Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-28
A LABEL EXPERT
Freeman Lane Discharged
From Custody Today.
HIS WORK ALL RIGHT
Considered a Public Benefact0r In
stead of an Ext0rtiOniSt-Other
Court Matters.

Lane with alleged extortion in connec-
ton with his duty as the representative ,
of an eastern liquor association in dis
couraging the sale Of bogus liquors was
withdrawn this morning and the bond of
the defendant eXonerated. This action
was tine result of a discovery that Lane
a public benefactor in his line of duty,
having been authorized by the liquor as
ISOLATION to make compromises with that
class of liquor dealers who handle spu-
rious goods.
The association represented by him is
sues a publication in which the law re-
lating to the Illicit traffic is define and
the punishment for it's violation set forth.
All dealers receive a copy of it. Whole
sale eastern firms comprising this asso-
citation do more or less business with
nearly all Of the smaller wholesale and
retail houses of the country and to pre-
vent attractions of the law by them with
reference to the sale of spurious goods
keep several agents in the field. Mr..
Lane is one Of the agents and is said to be
an expert. He can go into a house, glance
along at the bottled goods on the shelves
and without hesitation separate the spu-
rlous label from the genuine. He eX-
planned to the county attorney today how
he did it and why he has made overtures
to some of the dealers for a compromise.
AS these men do more or less business
with the firms which comprise. the Spir-
ituous Dealers association, said he, it
is not the object Of the former to enjoin
them from conducting their business or
bringing crimina actions against them,
but prevent the illicit traffic. He said
they could be prosecuted criminally and
then sued for damages for using a spu-
rious trade mark. When once caught at
the business the association usually Of
! fered to compromise so as not to give
the matter too much publicity, but if the
dealers refused to make the proffered
compromise they were usually compelled
to face criminal proceedings. If the COM
| promise was accepted a bond had to be
given as a guarantee that the traffic
would not be continued, and If the pro-
visions Of the bono were violated the
violater had to either pay a larger
amount of compromise money or face the
music of the law.
In discussing the matter today Mr..
Lane stated that in Portland. Ore, fully
so per cent of the liquors sold We're not
| genuine, which was the largest percent
age of any place in the United States.
In Butte it was about Is per cent. In one
| pldCc NlSlttu NY Hli III lIIlS ClNS HC LoulAA
| a spurious brand of gin on a shelf. The
proprietor admitted that it was not gen.
uine, but said it was not being sold.
Lane is a bright, shrewd mar and pos
sesses a command of language seldom
| equalled by anyone. BY profession he is
a lawyer of ability and owns one Of the
best libraries in the state of Minnesota.
He is also a republican politician and an
advocate of the election of United States
| senators by popular vote.
At the request of the county attorney,
! the setting of the case of the state against
Llewellyn S. Hatch. charged with haV-
ing appropriated to his own use $500 be-
longing to an eastern insurance COM
pany, was vacated by Judge Clancy to-
day. 1t will not be reset until after the
return of Colonel H. c. Kessler, whose
testimony is desired.
An information charging John O'Neill
with the burglary of NJ. j.. Harrington'S
room in Riley's boarding house, at Cen
t~erville, a few weeks ago was filed by the
prosecuting attorney. The prisoner asked
for and was granted until next Saturday
to make his plea.
Judge Lindsay has made a decision de-
claring that j. B.. Knight is no longer a
constab BILE in Silver Bow county. Knight
has been the constable in Justice Smiths
court at SOutn butte, having Deen reSu-
larly elected by the republicans of South
Butte township. Some time ago James
H. Lynch and Fayette Harrington, his
official bondsmen, gave notice of their
intention to withdraw from the bond and
Knigh was instructed to furnish new
bonds, which, it is alleged, he failed to
do within the time required by law, and
his office was accordingly declared va
cant as stated. In rendering his decision
on the proposition the judge said in
part:
1.-The judge of Department of said
district court does now, the said j. b.
knight, constable aforesaid, having
failed to give good and ample or any
surety for the discharge of his official
duties. as by law required, within the
time by law provided, order and declare
the office Of j.. B.. Knight, constable
within and for the township of South
Butte, in the county of Silver Bow, state
of Montana, vacant and releases the
said James II. Lynch and Fayette Har-
rington, suretles upon the official bond
of said constable, from all liability here
after arising thereon"
Joseph VOlker, one of the constables for
Silver Bow township. elected on the dem
ocratic ticket. is making a battle to en-
force recognition as an official. Mr..
Volker IS a German and was the only one
of his country1men given a place on the
democratic ticket. Since March | he
claims he has been given little or nothing
to do in his official line, and he is going
to find out why.
Charlotte S. Eager has commenced an
action against Anton Strasser to fore
close a mortgage given by the defend
ant to secure tie payment of a prG;n,,s
sorry note for 81 1000. The amount are"aa
to be due is $873.0 8.
In the suit of Charles Dockman against
the De KreknS the nlaintiff H.. ~