Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-24
CINCH CAME LAW VIOLATORS
Quartet Of Holt County Hunters Pay sls5
for Their Sport
TRIAL OF THE CASE PROVES EXCITING
~yeeEetsry Mnrsh, on strength of opin-
ion by Attorney General, Decides
to submit Constitutional
Amendment.
(From a atan correspondent.l

-
From a stan Correspondent)
LINCOLN, July 2S.-(special. )-Chief
Game Warden simpkins and Deputy George
Carter successfully raided a crowd Of H.
licit hunters in Holt county Monday after
noon. The capture included John P. sulli-
van, Jerry Sullivan, Mike Sullivan and
Patrick Sullivan and In their possession
we're found seventeen prairie chickens. The
men were convicted and fined IS for each
bird and the costs Of the prosecution, the
aggregate penalty being S135.
The arrest and trial OF these men Gre
Ated a sensation in o'Neill, the county
seat, and throughout the country. NJ. F.
Harrington was employed to defend them
and in the trial put up the plea that mere
possession of the prairie chickens outside
of the open season was not in itself an Of
Tense for which a penalty could be imposed.
insisting that evidence that the men
actually shot them was necessary for a
conviction.
The Sullivens we're unanimous In declar-
ing themselves not guilty and each de-
manded a trial by jury. Twelve men were
Summoned and, against their own remon-
STRANGE. were ordered by Judge Morgan to
sit in the case. From far and near came
hunters and others and when the hearing
was begun the courtroom was packed to its
capacity.
Case Looked Hopeless.
"It seemed like a hopeless case, for
everybody apparently was on the side OF
the accused" said Mr.. simpkins, describ-
ing the sensational trial. THE county at
torney assisted in the prosecution and
probably did more than anybody else to
bring the conviction. In summing up the
case he said: Gentlemen of the jury, the
four boys here. all highly respected citi-
gems of the community, are on trial for
the violation Of a law. They are friends Of
mine and / am 10th to prosecute them,
but when 1 took the oath of my ofice
pledge myself to support the constitution
and enforce the laws. That is what l am
doing. / am living up to that oath. Now
It is up to you as business men Of this city
to live up to the oath you have taken
TO truly try the issues Of this case That
one remark seemed to cinch the whole
case.
well, the fury retired and was out six
hours. On the first ballot the vote was ten
for acquittal, one for conviction and one
not voting. On the second ballot, taken
two hours later, ten were for conviction.
The third ballot was unanimous. but then
there was disagreement as to the fine.
The jury wanted to have the fine fixed
for only one or two birds. The Judge was
called in and he told them It was either
guilty or not guilty and II the former, s.
for each bird. Then we got the verdict"
Mr.. Simpkins says he has numerous re-
ports OF Illicit shooting in Holt county,
but has been unable thus far to secure
a conviction. His secret service has not
penetrated the district and the only way
he could catch the shooters was to do 1t
himself. The men in this particular Sec
ton Of the state who have been violating
the law seemed to have banded together for
mutual protection.
Lincoln BANK Statement.
The last statement OF the condition of
the three national banks Of this city, made
in response to the call by the comptroller
OF the currency, shows a substantial In
crease in the volume Of business OF the
institutions. there being increases in both
deposits and loans since the last state
ments were made. Following is a COMPARE
son Of the deposits:
Fret National .............R llS,lOO Nz'6n'aVO
Columbia ............".." l'9ss'S@ s sIdr sE0
Totals ............ .S.4Ss.SOO s4,2SWO
First National .............&1 722,30 N,!Oe,6N
Columbia ''''""''''' ZEE IS 3S1 SSS
civ NNAfNS NfN
II Is reported to the executive depart
ment that the farm Of the Reform school
at Kearney was never in bettor condition
and never gave prospects Of a greater
yield than now. Superintendent BeEhtol.
who was in the city today attending to
some matters connected with the insti-
tuition, says the same condition prevails
throughout the county.
ASIDE from a little damage to oats by
q high wind everything grown or growing
on the state farm is In excellent condition.
In fact, couldn't be better, " said DR.. Begh-
toll. I'VE have about 200 acres Of corn tas-
selling. as fine as can be found In the state.
Our wheat has averaged forty bushels
per acre and some fields yielded much
more. We have had two cuttings of alfalfa
and will soon have a third. There are
seventy-nve tons OF alfalfa under cover
at the school and about a third as much
more in stack. The farm this year in
oludes seventy acres OF wheat, eighty acres
of oats and seventy acres Of beets. besides
the land devoted to other crops
DR.. Beghtol has prepared 10 give the
boys at the Reform school all the milk
they can conveniently drink. He has pur-
chased several select cows and will add ia
the herd as the boys capacity increases
He now has eighteen cows and 1888 boys.
President NJ. L. scudder OF the Lincoln
Traction announces the proposed con-
struction OF a new street car line to the
state fair grounds. II has been reported
by some newspapers that the company
would discontinue Its service to the grounds
because Of alleged unfair concessions made
20 the Burlington railroad.
Philippine Veterans Organise.
A local branch OF the National soeiet.
OF the Army OF the Philippines has beer
organized with the following officers.
President, Captain L. Wilson. late FRS
Nebraska. United States volunteers; mrs
vice president. Captain Harry L. Archer
late First Nebraska, United States volun'
teers; Second vice president. Private
ChlIles Andrews, who served on oiym
pia with Dewey in Manila bay; third vie'