The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-12-11
FRENCH uILTYoF CONTEMPT

The Court Adjudged Jacob French
Guilty and Fined Him $500 and
Thirty Days in jail.
Another phase of the rape cases
came into circuit court Friday after
noon at 4 o'clock, when Jacob
French. the father of Rosa French,
was taken before Judge Smith. who
informed him that after due investi-
cation he was in contempt of court.
Mr.. French is accused of preventing
his daughter, Rosa, from appearing
In court to give her testimony in the
case against Otto Reierson. and also
OF persuading her to swear falsely in
her testimony.
Judge Smith notified Mr.. French
that he would have to appear in court
Saturday at 8 O'Clock and answer
the charges.
At the hour named Mr.. French APP
peared with his attorney A. e. Hitch
cock and pleaded not guilty to the
charge, and asked that the hearing
be set for a later date. The court
denied the application and after a
half hours recess Attorney Hitchcock
presented an affidavit to the effect
that the defendant has not had suffi-
cient time to prepare for a defense
In the action and asked that the case
be continued. The court denied the
application.
The case was then taken up with
States Attorney Spangler appearing in
behalf of the court.
The first witness called was Char
les BOresOn, al uncle of Fred West,
who was convicted on the charge of
rape by the testimony Of Rosa French.
Mr.. Boreson testified to a
tion he"had with Jacob French some
six or eight weeks ago, in which
French said he was thinking OF drop
ping the rape case and sending his
daughter away. This, French said,
would entail considerable expense
and that about $3.50 would be requir-
ed. Mr.. Boreson said that this
amount Of money was to be raised
between the relatives of Fred West
and Otto Robertson. On CROSS a
ination Mr.. Boreson said that he and
his sister. Mrs. Farley had gone to
Mr.. French's residence ON his invi-
tatiOn.
Mrs. Farley, who Is the mother of
Fred West. was placed on the stand
and testified that a week before el-
ection she and Charles Boreson had
q conversation with French. where
In he asked for $3.50 to settle the
case. The money was supposed to
clear the case Of both boys. On cross
examination, Mrs. Farley stated that
French said that at first he wanted
to send both boys to jail and his
daughter to the reform school, but
that he had changed his mind. He
o wanted $3.50 to send the girl
down to Illinois. to buy her some
clothes and to pay the railroad fare Of
the persons who would accompany
her to Illinois. Fred Farley was also
on the stand and corroborated the
statement Of his wife, adding that he
went to French with an offer o. $3.50
to stop the proceedings, which prop
osition French refused, and said that
he settled with Mr.. Reierson for 5000
LIN cash and a note for $3.50.
CHARLES Besancon testified that the
French family stopped at his home
while attending court in the city
and said that he heard French tell
his daughter, Rosa, not to swear
against Otto Reierson and not to get
tangled up in her statements. During
court week Mr.. Besancon said he
heard French say that he was not
going to prosecute Reierson; that he
heard him tell Rosa to go out to his
brother-in-law: that he heard French
say during the progress of the West
case that MIR. Reierson would give
him almost anything to drop the
case against Otto. On cross exam.
ination Mr.. Besancon stated that
French told his daughter not to
swear against Otto Reierson. and thai
French never told him that the DO!
(Reierson) was innocent. Later Mr.
Besancon said that French told hin
that he was not going to prosecut'
the Reierson boy and that Reiersol
would give anything to get the bo'
free. Mrs. Charles Besancon was o,
the stand and testified to much Q
the same testimony as her husban'
did, adding that she learned from on
of the French family that Reierso
had offered $1,000 or more to let tn
boy 60 free.
san