The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-22
She Was BOUND OVER
Mrs. Cassie French Heard on a
Serious Charge.
SHE FURNISHED BONDS
The Woman Was Heard on the Charge
OF Sending Obscene Letters
Through h Mails to
James A. McFadeyn.

MIS-. cassie FIenCn Oh Ndihci iAe
had a hearing yesterday afternoon be-
fore United States Commissioner c. l..
Woods on a charge of violating the
United States statutes by sending OBJ
scene matter through the mails. ON the
End of May Mrs. French sent a letter to
James A. McFadeyn, containing some
filthy paragraphs. McFadeyn turned
the letter over to Postoffice Inspector
Ball. who complained against Mrs.
French. and she was arrested by Deputy
United States Marshal Dave eiklejohn.
At the hearing yesterday the govern
ment was represented by Deputy United
States Attorney j. c. English and At
torney Charles Mattison appeared for
the defendant. AZ the conclusion of the
hearing Commissioned Wood bound the
defendant yer for trial in bonds of
$500. which Mrs. French furnished and
was released.
The complaint against Mrs. French
was sworn to by Postoffice Inspector
Clark II. Ball. and charged hat ION or
about the End day of May, 1898. at Walk
erville. Silver Bow county, state and
district of Montana, Cassie French. in
violation of section 1898 of the revised
statutes of the United States, did wrong
fully. unlawfully and knowingly de-
post and cause to be deposited for mall
ing and for delivery in The United States
postoffice. at, Walkerville. in the county
of Silver Bow. in the state and district
of Montana aforesaid. a certain lewd
and lascivious letter of an indecent
character" Then follows a copy of the
letter complained of, which was ad-
dressed to James Allen McFadeyn, and
in which she referred to his having had
improper relations with certain ONE
An interesting paragraph refers to the
grand jury having had its attention
called to her and the author laughs and
remarks that she had six friends on
the grand jury, one of whom she had
nursed through a fever. and therefore
she had no fears of what the jury
might do.
Mrs. Helen A, Coleman. postmistress
at Walkerville. was the first witness
called to the stand. She testified that
the defendant had come to her early in
May and shown her a letter addressed
in lead pencil and asked her to look at 1t.
She looked at the address and Mrs.
french then sealed and mailed the let
ter. and asked the witness to put 1t In
the box of james McFadeyn. Mrs.
French made assertions that she had
said things hat were not true. but the
contents of this letter were true. She
| could prove them and II was a hot let
ter. Witness Identified the letter in
question. Crossaexamined by Mr.. Mat
tison, the witness stated that : Mrs.
French did not ask her IL the letter was
mailable and did not exhibit the con-
tents but merely asked IL "A letter writ
ten and addressed in lead pencil was
contrary to postal laws. The witness did
not turn the letter over to the authori-
ties and did not know how 1t came into
their hands.
Clark III. Ball. postofice inspector. was
called and testified that he had talked
with Mrs. French after the letter was
called to his attention and she had ad-
mitted writing IL.
James A. McFadeyn, to whom the let
ter was addressed. Identified the original
letter. which was submitted In evidence.
He denied, on cross-eXamination. that
the letter had been written at his solicit
I tion or that he had spoken to Mrs.
French since last July. Witness stated
tha upon receipt of the letter he turned
1t over to Postofiice Inspector Ball. Wit
ness denied that he had ever said in
the hearing of a Mrs. Gross hat he had
his foot on Mrs. French now.
Mrs. Dasle Gross was called for the
defense and stated that she had heard
McFadeyn say he had Mrs. French In
the dark now. on cross-examination.
she admitted she was a friend Of Mrs.
II Ttuth .
The defendant was next called. She
admitted writing the letter and testi-
fed that she wrote IL at McFadeyn's
suggestion that she write him a letter
and state in IT just what she had said
about him. She said she showed the
letter to Postmistress Coleman. who
examined II and said IL contained
nothing in violation Of the postal laws
She said she had never denied writing
the letter and did not know 1t was O b
scene or in violation of law She said
she had heard McFadeyn say he had
his foot on her now and would keep heT
in the dark for a while. Mrs. French
concluded her testimony with a reit-
Grafton that she did not consider this
letter obscene. as she understood words
and she did not know IL was against
the law to send obscene matter through
the mail.
This concluded the taking OF testi'
mony and after argument by counsel
Commissioner Wood rendered his de
cision.