The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-02-05
DICK PRAY ACQUITTED
OF the Stealing of Moran's Cattle
Near Grand River.

District Court is still in session and
will probably not adjourn before Satur-
day, making three weeks term for
Judge Parrish.
The grand jury finished their labors
last Thursday and were discharged for
the term. They investigated number
of cases and examined large number
of witnesses during the ten days they
were in session, but only returned one
indictment, that being against A. L.
Bedding, the Van Vert druggist for SELL
ing liquor, and upon being arrested he
plead guilty and paid fine of 1926 and
costs.
The celebrated cattle stealing case
from Grand River in which Dick Pray
was accused with Port Woodland and
Frank Greenland of stealing seven head
of cattle from Jerry Moran's pasture
which occupied all of last week until
Friday evening, resulted in verdict of
acquittal. The case was submit ted to
the jury at 2 O'Clock Friday afternoon,
and about 10 o'clock the jury sent word
to Judge Parrish that they had agreed
on verdict. Court was Immediately
called and the jury brought in. When
Clerk Keller read the verdict it read.
"We, the jury find the defendant not
guilty" Judge Parrish Immediately
discharged Pray from custody and ex-
onerated his bond. The attorneys for
the state claim the matter is not settled
by the acquittaI OF Pray, and that the
cases against Woodland and Greenland
will be pushed at the next term of
court, the defendants having demanded
separate trials. Pray is also under in
dictment for arson, being charged with
burning By. Bays livery barn at Grand
River.
The trial jurors were excused for the
term Saturday m orning.
The case of John Newton VS.. Conrad
Hoffman has occupied all of this week,
being tried to- Judge Parrish and will
not be finished until today. The parties
are neighbor farmers near Davis City,
and the trouble is over drainage ditch
which was dug to carry of the water
from some of the low lands, and which
Newton claims Hoffman stopped up,
causing the water to back up on his
farm, running his pasture, about ten
acres of corn and six acres of wheat.
The ditch has been the cause of much
contention, as if it is left open it drains
the water in an cid bayou in the center
of Hofman's farm, making lake cover
ing several acres, and if it is closed it
causes the water to back up on New
toms farm. There is considerable testi-
money and some fine awpoints in the
case sS sutcomes being watched with
great interest by the residents of that
neighborhood.
The following cases have been dis.
posed Of since our report last week:
PROBATE.
The foreign will OF G. Long was admit
ted to probate.
In the contest over the probation of
the will of Arvesta Ann Stone in which
her brothers John A. and Francis M.
Hamilton jr. and other relatives contest
ed the will giving the bulk of her prop.
erty to Robert N. Leeper and wife, on
the grounds that at the time of making
the will she was of unsound mind and
was unduly influenced, the testimony
was submitted to jury who returned a
verdict in favor of the proponents,
Robert N. leeper ct AL, thus sustaining
the validity of the will.
LAW AND EQUITY.
6. w. Mills VS.. incorporated Town of
Leon, in which plaintiff seeks to enjoin
the town from opening street through
his residence property in east Leon, was
submitted to the judge, who has not
yet rendered decision.
G. w. Hembrey VS.. Drew Kelley, dis
missed by plaintiff without prejudice.
Gates & Keller VS.. G. E. Read, motion
to strike answer submitted.
CRIMINAL.
In the case of State VS.. Lutte E. Brown
who was convicted of stealing pair of
horse blankets from George Young at
Grand River, a motion has been filed
asking for a new trial on the ground
that Judge Parrish erred in his instruc.
tions to the jury.
On Monday Judge Parrish overruled
motion for new trial in the case of
State VS.. Zsb Peterson, convicted of
assaulting an Assyrian peddler north
west Of Leon last summer, and fined
Peterson 500 and costs, ordering that
he be confined in the county Jail until
the fine is paid.
In the case against George Riggs, in.
dicted for selling liquor illegally at
Grand River. the defendant plead guilty
to makinga single sale, and was sen.
fenced to pay a fine of $50 and costs.