The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-14
BUTTER FOR THE BREAD.
Boulder Village in Furor Over
Bribery Charges.
BUT SMITH is ACQUITTED
Charles >Scharf Said That the County
Commissioner Had Made Queer
Propositions and Other Wit
nesses Tell About Things.

Special Correspondence Of the Standard.
Boulder, April 13.-The case against
County Commissioner Harry G. Smith
in the district court here yesterday at
tracted much attention. He was
charged by the grand jury with cor
rupt misconduct in office in soliciting
bride from Charles Scharf, who was
an applicant for appointment by the
board to the Office of clerk of the dis
trlct court. The state was represented
by MT. Lyon, county attorney, and the
defense by T. j. Walsh of Helena
Mr.. Scharf testified that he had sew
eral conversations with Smith about
the appointment, and asked for Smiths
vote. The latter said that if a man
had bread he ought to have little but
ter to put on it. Smith also said that
he had been offered $3.50 to vote for an
other party, but that he would vote for
me for SITS. told him that if he
would vote for me I would help him out
by giving him s25 or $50 if he was hard
up. l afterwards told him that the
oath of office was so strict that didn't
care to deal with him and that if he
voted for me, all right, and if not, all
right"
Charles z. Pond was the next witness
and testified that he also was after the
office and had promised to lend Smith
after ne received the appointment $3.50
or $500 which he could pay back if he
felt that he wanted to: He said that
L mad done great deal for the demo-
cratic party and was entitled to some
ND ,tl,r 4 ,.,t
me, and asked if he could have $100
now. | said yes but before we went
to get it Monahan, another member of
the board. took him away from me-"
This closed the case for the prosecution.
The first witness for the defense was
William Fergus, chairman of the board.
His evidence tended to show that there
was conspiracy among some of the
democrats around the court house to
get Smith off the beard. He heard a
conversation at Basin wherein Scharf,
Monahan and Ricketts, joined, in which
D. Driscoll was asked to get off of
Smiths bond, and that if they could
get him and Sockerson and Sullivan to
do so Smith could not act as commits
sioner, and they could have another
man appointed.
DR.. Leighton was called to show that
Scharf and Smith had met in his office.
William T. Sweet testified that he
had heard Scharf say that he would
be willing to give Smith $25 or $50. and
had understood that Smith wanted
butter for his bread.
H. G. Smith was the next witness in
his own defense. He said there were
about % applicants for the appoint
ment; Scharf approached him many
times: had figured Iout the difference
between his salary as deputy clerk and
recorder and what it would be as clerk
of the court. and would give sits for
his vote. He made no answer to the
proposition. Scharf afterwards offered
him $50 and he made no answer; had
not said that he wanted butter for his
bread. Pond offered him 5000 for his
vote. Witness never offered to take
and never did take any money for his
vote.
In an effort to break down Smiths
testimony Messrs. Driscoll, Freeborn.
Leary, Gibson and Schupp were called
and testified that Smiths reputation
for truth and veracity in Basin were
bad.
Mr.. Southwort, a juryman on the
case, was then called by the defense
to prove good character, but said the
same as the witnesses above. L. @.
Shelton said he did not know what his
reputation was in Basin. A. H. Foster
said he did not know what it was in
Basin, but said it was very good in
Boulder.
The jury was out but a short time
and returned with verdict of not
guilty.