The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-23
A VERY STRONG FIGHT
REFUSED TO PROSECUTE
Tho County Attorney Declined TO Ap-
pear on the Ground That There
Was No Case Onhcer Curry
Given An Imposing Funeral

Great Falls. Nov. 1.-Two events in
to-day were closely linked In the public
mind. The first was the preliminary
hearing of william schaeffer on the
charge of involuntary manslaughter
and the other was the. funeral Of his
victim, Offlcer Luke Curry.
The examination Of Schaeffer began
at 10 O'Clock his morning and closed
only at 8 O'Clock this afternoon. The
story that has been told In these COL
umns and the testimony brought out
ut the coroncr's inquest was reviewed.
and the witnesses questioned and cross
questioned. At the close of the trial
Justice Burleigh reserved his decision
until tomorrow afternoon at 4 O'Clock.
The conspicuous feature of the hearing
was the absence of the county attorney.
who had stated at the beginning that
no case could be made against Schaef-
fer, and practically refused to prose-
cute the case. Attorney w. G. Down
ing was employed by the police and
that the officer was not within IN
building and a not been in the build
ing up to the time that he was shot.
and that Schaeffer, according to his
own story. had failed to warn the OFF,
Ger against advancing or 10 advise him
hat he a a loaded revolver, and the
admission that the officer had been
heard early in the evening trying the
front door n the men inside knew IL
TO be an officer who was trying the door
at the time, Will very heavily
against the prisoner should the case
be carried up to the district court.
There is no doubt that the prisoner has
suffered punishment since the shooting
that has been more than commensurate
with the crime. IL crime IL was, that he
committed. but there Is a feeling that
a statutory punishment would have the
effect of deterring others from a too
ready use of deadly weapons when life
is at stake
The funeral Of officer Luke Curry.
held this afternoon from st. Ann
Catholic church. was the most impos-
ing spectacle OF its kind ever witnessed
in this city. No other death has per-
haps so deeply affected the community
as his. and this came not only from
the manner In which death found hin
out. but from the personality of the
man who is dead. The brick church on
the hill was crowded to the door by
friends, who desired 20 show their re-
spect to the man for the last time. and
the procession which followed the body
from the church door to the cemetery
has never been equaled in Cascade
county. Rev. Father II. b. Allaeys
conducted the service of high mass, and
in a brief and pithy sermon paid a de-
served tribute to the character of the
deceased. There was hardly a dry eye
in the house at the conclusion OF the
service. Besides the members Of the
Great Falls police force. Of the city
government and of the Woodmen oi
the World. there were many from out
of town. Some of his old friends came
up from Fort Benton and other points
where he was well known. From Hell.
ena came the chief of police. Conrad
Becker and a delegation of three mer
Of the Helena force. n in addition
w. II. Mccain, h former chief of thu
Helena force, was present. The biei
was heaped with magnificent floral dec
orations. and throughout the service
the bells in different parts of the cit,
tiled a last greeting to the soul thai
had fed The body was Inferred In
the Catholic cemetery. where tn,
woodmen performed the burial services
of their order over the grave.