Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-10-15
YELLOW NOVELS
Are Responsible for Two Boys
Landing in Reform School
at Mandan
Two Men Before the Court
at shafer Charged With
Horse Stealing

The Tribune was unable to give the
full details Sunday morning of the
term of court held last week at Sha-5
fer, SO further report follows:
On the criminal docket two boys.
were charged with assault with q
dangerous weapon with intent to do
bodily harm. They claimed to be
hut seventeen years of age and both
pie AIDED guilty to the charge. They
had sold revolver to a homestead
er in the county and when they left
they forgot that they had relinquish-
ell ownership and took the weapon
with them. The purchaser made a
move to secure possession of is new
" acquired property and one Of the
boys, Buck Martin, pulled pistol
and pointed it in a threatening man
ner at the farmer. Then the boys
slowly rode away, still pointing the
gun, carrying their property with
them.
A report was circulated immediate
5ly afterwards that the boys had COM
mitted a murder and a posse from
isVilliston secured the county and ar
rested them. It was nothing more
than assault however and the boys
pleaded guilty to the charge before
Judge Winchester and made a full
statement of the particular transac-i
sicn and of their past histories. Both
Buck Martin and Thomas Taylor had
left home at an early date, were much
addicted to the yellow back moved hab-
It, smoked cigarettes and seemed to
be determined to become tough mem
bess OF society. 81
Judge Winchester talked very kind
ly to the boys and tried to show them
the error Of their ways. He told
them he would have to send them to
the reform school but that there
they could learn some trade and live
under certain discipline that would
no doubt be conducive to their future
welfare. Both Of the boys were
| bright and clever and many of the
spectators were touched by the sym
| pathetic little talk of the judges.
Everyone hoped that it would have
a good effect on them. y ~ y. .S5 7. T
| Two other criminal cases Of some
note were called up. In them Robert
N. Miller and James A. Cox are accus-
ed of grand larceny, charged with
/ stealing horses. In both cases the
| defendants filed affidavits of preju-
4 dice against the judge and the coun-
ty and, according to the peculiar
4 statutes of this state, the judge had
no discretion but was forced to take
the cases out of the county. He de-
1 termined to set the trials in Morton
county where court will convene
about November 18th, and at that
time some other Judge will be called
1 in to try them. Bail on both cases
! was originally set at $1,000. but the
/ Judge increased it to $4,000.
At about three o'clock on Wednes-
4 day afternoon court was adjourned
/ by Judge Winchester and he and his
] party left by team for Williston. The
party stopped long enough on the
i road to shoot a few grouse and stay
ed at a hospitable homestead ovel
might, arriving in Williston the next
i afternoon. Upon his arrival at this
town the Judge learned for the first
time that after court adjourned Boil
4 Miller, one Of the defendants, met
4 A. =. Bessie on the street of Shafer
4 and, without word of warning
Istrucl him a blow on the side of tbs
4 face, breaking the jaw bone. Mr.
Bessie was employed by the coun'
ty commissioners to assist the states
attorney, Mr. Robert Norheim, in the
4 prosecution of the horse stealing cas-,
4 es. Bessie was taken to Williston
i suffering greatly from pain and VIA:
| Immediately taken in charge by I
4 physician. e. Y
Thus the first term of distric'
court In Mckenzie county became
1 matter Of history. Court was hele
in the second story of q partly unfin
ished frame building. covered by |
4 paper roof. The wind was blowins
& at the rate of anywhere between fif
slty and eighty miles an hour, tn,
building groaned and swayed, Will,
the roof material was rafting witt
an incessant noise, when court wa
opened The human voice scarcel,
carried ten feet the court oticer
were nervous under the strain o
their unaccustomed duties, the tap
\ tap of high-heeled boots resounde'
every few minutes as the spectator
moved around the room vet in th
midst Of the confusion. the work o
+ iustice was carried on.
Il Many favorable comments Wer
heard Jtu0Yl Ind 80 Winchpsier,s Ills