The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-01-16
.ITlWASRT my HORSE, ].
SFsa
SAYS CHARLEY
CELESTIAL VEGETABLE VEN.
/, DOR MYSTIFIES PRoSEcU.
TON IN CRUELTY CASE.

The State Of Oregon yesterday en-.
deavored to prove in justice court be.
lore Judge Goodman that Vegetable
| Charlie" Lee should be punished in
asmuch as he had inhumanely dealt
with his white horse by compelling
il to a diet Of starvation, and had
added 10 the injury by leaving the
animal out in all the snow and cold OF
last week.
Through his attorney Judge Tay-
lor, Charlie endeayored to prove that
all this was toolishness, and that the
whole matter had lis origin in q case
Of mistaken identity-that il was
someone else's horse that had been so
severely dealt with The whole ques-
ton finally hinged on the identity Of
the horse, and as Charlie insisted by
himself and his witnesses that his
white horse was sleek and fat and was
in even friskly condition, the court
adjourned the case until today to the
end that Charlie might bring his steed
in for inspection. II Charlie can find
his horse. then alrs well with him,
Ii he can't il may look as il he
is guilty.
For the prosecution which was
conducted by Assistant Prosecuting
Attorney Howard NJ, Brownell-El.
mer Millet, and the Bokalas, father
and son, all residents OF the Smith
Point region, testified that a white
horse known to them to belong to
Charlie has been wondering about |
Smiths Point in a starving condition
During the cold weather this horse
passed much of its time in the Bokala
yard, paving in the snow. II was
barely able to stand up The younger
Bokala finally took the horse down to
Charles stable and tied II there
Thus far no one has doubted that II
was Charles horse.
But then the defense had its in
ming. Charlie admitted all about this
white horse which had been left out
in the cold and which was starving
But it was not his horse. He didn't
know whose ii was.
Then followed young man who
took the stand in Charles interest.
With much volubility and much 10y
atty to Charlie he testified that he,
too, had frequently seen this strange
white horse, and that a few days
ago some one out Of kindness had
shot and killed it over near Young's |
Bay bridge. But he knew it wasn't
Charles horse, though he couldn't |
tell why he knew. Also he testified
to the large quantities Of feed, oats,
hay and barley, that he frequently |
delivered at Charles place.
Charles defense thus appeared |
very strong. But, why didn't he
bring in his own horse7 Where was
his own horse1 Charlie didn't know.
This looked suspicious and very
strange. Police Officer Wilson and |
Sheriff Pomeroy looked in Charles
stable and in the pig pen and in
Charles house, but they couldn't
find hide or hair Of Charles horse.
Charles counsel said they would
be able to find it by this morning,
doubtless.
II they do, then the question arises,
to whom did the strange horse be-
long which was supposedly shot TO end
its misery7
Charlie apparently admitted on the
stand that the horse which had been
standing and starving in the Bokala
yard was his, and thus the case seems
complete as against him; but all such
minor considerations as this will
doubtless fade away and be forgotten
if Charlie can perform coup d. etat
today by suddenly spinging his own
fiery white steed on the astonished
court.
But the dirt and flth--and the IS,
20 or 80 pigs that lived about the feet
of the white horse in Charles stable
all this is another story.