The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-06
LEYDEN'S WITNESSES
They Say BE has Always Borne an
EnviabIe Reputation.
ILG HAD AGGRAVATED HIM
There Is Much Interest Manifested
at the Trial. Which Will Prob
ably Last for the Rest
of the Week.

murder trial still occupies the atten-
ton of the district court and II is prob
able that it will not be finished before
Saturday night and may possibly ex-
tend over into next week. A great deal
of interest is manifested by residents
of the city and county and the court
room is crowded at all times, in some
instances there being hardly standing
room available.
The prosecution opened its case this
morning with William O'Neil of Belt
on the stand. He testified that after
Zig threw down the cards on the table
that Leyden sprung at him and that
Zig backed away, lodging the blows
and did not attempt to strike back. He
also said that when Zig was back of the
stove Leyden pointed his finger at Zig
and afterwards went towards him with
a smile on his face. He heard. Leyden
tell Zig to go away or he would hurt
him. AT this point Louis Valliere, who
had been excused by the prosecution
was ordered detained at the request of
the defense.
Louis Bloomquist, a Belt miner, was
the next witness and testified to Zig
calling Leyden vile names and said
that Zig was laughing when he was
going from the stove to the faro table.
At the third encounter witness said he
saw Zig laying with his head over de-
PENDANTS knee and also saw the latter
turn his hand so that the bullet would
enter Ilg's head.
James Guy was next called. The
sheriff stated that the witness had left
the country. At this point the state
rested its case.
The case for tine defense was opened
by Attorney Leslie, who stated that
they expected to show the defendant,
a man of weak physical caliber, had
ever since he was in the state, and in
fact during his whole life, bore the
reputation of being a quiet, peaceable,
law abiding man. The defense will un-
dertake Ito show that at the time of the
shooting, Leyden was peacefully per-
forming the duties of his business and
his whole demeanor at the time Will be
used to show his peaceable intentions.
The nature of his business and the lack
of conveniences about the place will be
brought forward to show that he need
ed a revolver to protect himself from
robbery or assault, as he always kept
his money with him at his room, half
a mile from the hall. Belt was not
church going community; 1t was, in
fact, a pretty tough place, and re-
volver was necessary. The defense
will endeavor to show that there had
been no acQuaintanceship or previous
Leyden and that absolutely no reason
existed why Leyden should have the
least malice against Zig.
Mr.. Leslie went on to say that Zig
came into the place drunk. with the
baser instincts pouring out at every
pore, loaded with just enough whiskey
to bring out all the meanness, all the
dog there was in him; that previous to
his trying to pick a quarrel with Ley
den he tried to get up fight with two
other men in the saloon whom he
abused in the vilest language; that he
came into the beer hall drunk and
looking for trouble and would prove
that he said he was the Kansas Kid"
and was looking for Texas Jack"
with whom he wanted a fight, saying
he could lick any man In Belt. Con-
tinuing, Mr.. Leslie said that the de-
Tense would prove that Zig went to
the faro table without money and in
order to make trouble, heaping vile
epfthets on both Leyden and the case
keeper, Leydens brother; that during
the alteration he struck Leyden in the
face and that Leyden, not wishing to
shoot. struck Zig with THE revolver and
then sent for a constable. Also that Zig
asked for a gun and left the hall for
the avowed purpose of getting one, and
that Leyden had no way of knowing
when Zig returned that he did not have
one; that when Zig approached him the
himself and warned him to come no
nearer; that when Zig grasped Ley
denis hand he shouted, Now, I've got
YOU" and after the first shot grabbed
the defendant by the throat and push
ed him to the floor. in which position
and with a drunken, crazed man on
top of him, the defendant was justified
in doing as he did-shoot Zig in the
head.
In concluding, Mr.. Leslie said that
Leyden's first shot was fired at the CELL
ing; that Zig was the aggressor from
the beginning, and had at last struck
the wrong man. and on these grounds
asks for an acquittal at the hands of
the jury. The defense first introduced
several character witnesses who testi-
fed to Leyden's good reputation a
law-abiding and peaceful man in Mis-
soula, Butte, Helena and Great Falls.
Chris Nelson. a carpenter who at the
time of the shooting, was foreman on
some work going on at Johnson's beer
hall, was the first important witness
for the defense. He presented a plat of
the hall indicating the relative posi-
tions of the various tables and fixtures.
together with the exact dimensions of
the building. Counsel had a lively tilt
over it's admission as evidence but II
was finally admitted. Nelson was also
an eye witness TO the tragedy and testi-
fled 10 Ilg's fighting disposition when he
entered. his trouble with two men pre-
vious to his encounter with Leyden. TO
his going to the faro table, betting
without money. abusing both Leyden
and the casekeeper. and his grabbing
the cards. Witness saw Leyden take
his revolver from the drawer and strike
Zig and saw the latter knock Leyden
down. He heard Zig say that he would
get a gun and kill him. meaning Ley
den. When Zig returned he had his
hand in his hip pocket as II holding a
gun. The witness said that he heard
Leyden say: Take him away. or I'll
hurt him." and Zig say after he was
shot and had grabbed Leyden by the
throat: IN lick you yet" He also