The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-09
-FOUR MEN PLEAD GUILTY
Conlsy, Aestas, Malone and
O'Neill Will Go to Deer Lodge.
Mr.. JOHNSON TAKES TIME
A Big Day OF Criminal Business In the
District Court Gleason Ordered
Sent TO Warm springs-Other
Matters in Court.

There was a big lot OF criminals up
before Judge Brantly yesterday MORN
ing when he convened the district
court. 1t was a day when everybody
seemed to be convinced OF his own
guilt, n as a consequence o men
were sentenced to serve out time in
the Deer Lodge penitentiary.
Joseph w. O'Neill, the forger. who
succeeded in passing a number Of bogus
checks about a week or two ago, was
the first victim of hfe's misfortunes.
When asked II he had an attorney he
said that j. H. DUFFY would appear for
him.. but that gentleman declined. stat
ing that he a withdrawn from the
case, as stated in the Standard yester-
day morning. O'Neill then thought
there was little left for him to do but
plead guilty and throw himself upon
the mercy Of the court He waived his
statutory rights and asked that SEN
tence be passed upon him at once.
Judge Brantly then sentenced him to
serve two years in the state peniten-
tiary. O'NeiH is the fellow who, to-
gether with c.. d. Bishop. blew into
town a few weeks ago and
that the two Were men of some means,
and gave 1t out that they were looking
u ooitoDr AOSdtiO ~ "" W
opening a saloon. The two put up at
the Leland hotel and went about town
considerably. They palmed or sew
eral bogus checks on some of the mer-
chants and saloonkeepers. One of the
checks was for s14. another for SIG, and
n for 500, making in all $50. They
may have passed others that ave not
been reported.
After playing their string out the two
men left the city. They were located
at Great Falls. and on Monday Con
stable Jack Conley went up to bring
them back. A complaint was filed
against O'Neill in Judge Williams
court, charging him with forgery. and
his preliminary examination was held
on Thursday, at which time he was
bound over to the district court in the
sum of $500. Bishop, it was understood,
had agreed to turn states evidence,
and had expressed a willingness to ap-
pear against his former partner. He
was also held to the higher court in
$500 bonds to appeal as a witness. Late
on Thursday afternoon O'Neill re-
quested a conference with County At
torney Trippet. at which time it is un-
derstood he agreed to plead guilty, and
his plea of yesterday was in accord
nee with that agreement.
The next man up was Thomas NJ.
COnley, who was charged with bur-
glary. His crime was committed in
Deer Lodge. and consisted in the theft
of tools and other articles from Bielen-
berg & Co. He was charged with pet
it larceny before a Deer Lodge justice
of the peace, but he asked for a change
of venue, and the case was sent to
Judge Kennedy's court in this city.
Here Conley demanded a jury trial. and
the request was granted. The jury
heard the evidence and then retired to
deliberate. but could agree upon no YER
dict, and at the end of two days the
jury was discharged. An information
charging Conley with burglary IA
then filed in the district court, and to
this offense he was yesterday brought
guilty to a charge Of burglary in the
second degree, and the court fixed his
sentence at one year in the state peni-
Tertiary.
Joseph Mestas. against whom the
county attorney on Wednesday filed ar
Information charging him with grand
larceny in stealing a watch valued at
$50. also pleaded guilty. and was given
two years free board and lodging with
Conley IND McTague. Mestas Is said
to have done time in the San Quentin
prison in California. He has been en-
ployed by the city for some time in
rounding up the stray dogs o town.
Thomas j. Malone was also sent up
for two years. Malone is one of the
men who stole a $500 watch from a
miner near Elliston about a week ago.
The other fellow was George Spencer.
Spencer and Malone were captured in
Helena on Sunday last. and taken be-
fore Justice Barnden of Avon. who
bound them over to the district court.
They were brought to town pm Thurs
day. When Malone was brought up
he was in two minds about pleading.
and at first decided to stand trial. War
rem w Goodman was appointed by the