Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-12-30
BAD week FOR PICcERs

BAD week FOR PIccERS
Waterman and Berg Found Guilty and
Fined-Attsmpt to Shift Owner.
ship Of whisky Falls.
The case of Hans Olson vs. O'e
Lundquist was called in Judge Otter
ness court at ten o'clock yesterday
forenoon. Attorneys Olson & John
son appeared for the defendant and
George Muller conducted the case for
the plaintiff. 1t was really an attempt
to clear Albert Berg Of the charge of
blindpigging, by proving that the In
toxicatinR liquors confiscated on his
premises belonged to Hans Olson.
Olson alleged that on the 22nd of
December Ole Lundquist had unlaw-
fully seized some liquors belonging to
plaintiff, and that plaintiff had there
by been damaged to the extent OF s25,
and he asked the court to compel the
perpetrator of this cruel deed to dig
down into his Jeans for that amount
After two hours OF hard legal labor
court adjourned for dinner.
At two o'clock the case was again
taken up. The whole case was some.
what tedious, although at times 1t was
interesting indeed. Hans said that it
was his intention to 60 visiting dur
ing Christmas but as the liquors had
been taken away from him he was un-
able to 60 anywheres and entertain
his many friends and this was one of
the principal reasons why he asked
for S2j damages. Plaintiff was not in
partnership with Berg and had only
helped him when he had time to spare.
His Christmas supply OF strong stuff"
had been purchased at Atwater and he
had been one of the many who had
anxiously been awaiting its arrival at
the ex press Office, and 10! when he had
received it, it was taken from him.
Being unable to secure new supply
in Willmar, his Christmas had no
more Joys in store for him.
The case was finally dismissed upon
motion OF County Attorney Johnson
on the ground that the suit had
been made against Ole Lundquist as
individual instead of Ole Lundquist as
sheriff OF Kandiyohi county, and also
on account of the variance of the
prubfs submitted. 1t is probable that
the case will be appealed to the dis.
trict court.
Immediately af:er the closing of the
replevin case, the case 0f State OF
Minnesota versus Albert Berg, for H.
legal sale of liquor, was called. The
attorneys in this case we're Muller for
defendant ana johnson for state. Ths
chief witness for the state was w. O..
Miner, member of the American De-
tective Association. His testimony in
the case was very clear and concise,
and coupled with the testimony of
Chief OF Police Bonde made line of
attack that was pretty hard to run up
against. After the points In the case
had been pointed out and made as dull
as there was any possibility of max.
ing them, the case was left for the con-
sideration of the court. The decision
was that Albert Berg was found guilty
OF illegal sale of liquor and fined s25
or thirty days free lodging at the
county jail. The fine was paid and it
is to be hoped that this affair will
tend to make defendant more careful
about his doings in the line of con.
fectionery.
Berg has not been in this country
for any length of time and surely not in
the "pigging" business much longer.
1t wont do to keep it on the sly'' as
long as Chief Bonde manages to be in
"several places at the same time," as
Attorney Muller so strikingly re-
marked during the progress of the
case, and q person must also be very
careful as to whom he supplies with
ten cent drinks or beer when the town
is supposed to be "dry." The most
innocent looking creature in the world
might be detective las you know
that appearances deceive) and he
might be the means of-well you know
the rest.
The last act OF the very interesting
and pathetic tragedy "One Night in a
Barroom'' was played in Judge Cram
er's court on Monday. Ben Water.
man posed as the "bad man. and
the city aud county officials as the
avengers. It is by no means the first
time that brother Ben had to face the
hand that administers Justice and he
did not show much emotion when the
climax came.
Judge Muller appeared for the de-
fendant and put q fierce fight. So
earnest lid he become in his cross
examination OF the states witnesses
that he succeeded in eliciting some
damaging evidence that had not been
brought out on direct examination.
The testimony thus brought out by
both sides was so strong that it left
no room for doubt, and the eud, the
deeply tragic part, comes in right
here. The Judge said that after hav.
ing coAsidered the evidence produced