conceived the
plan of picking up this stray ore and
selling IT, This was done for some
time. but the returns were scarcely
large enough and the Spectators could
not resist the temptation to help a lit
tie more ore fall from the cars. This
was a little better, and finally the
thieves made night work of Ii, and a
regular trade of helping ore fall from
the cars.