Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-08-07
I'm THE POLICE COURT
Browns Case Taken Under
Amusement.
CHARGE AGAINST MCDOWELL.
Being Tried Before Recorder Edes
This Afternoon,
CHARGE AGAINST MCDOWELL.

City Recorder Edes' court room was
crowded before 3 3o'clock, Thursday
afternoon, at which time began the
trial of Ed Brown, OF East Salem.
charged with the larcency OF a steer,
the property OF George Frendrich.
District Attorney 5. L. Hayden as
sisted by John II. McNary conducted
the prosecution, Attorney w. II.
Holmes appearing for the defendant.
Before opening the trial Recorder
Edes ordered all witnesses and also
those under age TO leave the room,
thereby making room for the older
parties present.
The hide Of the steer. the owner
ship Of which was the important
question to be decided, was the sub
ject OF considerable wit and humOr
at the hands of the counsel, who fire.
quently alluded to the odor Of the at
mosphere Of the room while the hide
remained'thereln.
The prosecution opened the case by
I calling on Geo Fendrich as its first
witness. Mr.. Fendrich has been in
butcher business for l6 years. On the
evening OF August 3, the witness
stated that he had I'm his pasture
eight head Of cattle. The next morn
ing one had disappeared and the gate
which was closed and securely fast
ened the night before, was wide open.
The witness then stated when and
where he found the head and hide Of
the animal which he positively iden-
tilted as those of his steer He then
gave description Of the beef with re-
gard to color, age and weight and was
dismissed TO be recalled later.
Dave Richards, an itinerant meat
seller, who purchased one half of the |
beef, was next called by the prosecu-
ton. He told Of hauling the beef |
from the slaughter house to Browns |
meat market. In the cross examina-
tion the witness stated that he hauled |
the meat Tuesday morning about 9 |
u. m. assisted by the defendant
BROWN Beef had been butchered |
in usual manner. The prosecution
then ascertained by inquiry of the
witness that beef had been killed |
during the early part of the night.
Mr.. Richards stated that he had
made arrangement with Mcdowell
Monday forenoon whereby he was to
be furnished one-half of Il beef on the
following morning. TO questions
asked of him by Attorney Holmes,
for the Defense Richards stated that
the beef was not cold when he ar
rived at slaughter house. Takes
beef more than Il night to cool of,
although 1t depends considerable
upon the weather and the size of the
beef
Salmon p. Brown, ather of the de
fendant, was next called. When
asked by District Attorney Hayden
II the defendant was his son, Mr..
Brown caused an outburst of laughter
by his answer 81 think he is." Mr..
Brown stated that himself and son
were engaged in the butcher BUSINESS;
that they frequently received hides in
sacks In which condition they were
disposed OF to hide buyer. The
witness stated the hide was in DOS
session OF the police. In the cross
the witness stated again {
that IL was the usual way they re- {
ceiyed hides.
Atthis point the prosecution wished
The hide brought into tho court room
which was done so by an expressman.
The presence of the hide was very
evident from the atmoshere that pre-,
vailed In the court room.
Geo. Frendrich was rec allied, and
identified the hide as that "
Df his steer, =
Wenkle, an employe OF Frendrlch, r
vas next called by the prosecution. O
lie also identified the hide and stated [
hat he had fed the steer in question, a
m Monday evening, and that on the d
ollowing morning il had disappeared.
Fendrich recalled and stated for the &
'rosecution that the animal was a c'
teer. Cross-examined by Holmes, the ti
witness stated that he purchased
light head Of cattle of Steiwer, three u
( which he had since killed. The 80
attle got out OF the pasture between
p. m. and a. m. Found four about
Il m nnnr NnNu nnrl- .nhnol IL. -