The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-12-04
DRAMATIC SCENE IN COURT

Rosa French Accused of Perjury is
Placed Under Bonds of $500 to
Next Term of Court.
Tuesday afternoon in circuit court
was spent in securing a jury to try
otto Reierson on the charge of rape
with Rosa French as the states witt
ness, but 1T had a sudden and dra-
matte ending when Miss French was
ordered placed under bonds of $500
by Judge Smith, on the charge of per-
jury, and given into the custody of
the sheriff until such bond was fur
nished.
Last July Otto Reierson was arrest
ed on the charge of rape preferred
by Rosa French. She gave the detail
ed Information to her father and
mother as to how the crime was COM
mitted. At the preliminary examina-
ton held in justice court Reierson
was bound over to the circuit court.
At the same time Mr.. French swore
to a similar complaint against Fred
West, and he was also held to the
present term of court, in which he
was convicted of the crime on the tes-
timony of the girl.
, Late in the afternoon a jury was
secured from among the thirty new
men secured on a special venire and
Rosa French pas placed on the stand
! by States Attorney Spangler to give
testimony to convict the defendant.
She told practically the same story
OF July and swore Reierson was not
: guilty of the crime of rape-that he
did not go that far.
States Attorney Spangler removed
the girl from the stand and called j.
e. French and wife, the parents of
the girl. They testified that a week
after their daughter had made a full
confession to them in July that she
came to them and said she had lied
about the whole affair, with the ex-
ception of being with him when she
alleged the crime vas committed,
and that he was innocent of that part
of the crime. AS an excuse for the
change Of testimony, Mr.. French said
his daughter was excited at the time
she made her first statement and
that she did not know what she was
saying.
Mr.. French is also quoted as say
ing that when the Reierson trial
came up that his daughter would
not appear to give her testimony,
and the fact was borne out when the
young lady was missing and could
not be found last week.
Judge Smith took a hand in the
proceedings at this point and 1t was
evident that he was very indignant
at the methods employed by the ia
Their and mother of the girl to drop
the case. The court stated that it
was a grave proposition to file an in
formation of this character against
a young man If he was innocent.
The court stated that the spectacle
enacted there was the worst that he
had ever encountered in a court
room. Judge Smith said 1t was evil
dent that the girl had perjured her
self in giving the later testimony.
He ordered that she be placed under
$500 bonds and that the case be
continued ove to the next term OF
court in April; that she should re-
main in the custody of the sheriff
until such bond was given. To the
court it appeared that a proposition
had been started by the parents tc
either force the defendant to marry
the girl or to secure a money settle
ment. The court declared that he
would not permit any such thing OF
anything that looked like it. Judge
Smith ordered that Reierson be dis
charged and that the new jurors be
relieved from further duty on court
h H. G. Preston, of the firm of Pres
ton & Hannett, asked for a personal
privilege to state that neither him
self nor his firm knew anything OF
these transactions and that they had
nothing whatever to do with it. The
court said that he did not intend
to convey the idea in the slightest de-
gree that the attorneys on either
side of the case had any connection
with the deal the parents we're try.
ing to put through.
Judge Smith started an investiga-
ton concerning what French and
his wife had done concerning the
settlement of the case, which may
lead to something unpleasant fol-
N-ENtEE aFE