The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-03
GAVE THEM THE LIMIT
Sentences Served Out to Offend.
ers by Justice Laurandeau.
WIFE BEATER AND THIEF
Notice Served on the Former That That
Glass OF Brutes Gan Expect No
Mercy in His Court
Given ESQ Days.

Justice of the Peace LaurandeaT
passed severe sentences on two offend.
ers yesterday. BY one ne served motto,
ON wife beaters that they may expect
no sympathy in his court. The other
was in punishment for the commission
of a theft. The sentence was a $500
fine in each instance and the punished
were both sent TO the county Jail 10
serve $50 days. or pretty nearly as bad
as a peniten;iary sentence.
Sol Willard was arrested a couple Of
days ago for giving his wife a brutal
beating. and yesterday he was before
Justice L~aurandeau for arraignmenL.
When asked for his plea, after the com
plant had been read. Willard said he
did not know VIVA plea to enter. He
admitted that he had beaten his wife
but considered he was justified.
d you black your wife's eyer in
quired the Judge.
Yes, / did" replied Willard brazenly,
"and she deserved it,"
Judge Laurandeau inquired What the
woman had done to merit such punish
ment. to which Willard replied: We'll,
Mary ancies 1 have money TO burn and
goes about town running accounts and
having the bills sent to me to pay
Don't you think your wife ought to
have the right to send her bills TO your"
asked the court.
Maybe she had" said willard. but
she has no right to run me head over
heels in debt as she has done. Yester-
day a lot OF bills came i'm that I knew
nothing about. and when | demanded
an explanation mn wife told me II was
non of my business. ] thought IL was,
and lost my temper and struck her and
i plead guilty"
And l fine you $500. and order that
you stand committed TO the county Jail
until the fine is paid. at the rate Of 81
per day." said the court, fairly taking
away the breath of the prisoner. Judge
Laurandeau observed. as he passed the
heavy sentence. that there was alto
gether too much wife-beating carried
on in Butte. He did not consider there
was any excuse for a man striking his
wife. and he thought IL was abou time
to make an example of wife heaters.
Willard was greatly astonished at the
severity of the sentence but said moth
ing. and accompanied a deputy sheriff
to Jail where he Will remain $50 days,
unless the fine Is paid.
Alex O'Banion. the colored man who
stole a watch from Mrs. J. ID. Caldwell
a couple of weeks ago and gave Chief
Of Police Mulholland an exciting race
when that officer attempted To arrest
him. was given a heavy sentence by
Justice of the Peace Laurandeau yes
terday which viii make him a com
pulsory guest of Sheriff Regain for $50
days.
O'Banion was proceeded against for
grand larceny pm tho assumption the
watch ne stole was worth more h
$50 He demanded a preliminary hear
ing, which came up yesterday. IL APP
peared the value Of the watch could
not be proven to be more than $50. and
the charge was reduced to petit lar
ceny. On this charge O'Banion was
given a trial. Mrs. Caldwell testified
to losing the watch and the circum-
stances attending its departure from
her possession. and Chief Mulholland
told how the defendant gave him "A
chase over half the town, ending I'm IN
inglcrious capture in a chicken coop.
He also testified to recovering the
stolen watch where O'Bsnion had
pawned IL. Judge Laurandeau pro-
nounced the defendant guilty and SEN
fenced him To pay a fine of $500. O'Ban-
ion did not hav that amount OF
change about him and was committed
TO the county jail for $50 days.