The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-01-15
CAUGHT ON THE RUN
ABOUT TOWN
PEOPLE you KNOW AND SOME
OF THE THINGS THEY SAY
AND DO.

Judge Small yesterday afternoon.
case that, in itself,
EASY didn't amount 20 any
MARKS. thing, but that was i'm
portant enough In it's
auxiliary features. For half an hour
or SO, Judge Small was faced by
sorry lot OF solo players, rcmorseful
and penitent at first and hignl, Glazed
before the game closeo- mot the solo
game but the little play in which Judge
Small, County Attorney MuI:cney and
Attorney Hail played supporting PARTS
TO the stellar performances Of the men
who had been flirting with the widow.
charlie Hall was the attorney for the
defense; he demanded a jury trial and
Constable Pat Hale. armed with the,
| authority Of the court, went forth to
select good men and true. He found
| them and he didn't have to search
long or far. 1t was a nasty day OUT
side and the doughty constable knew
| exactly where to find some good ma
| terial. So he went straight for his
prey; the quarrey was where he ex-
pected to find 1t and he had his list
a place where men are wont to congre-
gate on stormy afternoons Pat held
his Impressive way. When he got
there, he found three solo games in
progress with the customary number
Of rubbernecks surrounding the tables
Pat blocked the way TO the back door
and said In his official tones: You
are all wanted at the police court"
Charlie Hart was just about to play
one in the spade suit; he had an in
vincible. Charlie Johnson had Just
dealt heart solo to A. J. Johnston;
1t was a cinch. Joe Brunker had just
picked up one that couldn't be beaten
and he said he would go along as soon
as he had played the hand. Bill Dele
hantey In the role oflinnocent bystend-
er, looked as disconsolate as he did
last June when he was marooned on an
island at Haskell with nothing to eat
but rice and no companion but a Chi
nese cook. But Pat said come along"
In way that there was no MISLEADING
And the gang went. They filed into
the courtroom, after they had vainly
endeavored to convince the constable
that they were only playing In fun"
game, he said; they might be playing
for fun for all he knew, but 1t looked
bad to him; and he led them on. In
the courtroom the line was confronted
by the stern Judge, the relentless
county attorney and the jublant coun-
sci for the defense. What are these
men charged With" asked the court.
His tones struck terror to the hearts
of Joe Grenier, Bill Delehantey, Charlie
Johnson, A. j. Johnston. Tim Hickey,
Joe Brunker, Frank Gleason, Charlie
Hart and some others. When they had
each and all manifested the proper de-
gree of terror the court was informed
that they were the veniremen. They
all looked relieved except Delehantey,
who didn't hear correctly and thought
Mulroney said he was an Orangeman.
He came near to making scene that
would have sent him to jail for con-
tempt of court. Charlie Johnson re-
strained him and he settled down as
soon as he understood that he had not
been insulted. Then all went well ur-
til the court asked If there were any
of the jurymen who wished to plead
exemptions, If they had any. Joe
Bunker said he was a railway engf-
neer and would like to be excused. He
was excused. Delehantey was an en-
gineer. Luke Gallagher couldn't be
found and Harry Adams was on trick
at the dispatchers' office. so Dele
hantey had to make his own affidavit
that he Is an engineer. 1t was accept
ed by the court, but with the provio
that an investigation of the cause
would be made. A. =. Johnston told
the court In whisper that he had a
notarys commission; he didn't say
it boastfully. but he would like to be
excused. Charlie Johnson said he
would like to be excused because he
had an opinion in the case and then
he remembered that he didn't know
what the case was. So the jury was
drawn The case-that's another mat
ter it had nothing to do with the
jury. But there are ~ solo players
who now rank as the easiest marks
that were ever caught on the run
about town.