The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-01
THREE YEARS FOR NORRIS
Bigamist Pleads Guilty and Is
Given the Limit.
A SEVERE ARRANGEMENT
Judge Smith Regrets That He Cannoj
Impose More Deserved Punish
ment-Prisoner Peles at the
Courts Scathirg Words.
Special Dispatch to the Standard,

Special Dispatch to the Standard,
Helena. Oct. 31.-Three years in the
penitentiary and a fine of 1900 is the
sentence imposed upon Reginald Nor
ris, the self-confessed bgamist recently
arrested in Iowa and brought here to
be punished.
Judge Smith sentenced him to-day.
N passing sentence upon the man who
confessed last week that he had more
wives than the law allows, Judge Smith
gave Norris a severe arraignment tell
ing him that it was the courts regret
that the law did not permit the impo-
sition Of heavier sentence. Such Sc
were censure has not been showered
upon a criminals head in Helena in q.
long time. Not one of the large num-
ber of spectators who heard the court
doubted for moment that Norris de-
served it..
Il do not understand why the legis-
lature should attach a greater punish
ment to rape or seduction than it does
to the crime Of bigamy," said the court.
In my Judgment, biganly is the worse
crime of the three. In crimes involv-
ing force and arms the victim has some
small chance of escape, but when man
like you approaches a young girl under
the guise of being single and under
the further guiSe of being connected
with the church as you did, ASH gain
from this letter, which it is said you
wrote, she has no defense at all. High
waymen or burglars or robbers take
some chance and give their victim a
small chance. You did neither Of these
things. l think this crime that you
have confessed is the most despicabls
there is in the category OF crime.
"A man of mature years who would
not only desert one wife and his own
offspring, but deliberately plan the ruin
Of another woman, ought to be punish
ed most severely. The punishment for
rape or seduction is a long term in the
penitentiary; the punishment for big
amy is three years in the penitentiary
and q fine not exceeding $1,000. In ad-
dition to this you committed perjury
when You took out your marriage liz
sense to marry Miss Hughes. The pun
isilment for perjury is not less than
one nor more than Ia years in the peni-
tentiary. II You had your just deserts
you ought to get "A years to-day i'm
this court at hard labor at Deer Lodge
AS / say, am unable to give it to you.
THE judgment of the law and the
sentence of the court is that you be.
confined at hard labor in the state pen
itentiary at Deer Lodge, Deer Ledge
county, Montana, for term Of three
years, and in addition to that you shall
Norris paled a trtle under the scath-
ing words, but soon regained his COM
posure and followed an officer meeklY
away. 1t was the end Of what prom-
ised, had il come to trial, of being 81
sensational case. Norris, however,
pleaded guilty and the case was robbed
OF its sensations.
Norris is only 80 years old, but has
been quite industrious in the marrying.
line. Between the avncations of an
evangelist and an electric line repairer
he has found time to become married
to two women, one here and one in
ed letters he is believed to have wives
in other states. As a letter writer he
was a master. Several OF his loving
epistles to the two known wives, i'm
which he tried to deceive one respecting.
his relations with the other. would take
high rank in amatory correspondence
In letter to his Helena wife he told
how, with a Chicago detective, he con-
spired to rob the Minnesota woman,
who, he said, was his divorced wife.
of their 4-year-old child. He confessed
to Judge Smith to-day the writing OF
this letter, which accounted in meas
IRE for the courts caustic comments.
With the usual time allowance for
good behavior Norris will be released
from the penitentiary in 50 months.
The 81, 500 fine will operate as a civil
judgment against him that the state
can enforce whenever he has any prop.
erty that can be seized.