The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-28
METHODS OF GRAFTERS
The Modus Operandi Explained
to a Jury in Court.
SOMMERS ON TRIAL
She Admitted to Several Women on the
Street That She Had Touched
John McAllister for s145
That Night.

street grafters, was on trial before a
jury in Judge Clsncy's court yesterday
on the charge of grand larceny. The
testimony disclosed a great scheme ar
ranged and carried out among the wo-
men of the street for the robbing of
their victims.
During the selection of a jury about
half a dozen men said they could not
fairly try the case. as they had a gen.
eral bias and prejudice on account of
the numerous robberies on Galena
street n the very few punishments
for them. Mr.. Riley, who keeps a
saloon. was one of the prejudiced.
Have you ever had an experience sim
liar to the one alleged by the prose-
cutting witness?" asked J. l.. Wines.
who appeared as attorney with Mr.
Naughton for the defendant.
mo, but | have friends who lid
have similar experiences" said Mr..
Riley.
The jury as selected to try the case
was composed of Daniel Conan. George
Gum. Thomas Walker. II. II. Pryor,
John Combo. Thomas Tronrud. $. II.
! Almon. Ed Sweeny. L. J. ~Bretherton,
7. r. Sullivan. r. II. Newton and J.
Waters. After Mr.. Connolly had made
his statement TO the jury, in which
he said he expected to prove that the
prosecuting witness visited May Da-
Wis. a colored woman, and that while he
was in his house Edith Sommers
sneaked In and stole sl45 from his
clothes. John McAllister was put or
the witness stand. He related the err
cumstances surrounding his loss of the
money without a particle of shame. and
he laughed when he gave some of tre
necessary details. He said he w;;s IN
the colored woman's house at No Al
| West Ca1pna street ahOut 9.RU o'clock
on the night of March 81. After he
had left the place he discovered hat
s45 from his watch pocket We're miss
ing and he went back and accused
the black woman of having robbed
him. She denied ii, and then he
searched farther and found that 500
in SEQ bills were also missing from his
pocketbook. which he had kept on tho
inside of his vest pocket. McAlist"r
said he saw no one in the room besides
himself and May Davis. and the latter
never was near enough to the money
to have taken il.
May Davis was the next witness. and
she said she had seen the white NO.
man, Edith Sommers, about $50 O'Clock
i'm the evening, and she complained
about the hard times. She told Davis
To "ketch a man and she would then
come in ard do him for her" The
witness explained that hat meant that
1 she WAS u htltn a ihf Ni"N -
and that Edith SDnlmers would come
in and rob him y
did you 'ketch a man that night?'
asked Mr.. Connolly.
Yes"
"Who?'
NJ McAIIister."
The witness said McAllistor was the
first man she could "ketch,' but she
did not see Edith Sommers rob him and
did not see her i'm the room, because
she was not looking for her.
The witness said she had a talk with
Edith Sommers a few hours after Nc
AIlister lost his money. and she said
she had taken s45 from the man. The
next day the defendant admitted that
she had taken Sl45. The witness said
hat when she admitted McAllister she
left the front door open so Sommers
could get i'm and rob the MAJ. The
agreement was that she should divide
the money with the witness. May Dd-
Wis said it was understood that when
she "ketched a man. she was q touch
i A button in her room which rang a bell
in the Turf Exchange saloon. the dive
run by the notorious Pete Hansen. The
boy at the saloon was then to notify
Edith Sommers and she was 10 do the
rest. The next morning Pete Hansen
called on the black woman and told
her that Edith Sommers was in the BIZ
metallic saloon, and May went over &c
see her and found her drinking heavily,
IT was that evening that she admitted
taking $145 from McAllister. 1T was
the first time the tws women had put
up "A job to rob a man, though the Wit
ness had received similar propositions
I from other women. The witness was
arrested for the robbery. Ddt she was
only lined $50 for keeping "A house oi
i'll fame, and Edith Sommers. who hac
skipped to Anaconda. sent her wore
that she would pay the fine. Before
the robbery Edith said that If she go
anything she would divide. The wit
ness said that was the custom amons
the Galena street women when they
made a haul. but Sommcrs didn't di'
vide. but kept it all.
Rose Baker testified that Edith Som
mers came to her house about l o'clocl
at night and said she was scared. al
she had taken some money from a ma
and supposed the police would be afte
q her. The witness asked her how mucl
she got, and she said Sl45. She sail
she got the money from a man in Col
ored Mays place. She asked the wit
ness TO pull down the blinds, as tn
: police were looking for her. She re
manned about half an hour and thel
went away.
Margaret McCleary. colored. said sh
Il was with Edith Sommers when an of
ficer talked TO her about the robbery
Edith asked him If he wanted som
money aud he said he wanted May Da
d Wis and mistook the witness for hei
edith a%fterward told the witness tina
she had taken the S1i5.
Piggy" Baker testified that Edit
Sommers came into her house about l
o'clock at night and told her she ha
touched" a man at May Davis plac
for s145. She said the officers wer
after her and she wanted To stay a
the witness place that night.
chief of Police Mulholland and Ser
geant Leyden testified as to their OF
K fetal knowledge of the robbery and III
arrest of Sommers and Davis. afts
which Mr.. Connolly rested the state
case.
Pete Hansen. the accredited friend
n-chief o: Edith IN was th