Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-09
I'm THE POLICE COURT
Some Forgot to Make New Years
Resolutions and Others Fail
to Keep Them.

thursday ldSl was d HNcly ueiy III
police and justice court circles and
Justice H. X. Kennedy was busy
man. 1t was day for settling the
difficulties and troubles which attended
the ushering in of the New Year at
Ritzville. Early on the morning of
January LIST, in "Doc's Place" on the
corner, William Arlt, German farmer
brawny and burly, was under the in
fluence of liquor. AS he leaned over
the bar telling his maudlin story to the
dispenser of fiery fluids, one of the
young transients commonly called
Montana Kid extracted from the
pocket of the German pocketbook.
Evidence conflicts as to whether or not
any money was taken from the pocket
book, some of the bystanders testifying
that money was taken while the 'Kid"
insists that it was all joke, that he
took no money out and that he intended
to steal nothing. Night Policeman
Colwell, who stood near, said: "This
has gone far enough; give the man his
pocketbook. The article was re-
turned to Arlt's pocket promptly and
the next day warrant was sworn out
for the arrest of the Montana Kid, ]"
charging him with an attempted larceny
from the person of another. The
sheriff found him asleep in lodging
house and promptly made the arrest.
At the hearing Thursday he was bound
over to the superior court and bail was
fixed at one Thousand dollars.
In the meantime Arlt was having
trouble of a more serious nature.
Officer Colwell, claiming he was drunk
and disorderly, was attempting to
eject him from the saloon and get him
started on his journey to the Jail.
Next we find Arlt flat on the floor,
face downward, and Colwell with his
club raining blows upon the Germans
head. Joe Finck who had been in at
tendance at the masquerade ball, was
making the rounds before retiring for
the night merely to see what was going
on. Joe didn't like the way the blows
were descending upon the Germans
defenseless head and he not only said
so but he acted promptly, Selling the
officers club and saying, "Stop pound
ing him and I'll let 60" Arlt was
lodged in Jail but was released next
morning upon his putting up a cash
bond of ten dollars. When his case
was called Thursday he pleaded guilty
and was fined ten dollars and costs.
Officer Colwell having gone in search
of Joe Finck, soon found him and
invited Joe to accompany him. Joe
wanted especially to know why he was
wanted and the officer, as means of
enlightenment, flashed a revolver in
his face. Friends were on hand
promptly that night and Finck was
furnished bail without being obliged to
spend any time in Jail, At his trial
Thursday, Attorney Walter Zent, act
ing for the defense, maintained that
the officer had been using unnecessary;
force and th!.t the circumstances did
not warrant the use of violence, con-
sequently Finck was justified in acting
as he did. Justice H. K. Kennedy took
the same view of the matter and, after
discharging Fink from custody, deliver
ed singing rebuke to Officer Colwell
which seemed to meet with universal
favor for the large crowd present in
the court room cheered him to the
echo.
Default judgments have been allowed
in the superior court on these promis-
sorry notes as follows: J. M. Benward
VS.. l.. H. Norton for $175.1 10; Mer-
chants and Farmers Bank of Lind
VS.. Karl Beck for 191. AS; Matt Baum