The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-11-29
WESTRUM'S TRIAL
TAKING OF TESTIMONY BEGINS
IN JUDGE M'CLERNAN's COURT. !

The trial of Marcos Westrum came I'D
again in Judge McClernan's court this
morning, and the taking of testimony
began. ts
Westrum is charged with forging and
passing Wells-Fargo money order for
$50, in company with a man named,
James Rowland, now a convict at Deer
Lodge. = =
When the trial opened County Attor-
ney Breen read the informa ton to the
jury. Attorney Thresher, representing
Westrum, objected to the rea ding of
that part of the proceeding recitirg a
Missouri information charging Westrum
with forgery for which he went to
prison in that state. The objection was
overruled and Mr.. Thresher took an ex-
ception.
Prisoner Chews Gum.
Westrum sat and chewed gum I'M
movedly while the Missouri record
chronicling his conviction and sentence
to years in prison in Missouri, was
read
Westrum and another man named
Rowland We're accused of stealing 20
blank Wells-Fargo money orders from
a Wells-Fargo Office in the East, which
they broke into, and filing them out
and passing several of them here.
One of them, it is alleged, was passed
on Jerry Mccarthy and James Harring-
ton, for $50, and the charge of forgery
was based upon the making and passing
of this order
The passing of the orders took place
last spring, and while the police We're
trying to capture Westrum, he jumped
out of the window of his room in a
lodging house and escaped to Helena.
He was captured and brought back
Rowland was arrested and pleaded
guilty, and was sent to Deer Lodge for
three years.
Rowland on the Stand.
Rowland, who was brought mp from
Deer Lodge to testify about his connec-
ton with Westrunl, and who had made
statement in the presence of witnesses
that Westrum was his accomplice in
making and passing the forged orders,
was the first witness for the state. But
he went back absolutely on his state
ment and testified that his pal had been
a nan named Sullivan.
"Where do you reside Mr.. Rowland?"
County Attorney Breen asked.
at Sv awhile, Minnesota" Rowland
answered.
Where IS your present abode?"
"In the penitentiary," Rowland re-
piled.
He is a bullet-headed young man
about % We ars old. and he made his
answer in shamefaced yet half defiant
manner. He spoke clearly, but his face
colored as he replied. and his demeanor
indicated that the situation was I'M
comfortable.
Rowland said that he and man
named Mike Sullivan got the money or
der blank in evidence in Minnesota and
passed II here. Sullivan stood outside
the door of the saloon where it was
passed while Rowland passed it, and
Rowland gave Sullivan $25 out of the $50
received when he came out of the sa-
loon, so Rowland testified. He said he
coL'd not remember where the saloon is.
Denies Alias Charges.
and denied that Sullivan was called
Marcos Westrum. He said that Sulli-
van helped make the check and other
checks, and declared that he did not
know where Sullivan is at present. His
testimony introducing Sullivan as his
accomplice insteau of Westrum, was al
together unexpected.
In his opening statement to the jury
Mr. Breen had said that Westrum stood
outside the saloon and received the $25
but Rowland's statement brought Sulli-
van into this role, or man of a differ
ent identity to whom he gave that
name. The testimony Of Rowland was
interrupted by arguments over an OBJ
lection raised by Mr.. Thresher which
lasted till noon.