Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-02-04
ON THE MERCY OF the COURT.
The Petit Jury Has Little to Do But to Watch
Those Accused By the Grand Jury "
Receive Their Sentences.
Two Brief Trials So Far. Shoemaker Olson
is Convicted. Matt w. Thom
is ACQUITTED

Is NOI1VlCl0 !
is AGO
Following are the proceedings of the
of the district court during the three
first days of the week:
New London Boys in Jail.
At the convening of the, court last
Monday afternoon, three OF the young
men from New London who were in"
dicted for illegally selling intoxicat-
ing liquor by the grand jury, pleaded
guilty. Chas. Nyberg was the first
one called and changed his plea to
"guilty." Louis E.. Smith who had
been confined to his bed by an attack
of appendicitis, was arraigned and
pleaded guilty. William Cole ap-
peared and asked leave to change his
plea OF mot guilty. to guilty, and it
was 80 entered. Judge Qvale then
pronounced sentence which was fine
of $50 and 80 days in Jail IN each case.
In the case of Griffith Thomas the de.
fendent's attorney, Sam'l Porter,
moved for the continuance of the case
until next term of court, offering in
support of the same the affidavit of
the serious illness of his wife which
required his presence at home. Coun-
ty Attorney johnson stated that the
state did OF wish to see any of the
cases continued, but under the circum-
stances he would not insist on the
trial of defendant at this time. Judge
Qvale ordered the continuance of the
case until the next general term of
court.
This exhausted the cases set for trial
on this day and the inquiry was made
if any of the defendants in cases set
for Tuesday were willing and ready to
appear for trial. None could be found
so court adjourned until Tuesday fore
noon at 900 o'clock.
-~~ At last Tuesday mornings session
the first case called was the first. in-
dictment against B. F. Miller, Atty.
Geo. Muller appeared with Mr.. Miller
and stated that the defendant asked
for leave to change his plea Of mot
guilty. to ''guilty,'' which was grant,
ed. On request the sentence was de-
ferred until four O'Clock in the after
noon.
On the second Indictment against B.
F. Miller, the case was continued un-
til the June term of court.
The next case called was State vs..
Victor Nelson. Atty Muller appeared
and made same request as in Miller
case: The prisoner pleaded guilty
and sentence was deferred until four
O'Clock in afternoon.
The next case called was State VS..
Ole Nelson. He also pleaded guilty
to one Indictment. The counsel,
Atty. Muller, asked for leniency as
the defendant has not been in business
for himself and had not q cent of
money. The court questioned the
prisoner. He stated that he had been
in the business since November, but
could not deny that he knew it was
illegal. The court could not see that
there was any excuse for Mr.. Nelson.
He was sentenced to serve thirty days
in jail and to pay fine of 500. On
the second Indictment, the case was
continued by consent until the June
term.
Trial Of Tho Shoemaker.
Shoemaker Peter Olson, VINO runs a
small shoe shop on Benson avenue, was
the defendant in the first liquor case
which required the services of the petit
jury. Atty. Geo. Muller defended the
accused.
Nineteen jurors were examined be-
fore the jury was completed. 1t was q
noticeable fact that the majority OF
those examined were free to express
their convictions as against the liquor
traffic, legal or un]egal. This is in
dicative of the great growth Of the
temperance sentiment among the peo-
pie OF the county. The jury as accept
ed consisted of the following: Cnas.
Johnson, Aug. Betzin, Aug. Lund-
quist, A. O. Hildahl, E. r. Olson,
Nels Abrahamson, Fred Linn, Fred
Flygare, Nels Norel), K. T. Rykken,
Peter Skoglund and Geo. Wilson.
The first witness. for the State was
{ Edward Peterson. He could not speak
y English and Rev. Heimd al was sworn
sas interpreter. The witness stated
]. that he lived on the Grue farm near
Eagle Lake. That on Jan. 8 last he
entered the defendants shop in the
afternoon. He gave the defendant
twenty five cents and asked him to get