The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-26
ALL THE BOOKS STOLEN
A Peculiar Incident in the Chinese
Boycott Case.
UNIONS WERE THE VICTIMS
All OF Their Records in Butte During he
Boycott Have Disappeared-Cted 70
Appear Before Judge Knowles
for Contempt.

1ne testifnouy at tue Suinesc ooySoet
investigation yesterday disclosed the
fact that the record books of all labor
organizations interested In the prosecu-
tion Of the boycott a year 9 have been
stolen from the meeting rooms Of the
unions. A number of the officers of
the unions who were subpoenaed to pro-
duce the books and failed to do so, will
be cited to appear before Judge
Knowles and how cause why they
should not be punished for contempt.
One of the unions has placed the matter
in h hands of a detective. who is
looking for the thief.
The proceedings yesterday were also
enlivened a little by several spirited col
loquies between Colonel Sanders and
Judge Wines, opposing counsel
The first witness yesterday morning,
when the examination was resumed,
was Fred p. Bacon, a clerk at Con-
nelrs. He testified that he was a men,
Der of the Clerks assembly n that
he had been fined S. on one OCCASION be-
cause his wife employed a Chinese
laundryman. TIT matter was report
ed to the assembly, and he was fined
and paid the IS. He also testified that
the ~boycotting of the Chinese was dis
cussed in the assembly meetings.
william A. Wallace, secretary Of the
Clerks assembly, who had been sub
poenaed to bring h record book Of the
assembly. was the next witness. After
the preliminary questions Colonel San
ders asked:
did you bring the book?"
II did not"
why not?"
Couldn't find It,"
who is the proper custodian of the
book?''
II take care of it."
"When did you last see it,"
ION the night of March LIST; l think
that was the night / MISE it,"
The witness said the old book had just
been filled up. 1t contained the rec
ord for 1897 and up to March 1, 1898.
VIVA did you do with the old book
when you last saw it,"
do with II as with any other old
book-throw it into the locker.
II did not ask o what you would
do. but what o did do"
II threw il into the locker"
Have you made a search for it?"
II have"
WAS 4. there?"
TT was not"
"Who has charge Of the books and
locker
TT duty rests on me-"
with what degree of diligence have
you searched that locker for the book"
AT the last meeting night l searched
for 1t, and last Sunday / was up and
went through the locker, and could not
find it,"
Have you searched for ii since the
subpoena was served on you?"
Yes; l was up there yesterday after
noon.'
Did you look anywhere else than in
the locker"
Yes. / looked on the financial secre-
tary's desk, and also on my desk"
"Since the subpoena was served on
your"
You asked me that question before
replied the witness.
AS far as you are concerned" said
Colonel Sanders, 81 can ask you the
question twice. Did you max a search
anywhere else for the book?"
Yes: last night / looked at my
house
Have you any suggestion. hint, in
| formation or suspicion that would cause
you to suspect who stole the book from
the locker"
Il have not"
when you ascertained that the book
was missing, what did you do?"
II gave notice before the assembly
tina the book was missing"
How did you discover that the book
was missing?"
by it's absence"
Were you looking for it when you
missed it?"
The witness made several evasive re-
plies, and Colonel Sanders told him he
was too %fippant, and Mr.. Wallace final
ly answered in the affirmative.
What were the circumstances that
induced you to look for that boob
II don't know that any circumstance:
induced me to look for it."
"You did not want 1t for the purpose
Of making any entries in it?'
mo; / said 1t was fun"
Il believe that Is all ] care to ask
Mr.. Wallace" said Colonel Sanders. and
then, addressing the examiner. added
Il think. your honor. / will ask yot
to make a statement to Judge Knowle;
that this witness was subpoenaed 4
bring in a certain book. n that III
came into court and did not bring tn
book. and that he gave divers n sun
dry reasons, real or pretended. why h
did not do so: and that I make tina
statement to the court with a view. AM
because you do not conceive that II ap
pertains to you to inquire whether tn
failure to comply with the summon
was contemptuous or otherwise. ant
that you therefore report the same I,
the Judge of this court for such actor
as he may see fit to take"
1--WE ask" said Mr.. Wines. that yo'
certify to Judge Knowles the examina
ton, direct and cross. of the witness
w. A. Wallace. in order that Judg
Knowles may determine whether or no
this witness has disobeyed the subpoeni
in this case. or has been In any respec
whatever guilty of contempt"
Colonel Sanders-"It does not apper
tain to the examiner. as ! understand Il
to pass on any question of disobedienc
to a writ here: and the question of dis
obedience will be determined by IN
Judge upon the evidence introduced be
fore him. and not upon n examine
ton or cross-examination by the com
plainants or defendants Of the witnes
before the examiner. And we turtle
claim that the defendants in this cas-
so far as interfering in proceedings looh
ing to the trial for contempt are In
truders. and that 1t is q question be
tween the United States OF America an
this witness, in which the defendant
have no interest. and may not inter