The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-06-18
WITT SENT UP FOR TWENTY
FIVE YEARS.
FoRcER ALSO SENTENCED
Both Men Pleaded Guilty in Dis
trict Court-Jury Drawn
Trial Of Cases.
From Saturdays Daily Gazette.

~ IL ~ l
From Saturdays Daily Gazette.
The district court, which convened
Thursday morning, will take a re-
cess today for n week, or until next
Thursday morning, in order to give
the sheriff and deputies time to sum-
mon the persons who have been
drawn to serve as jurors. The list is
as follows:
Chas. Cooke, F. D. Mccormick, M.
F. Trogden, A. ]. Wilkinson, W. B.
Chrysler, Alex. Gass, w. A. Allen, D.
A. Ramp, Carl Gutenberg, Nick Kloss,
John Rehwald, H. G. Hoppe. Hosea
Connick, S. G. Hood, G. T. Thomas,
Cole, John NJ. Moots, T.. G. Hammond,
Intyre, Paul Mccormick, w. G. Hin
shaw, John McCurdy, H. G. Rosean,
John McVay, w. B. George, w. G.
Williams, Frank Kellett, E. B. Robin
son, A. Mccormick, Thos. J. Bouton,
w. s. Bayerd and Henry Haid.
The first matter brought up after
court convened at 8 III the morning
was the hearing Of pleas Of the defen-
dants in the criminal cases.
John Leonard pleaded guilty to the
charge of forgery and was sentenced
to the state ~penitentiary for a year.
Leonard forged the name of M. Kane
to q check drawn by McShane Bros,
contractors, for $158 and tried to get
the same cashed at the First National
bank about two months ago. Leon
ard is said to have served a term of
four years at Deer Lodge for being
implicated in the murder of a woman
at Anaconda.
l.. A. Witt, charged with attempted
rape, was allowed to plead guilty to
the charge of kidnapping, evidently
hoping that he would be let off with
a light sentence. He was then sen
fenced to 25 years Imprisonment at
hard labor. The sentence of the court
came rs a great surprise to him, as
he was visibly affected when it was
announced.
Wits crime is still fresh in the
minds of The Gazette readers, for it
occurred less than a month ago. Late
one afternoon he kidnapped the 5-year-
old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. F. B..
Connolly from the yard of her home,
and carrying her to an empty box
car in the Burlington yards, about
three blocks away, attempted to rape
her, but was discovered by a brake
who heard the child scream and
went to her rescue, At the time Of
his arrest there was strong talk Of
breaking into the Jail and taking him
out and hanging him, but cooler heads
prevailed and the law was allowed
to take its course. 1t is said that
Witt, previous to kidnapping the Con-
nelly child, attempted to entice from
their homes two other little girls in
the south part of the city, but was
discovered by neighbors. Witt gave
his age rs SO.
The other criminal cases are as
follows:
Geo. Smith, burglary in the second
degree; pleaded not guilty and his
trial was set for June 20, at 2 O'Clock
p. m.
500 Key, assault ii the first degree;
pleaded not guilty. Trial set for June
20, at 8 q. m.
Seth Dix, murder in the first de
gree; pleaded not guilty. Trial set
for June 25, at 8 a. m.
VIM. Kukuro and Chas. Burg, grand
larceny; pleaded not guilty. Trial
set for June q, at 8 a. m.
Myrtle Brown, assault in the first
degree; pleaded not guilty. Trial set
for June "a, at 9 a. m.
Chas. Kane and Robert Maxwell,
robbery; pleaded not guilty. Trial
set for June 20 at 8 a.. m.
In the case of w. x. Sudduth> VS.. J,
w. Newton, wherein the former is
suing for damages, the court set the
same for trial on June rs, at 8 a. m.
The bonds of the county commits
sioners we're approved by the court.
Magnus Kautzsch and Joseph Zim
,sinski, Jr., were naturalized.
In the case Of w. ]. Youmans VS.
School District No. 4, Of Custer Coun
ty, the defendants attorney moved
for a change of venue to Rosebud
couny. The motion was argued ant
submitted.