The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-18
He TOLD HER NOT TO TELL
Fullerton Identifies Muff He
Sent to Mary Jones.
COURT ROOM CROWDED
The Sensational Suit of the Year Comes
Up in the District Court-The De-
PENDANT on the Stand-She
Tells Her Story.

!. Great Falls, March 17.-Ths morn
ing the suit of Harry Price. VS.. J. c.
.Taylor, an action to annul partner
eship. and to grant damages to the
.s,plaintiff amounting to about $1,000,
went to the jury. 1t dragged it's way
Through all of yesterdays session and
!. obliged the court to hold an evening
ssitting, the first at this term CT the
1court, The jury was OUT about two
hours and brought in a verdict for the
plaintiff amounting to $500.
Fhen the Sensational suit of the year
was put on trial. The Standard col
umns have already rehearsed the story
of the complaint and answer in the SUM-
which Mary Jones of Sand Coulee
brought against r. +. Fullerton, the
well-known photographer of this city,
alleging criminal assault and asking
IS, 600 damages. Like all suits in which
it is expected that the evidence will DE
salacious, this attracted a large
crowd to the court room, and all the
seats were taken. The prosecution first
put the defendant on the stand, and
handing him. fur muff the plaintiff
counsel, Col James Donovan, asked
him if he recognized it. The witness
replied that he did, and further stated
that he had given it to the plaintiff
about last Christmas. A note said to
have accompanied the muff was also
identified by the defendant as one
which he had sent at the same time.
The note requested the plaintiff not to
say anything about the writer giving
her the muff, as 1t must not reach the
ears of his wife.
The plaintiff herself next took the
stand and described in detail the act
fatal to her happiness. which she says
occurred in Fulertons studio. She
concluded her direct testimony just at
noon.
When court reconvened this after
noon at 1870 the crosse examination of
Miss Jones by the defense began, and
it was not until 4:30 o'clock that she
was finally released from the stand.
During all of that time the court room
was packed to the door with specta-
tors, ready for leVity on the slightest
provocation, and only restrained from
it by respect for the court and his pow
er. Only once did Judge Leslie warn
the audience, and then his warning
was mild,.bu it Was felt TO be firm,
and the crowd respected his wishes
The plaintiff made a good witness.
although it seems unusual that one
should remember minute details as to
time, the arrangements of doors and
the like, at a time which certainly must
istence. r.. w. Berry conducted the
ross-examination and poured in long
succession of questions which the wit
ness answered usually without hesita-
ton. Several times it looked as If she
answered too quickly, and once she
burst into tears when the attorney
asked what seemed, and what the
court took, to be a ribald question to
her. The court called him down
sharply and stated that If the offense
was repeated he would infiet heavy
fine. Mr.. Berry later in second cross
examination explained satisfactorily
that while the language he had en-
ployed might have been indicate, the
question was asked in good faith and
the facts sought by it had been brought
out by the plaintiffs attorney on redi-
rect testimony
During the time the witness was on
the stand she admitted that several
times after the assault she had visited
the studio in a friendly manner and
had gone into the darkroom with Full
lerton alone. She further admitted
that at the time of the assault there
was but one closed door between her
self and a hallway, which she knew to
be frequently used. and which at the
time was surrounded by offices in
which people were working, and yet
she had only strength enough to say
times she became confused and made
statements damaging to her case. The
story of her engagement to Eddie
Cook, his remaining with her the best
part of the night after the assault, and
her refraining from telling him any
thing about her misfortune Were all
brought out very forcibly. and the OBJ
ject of the defense in this was to show
collision between Mary and Eddie and
her aunt, Mrs. Morgan, to obtain mon
ey from Fullerton. Miss Jones said
that young Cook got out a marriage Ii
cellse on the day on which she swore
to the complaint. and later the two had
agreed to delay the marriage until aft
er the case had been settled. She said
further that she had been afraid that
her marriage would have had bad in
fiuence on her action for damages.
The defense brought out the story
that she had given her engagement
ring back TO Cook for the purpose of
his selling it, and tried to make her
admit that the money was to be used
in getting him out of the country. that
he might not be subpoenaed by the de-
Tense as its witness. The last state
ment which she made before being al
lowed to step down was that Fullerton