Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1907-06-27
Orchards
Bodyguard
Start a Fight on Defenseless Man
Are Landed in Jail and Must
Pay Heavy Fine

Boise, June Is.
The tables seem to be turning In
more ways than one in the city of
Boise.
The star of the defense has been
steadily in the ascendant the last week,
not only in the court room, but also
about town, and to-day an incident oc-
cured that has tended to run the spir-
its of the blood and thunder blusterers
about down in the vicinity Of zero.
Orchard had just been taken in his
carriage with body guard of 6 armed
thugs from the court room to Attorney
Hawley's office. At the steps of the
court house W. Fry, big miner, who
had been summoned from Silver City
to testify for the state but whose SYM
pathies are with the defense, asked
young Mr.. Hawley what was going
to be done about his expenses as he
was about out of money. He was told
TO come down to Mr.. Hawley's office
and he would be given his mileage.
He did so, and passed up the stairs
Just ahead of the Orchard procession.
As he came down with his mileage in
his pocket he encountered Bob Mel
drum and Bartell, two of the most
desperate men and with the worst Grim
inal records, among the guards, at the
foot of the stairs. With an oath they
asked him what he was about. He
told them very quietly, and took the
papers that had just been handed him
from his pocket. As he did so, with
a vile name Meldrum hit him with his
fist on the back of the head. Frey is
the man that the Pinkertons knocked
down the front steps a few days ago
as he was quietly moving up the steps
to enter the court room as a witness.
He is a powerful man, and, though
quiet, is not much given to backing
down, and had not Mr.. Nugent ap-
well, there might have been serious
trouble. After being struck by Mel
drum, he told the desperadoes, that
they were too many for him,they were
armed and he was unarmed, they were
evidently trying to start something,
and he would have to take it for the
present. As he turned around, Bar
tell said he would give him one too
Just for luck and hit him a staggering
blow on his jaw, cutting his lip. Half
a dozen men were standing near who
saw the whole performance. Frey went
Immediately and lodged complaint
against the thugs. Bartell pleaded
guilty and was fined $50 and So costs,
Meldrum pleaded not guilty, was asked
IL he was any sort of federal officer,
and on its being found that he was
Just common private hired thug, he
was fined 800 AMI SO costs
Then he was asked IL he was car
rying any concealed weapons, and var
ious guns, among them one two feet
long were found on him, he was re-
manded to the justice court for the
next morning. The penalty for this
offense Is severe.
This is the third escapade of the sort
that Meldrum has been in here. The
other two were the boarding house in
cident and the elbowing Of Will East
erly on the street.
The prosecution are feeling pretty
well chagrined over these disgraceful
actions of their chief stanl-bys. Their
claw and order" cry is not bene6tting
by very brilliant examples.
The mine owners side of the propo-
sition is feeling mean and ugly over
the turn that the trial is taking.
These people know that they are losing
ground, and things are going against
them, and they are looking for
chance to vent their wrath In some
contemplate dirty way