The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-01-09
FRED LEE KNEW THAT HE WAS
GUILTY..
GETS ONE YEAR IN PEN
Other Defendants Conclude to Take
Their Chances and Demand
Regular Trials.
Tuesday Daily Gazette.

IL Tie district court this morning m
one did not care to hear the testimon,
against him before deciding as tx
whether he is guilty or not. This
notable exception proved to be FREQ
Lee, informed against for malicious
mischief, in that he caused to be
burned a couple of stacks of hay be
longing to John Schroeder of Lake
basin. Lee was arrested sometime
last all and the testimony against
him brought out at his preliminary
hearing was al circumstantial. He
persisted in declaring his innocence
and it was expected that he would
make a hard fight when placed on
trial. Instead he seems to have come
to the conclusion that it would be
the part of wisdom to acknowledge
his guilt and trust to the mercy OF
the court.
The others arraigned and who said
they are innocent were Louis Leon
assault in the first degree.
Walter Cox, forgery.
Leonard Luther, grand larceny.
Minnie Farrell, robbery.
Walling, Glover and Warner, as
sault in the second degree. A mo.
ton for a severance was granted in
this case and the defendants will be
tried separately.
Rolla L. Glunt. grand larceny.
Clyde Bentley, who is Jointly inform.
ed against with Glunt, was not in
court, he being out on bail. Mr.. God
dar, attorney for the defendants, said
Bentley had gone to Miles City to
look after some property in which
he was interested there.
A little later in the proceedings
counsel for Fred Lee announced that
his client waived further time and
was prepared to receive sentence
then. In view of the fact that Lee
had pleaded guilty the court dealt
leniently with him and gave him the
minimum sentence, one year in the
penitentiary.
S. B. Roberts, who had been called
earlier in the session to plead to the
charge of grand larceny, but who had
failed to respond, was o on hand.
The excuse he had to offer for not
having responded on the first call did
not satisfy the court and he was fined
$lO for contempt and ordered re-
manded until he had purged himself.
The fine was paid and Mr.. Roberts
had received a lesson in punctuality.
Edward Mcfarland was another
who did not appear when called. He
is charged with forgery. He succeed
ed in convincing the court that he
had intended no disrespect, but had
been detained unavoidably, and es-
capped a fine. He entered a plea of
not guilty.
The court now announced that he
was prepared to rule on the matter
OF the demurrer submitted yesterday
afternoon in the case of Carl Wiese
VS.. August Bray and in which the de
demurred to the complaint.
The demurrer was overruled and by
consent defendant was given until
February Is to file his answer.
In the matter of the petition of G.
G. Stull to be appointed guardian of
John Albirino, a minor, the court
granted the prayer of the petitioner.
Hearing of the controversy which
has arisen over the matter of the ap-
pointment of an administrator of the
Fuller estate was continued until Jan
uary II. Stuart Polk has a petition on
file to be appointed to the coveted
position, while a like petition has also
been submitted by o. D. Hogue, pub
lie administrator.
The final report of the administra-
trix of the estate of Joshua Spencer
was received and allowed and the
Administrative ordered discharged.
An order was entered denying the
motion of defendant to strike from
the files plaintiffs reply, made in the
case of G. T. Thomas VS.. w. D. Story,
ct al. The usual exception was noted.
This afternoon Judge Loud an
nounced that the fine imposed during
the morning session on S.. B.. Roberts
would be RENTED. He said the sher-
if had made a statement which ex-
onerated the defendant, as it had
been clearly shown that it was
through no fault of his that he was
late.