Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-10-13
DEBATING SOCIETY
HAD HOT MOCK TRIAL
Examination Brought out Some
Peculiar Answers
George Hannaford Charged With Dis
oderly Conduct Was Acquitted by
the Jury After the Trial.

The literary program of the Forum
Debating Society last Wednesday
evening consisted Of a mock trial of
one of the societys members for
disorderly conduct At the previous
meeting two of the boys, George Han
naford and Bert Chandler, engaged
in scuffie over the ownership of a
certain chair such noise resulted
that it required the authority of the
sergeant alarms to enforce order.
The result was that Arthur Bailey in
the name of the society swore out a
warrant for the arrest of Hannaford
on the ground that he did "deliberate
Iy and with malicious intent remove
the chair from under one Bert
Chandler while said Bert Chandler
was placed thereon, and that said
George Hannaford by thus removing
the chair from under said Bert
Chandler did seriously destroy, dis
turb, demolish, and annihilate the
peace of mind of the members of the
society and the enjoyment of the pro-
gram for said members.
Mr.. Trainer, justice of the peace
then issued the warrant to the
sheriff, Maurice Ziegler, who made
his return and brought in the prisoner
Oct. 9TH. Rannaford was released
on bail of fifty cents and the trial set
for the evening of Oct. 9Th, at Z 30
The charge read to the defendant.
he pleaded mot guilty" A jury
being called for, six men already
provided for, were sworn in and Floyd
Suttle designated as foreman. Then
the questioning of the witnesses be-
gan. The first question put by the
prosecuting attorney, Walter Damn,
was objected to by the defendants at
torney on the ground that all ques-
tions aksed had to be answerable by
yes or no.
Glenn Nathan was called as witness
for the defendant. Question: Did
you hear any noise in the back part
of this room on the night of Sept.
292 Ans. did not.
Attorney Damn for the prosecution
then began the cross examination.
@. Were you present at the meet
ing of the Forum Society held in this
room en- the night of Sept. 292
Ans. / was not.
Fred Henkle was called to the
stand by the defendant, and in the
course of the examination was asked.
@. In what direction was your
face pointed when this disturbance
took places
A. In the opposite direction.
One of the witnesses was asked
where the chair was placed when this
disturbance took place. The answer:
On the floor.
Attorney Damn called Hannaford
to the chair.
Did you or did you not remove
chair from under Bert Chandler on
the evening of Sept Goth when he
was seated thereon?
A. | did not
@. did you not have some argu-
ment with him about the chair2
A. did.
@. What did you say?
A l asked him if he would let
me have the chair or words to that
effect.
o. State exactly what you said 2
A. [ told him: Get off.
@, What did he do2
A. He got off.
@. Well don't you consider then
that when Chandler got off the chair
after being thus commanded that the
chair was removed from under him
A. do not.
@. You don't think then that
under the circumstances the chair
was removed from under him2
A. do not The case then went
to the jury who returned verdict of
not guilty.