Fergus County argus., 1902-10-08
JACK STANG
BOUND OVER
The Assailant Of Jack Rit Had a Hear.
ing Yesterday and Was Held to
the District Court.
PUTS THE BLAME ON FREDERICK
The Defendant Pleaded Not Guilty and
Says That He Tried TO Stop His
Partner From Beating Rlt.

The preliminary hearing OF Jacob
Stang on charge OF assault in the
first degree. which was preferred
against him by Jack Rit, took place
at Judge MacFarland's court yester-
day afternoon. The assault was com
mitted at Rockford on the 25th of
August, when Stang and a man by
the name of Frederick broke into Rit's
house and beat him up. Fredericks
was killed by Rit and Stang was
wounded.
County Attorney Belden conducted
the case on behalf of the state and
w. L. Cort acted for the defense.
Stang, on being arraigned. plead not
guilty and the first witness called on
behalf of the state was Jack Rit. who
is a rancher living a short distance
from the little town OF Rockford. Rit
said that on the night of the assault
he and NJ. G. Adams were in bed at
his ranch in the front room, while in
the back part of the building John
Camen and a man by the name of
Nichols. who had been hired by him
that day. were sleeping. The witness
stated that he was awakened about
midnight by the presence of Stang
and Frederick at his bedside; they
had bottle and wanted him to drink
but he refused on the grounds that
he was not feeling like il. They then
demanded that he get up and cook
supper and he told them to go ahead
and cook something, as he did not
want to get up.
Thereupon they pulled him out of
bed and started to abuse him; drag
ged him outside and beat him with
clubs until he was so numbed that he
hardly knew what was happening.
They put a rope around his neck and
told him that they were going to hang
him il they could find post high
enough. and said they would kill him if
he did not do exactly as they told him.
They then said that they would drag
him at the saddle horn and choke him
TO death and while they were quarrel
ing over whose horse they should use
he got away and crawled into the
house and under the bed. In a few
minutes they came in again and start
ed to throw the dishes and furniture
at him under the bed and poked him
with clubs, finally dragging him out
and misusing him again. At length
they told him that If they couldn't
hang him they would get guns and
kill him and while they were making
preparations for the final event he es-
capped and got in the inner room, pro-
cured revolver. which was hid in
wheat bin. returned as far as the
door and fired two shots as they again
entered the door of his house. Al
ter the shooting he says he went to
Rockford and later to the Volkenard
ranch.
NJ. G. Adams. who was sleeping with
Rit the night of the assault. corrobo-
rated the testimony of the former wit
ness to a great extent, though he did
not see what occurred outside. He
said that Frederick started to abuse
Rit directly as he entered the house,
and kept saying that he would get
even with Rit for stealing his broncho.
Adams says that he tried to pacify
him but they told him to shut his
mouth and Frederick struck him a
glancing blow on the head. He said
that when Rit came in the last time
that he told him to go into the inner
room and that he would try to pacify
the man. Rit went in and returned
with the gun and fired two shots,
though with what effect could not be
learned at the time. Rit then ran out
through the back room and into the
grain field. where Adams said he found
him and advised him to wire to the
officers at Lewistown and inform them
of what he had done. He said that Rit
went toward Rockford as soon as he
could get into his clothes. The wit.
ness, on cross-examination said that
he did not see Stang with a club
though it was so dark that nothing
could be distinguished plainly.
DR.. Treacy testified that Rit was
badly bruised up and had several ribs
broken. seemingly by blow from a
club as well as conclusions on the head
and shoulders.
Stang when placed upon the stand