The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-21
WILLIE JONES IS FREE
Jury Acquite Him Of the Charge
of Grand Larceny.
WERE OUT FOUR HOURS
i Examination Of Jurors to Try Persingsr
1 on tho Charge OF Murder Will Be-
gin To-Day-Promises to Be
Long Trial

Willie Jones is not guilty OF grand
Blarceny, says a jury of IL goodly men
and true. It took them four hours to
arrive at the verdict, and the court Of
sfcers are astonished that they should
Shave reached it at all.
R Willie Jones is an erratic young man
who is well known about town. Prior
to Oct Is he was employed at the
lodging house kept by Mr.. and Mrs.
$Black on Main street, serving in the
Ncapacity of "swamper," or porter: lie
left the position. Coincident with ms
leaving Mrs. Black missed diamond
pin, a piece of county scrip of the
value of s25, two deposit checks for
Il $50 each and other articles
Jones was arrested and the diamond
n pin found upon him. At the prelirnin-
AIRY hearing before Judge J. M. Ken
,torney Oles, he claimed the pin was put
on him by Night Chief of Police
SO'Brien. Yesterday in his trial in the
district court, where Attorney r. P.
X o Brien defended him, he claimed Mrs.
/. Black had given him a shirt and the
8 pin had been in it when she gave it
to him. This statement seemed to
s surprise Attorney O'Brien, who, in a
s,dignified manner. explained to the
court that he was not responsible for
these inconsistent stories. Mr.. O'Brien
declined to submit any argument what
lever in the case.
Despite all this and despite the evil
Sdence of Mr.. and Mrs. Black, Night
WChief O'Brien. Deputy Sheriffs Walsh
and Stevens. Police Officer Percy In
gals and Street Commissioner Shovlin,
the jury returned verdict of acquit-
Htal.
IN To-day in the district court the trial
&of Ellis Persinger, charged with COM
plicity as a principal in the murder of
Eugene Cullinane at American gulch,
4 Aug 8, will begin. To be accurate. 1t
lis set to begin. but it is doubtful II
any evidence will be taken until late
in the week. A great deal of trouble
lis expected in securing a jury. The
ease has been discussed 50 widely that
it will be hard to find jurors who have
formed no opinion. County Attorney
Duffy believes the present regular
panel will be exhausted speedily and
svenire will have to be called before IL
Congratulated men can be secured.
\ Many witnesses have been summon
ed on both sides and it is expected the
trial will last more than a week
Yesterday the attorneys for Persing-
hitting them to interview Charles
oliver Benson, who is serving a 10
year sentence, having pleaded guilty to
manslaughter for completely in the
crime Benson has been brought from
Deer Lodge to testify and is now in the
county Jail.
The case wherein it was charged that
Wright assaulted Wright was before
the district court long enough yester-
day to enable the punsters to make
many a bad play upon words. H. A.
Wright was the defendant He was
accused of assaulting f. B. Wright.
The justice court had convicted him
and fined hims S. and costs. He an
pealed. Yesterday, when the appeal
was called in the district court. the
defense secured permission to with
draw the appeal and accept the YER
diet of the lower court.
OF the IS jurors drawn on the reg.
ular venire the officers had succeeded
in serving the following, who answer
ed to their names in court:
Jen Jensen, Henry Casper, Franz
Thretkeld, L. P. Beck, ]. K. Uhl, VIII
lam Emery, Rasmus Hanson, John Nc
Inerney, Frank wye. Reese Jones, W
B.. Cline, Edward Connolly, Joe Rich
ards, Chas. A. MacCallum, John Odson
Frank Tucker, Nathan Wheeler, Ed
ward Cooley, Peter Jessen, Evan ]
Evans, G. w. Collins, Arnold Mickels
T. J. Wales, J. B. Finley. John Nc
Kay, Frank A Fisher. O. G. Rein
hardt, Thomas w. Cowan. Georg
Watts and Angus G. Mcdonald.
OF these the following were excused
Jen Jensen, John McInerney. Franz