The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-12-12
MONTANA BRIEFLETS.
SHORT ITEMS OF NEWS FROM ALL
OVER THE STATE.
What Has Happened in Montana During
the Past Few Days.

LEwIsTowN, Dec. 6.-The trial OF
Barney Hedican. on a second charge
of horse stealing, was concluded to-
day and the jury reached a verdict OF
guilty. The result was a surprise to
the defense, as it was not thought the
state had as strong a case as the first
one tried. The penalty was again
left to the court and Judge Cheadle
will sentence Hedican on both convic.
tions.
HELENA, Dec. 6.-The plat OF the
right of way of the Montana Eastern
Railroad company IA filed today in
the Helena land Office. The route of
the road will be from Helena to Can.
yon Ferry, or vice versa, according to
the plat. From the board of directors
of the company it is believed that the
company is an auxiliary Of the Chi.
cago, Milwaukee & st. Paul Railroad
company.
BUTTE, Dec. 6.-Nine of the jurors
who convicted Frank Farrell of this
city of highway robbery signed a petit
tiou yesterday requesting Judge Don.
Ian of the district court to be clement
in sentencing the young criminal. Ac.
cordingly the court stated that the
opinion of the jurors had great weight
with him, and sentenced Farrell to only
three years in the ~penitentiary. Far
rel's brother, Kirby, was sentenced to
fifteen years.
LEw1STOwN, Dec. S.-The apprais.
ers appointed to appraise the value Of
the estate of the late Oscar Stephens
have filed their inventory, and it is
the largest n y placed on record
here, the property amounting to con.
siderably more than $500, 900. The
fee paid the clerk of the court was s95.
HELENA, Dec. S.-Covernor Toole
today issued a proclamation ad.
dressed to the people of Montana no.
tifying them that the initiative and
amendment to the state
constitution, which was voted on at
the last election, had been carried by
q majority of the voters. 1t will now
become a law.
HELENA, Dec. S.-The biennial re-
port Of the state superintendent OF
mines has been submitted to Governor
Toole by William Walsh, the state in
spector. 1t is elaborate and interest
ing, discussing all the various phases
of the mining industry. The report
states that mining operations during
the past two years have been more ex.
tensive and systematic than at any
previous time in the history of the
state.
BUTTE, Dec. S.-Alcx ander Findley,
a carpenter, aged So years of age, vas
burned to death this morning in a fire
which destroyed the %one-story frame
building in which he was living, about
two blocks east of the gates Of Mt.
Moriah cemetery. Under what cir
c~umstances the fire occurred is not
known, as Findley was the sole occu.
pant of the building and when neigh.
bors discovered the fire the structure
was in a mass of flames and it was
impossible for any person to enter the
house. In some quarters foul play Is
suspected: others believe that the fire
accidentally started from the stove
while Findley slept. The is
i~nvestig ating.
BILLINGS, Dec. S.-Reudered des.
perate by the fuel situation in this
city, about 10 h~ouseholders took mat.
tiers into their own hands this after
noon, secured draymen and, after 10.
eating a lotion car of coal, the prop
erty OF Hoyt Bros. dealers, it was
emptied by draymeu and hauled in
ton lots to about the number OF citi-
ems mentioned above. The first
knowledge the coal dealers mentioned
had that their coal had been confis'
Gated "a when the men who had de-
livered the fuel came into the Office
and paid for the property taken. The
coal famine in this city is again be-
coming a serious problem. One deale,
stated this evening that he has a
present 800 orders for as many tom
of coal and only one or two cars II
sight.
HELENA, Dec. lO.-Governor Tool
has appointed Major Martin Magin
mis- to represent him at Newport News
Va, when the cruiser Montana |
launched, Dec. Is. Major Maginni
has accepted the duty and will prob
ably go through to New York fror
Columbia Falls, where he is at pres
ent. Mr.. and Mrs. W. G.. Coma,
,,J 1,lH.-, (--. r. I.-. NM