The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-05-09
CROWD TO HEAR
THE B|ETELA CASE
OFFICERS WRIGHT AND NAASKA
AND ALDERMAN DUNsTAN
ON sTAND-coNsPlR.
ACY ALLEGED.

The hearing yesterday afternoon OF
the Bietala case, one of these aris-
ing from Sunday nights raid on a
West Hancock house. before Justice
Eichkern, attracted a crowd that filled
the courtroom, and the efforts of At.
torney Hurritt for the defense To have
the witnesses admit that the raid was
the result of political conspiracy
were very edifying. officer Wright OF
cross examination by Mr.. Burritt was
asked point blank IL the raid was not
worked up with a view TO getting
something on Chief Tibor The wit
ness denied this to be the case.
officer Naaska, one of the police
who assisted i'm the raid, testified that
the Bietela house was on his beat
ana that he was called by Officer
Wright to come and assist him. lie
said that at various times during the
winter he had seen people going into
the house and coming out, and had
heard complaints that the house had
a bad reputation. Asked as to who
had complained about the house the
witness declared "a majority of the
people of the city, but when asked 10
name "the majority" with much diff
nculty he reached the names of only
three or four whom he declared mad
mentioned the matter.
Charles Fisher, who resides IN the
heXt building on the west from the
Bietela house testified to various per
sons calling at his house and inquiring
If Mrs Bietela lived there His tes-
tinony was not important.
The greatest interest was taken in
the testimony Of Alderman Robert p.
Dunstan. Asked as to his motive in
going TO the Bietela house on Sunday
night he said 1t was with a desire to
purge the town of vicious resorts. He
stated that the idea of the raid first
occurred to him that evening and he
had talked the matter over with Attor-
Eey Lawton, who Informed him that he
was within his rights. Justice Eich :
kern he said was not present at the
conference.
At the Bietela house he had asked
for bottle of beer but did not re
member what Mrs. 1ietela said. He
went into the parlor and the beer was
brought and drunk Icy himself, Mrs.
Bietela and a girl, identifying Dolly
Nelson as the girl. A second bottle
was ordered and part of IL drunk and
witness had laid two dollars on "A con-
81. ftaN To- lid
not see Mrs. Bietela or any one else
pick up the money. The witness tes-
titled that officer Wright had taken
him to a bedroom where Leona Strom
and Jerry Sullivan were. He had not
seen any misconduct.
I'm what capacity did YOU GO to the
Bietela house and interest yourself In
This purity crusader asked Attorney
Burritt.
AS an official Of the city and as a
peace officer" was the reply
AS AN alderman You were interest
ed in the appointment Of chief OF
poliee?' were YOU not
Yes"
And YOU were opposed to Thor S
reappointment, were YOU?
Witness declined to answer the ques-
tion but said that his action was talk
or with the object of securing evidence
tending to show that questionable
characters were being allowed to run
without police interference.
An adjournment was taken for a
week while the testimony is being
written up, and Attorney Burritt said
he would probably produce some more
testimony on behalf of the defendant
Tits between Attorney Burritt and
the court and the prosecuting attorney
We're frequent, causing outbrsts oil
laughter which were quickly checked
by Justice Bichkern.
This is no farce he stated and
any one making disturbance viii be
elected"
1T comes pretty near being one
interposed Attorney Burritt. The court
instructed the steEographer to record
Attorney Burritt's side-remarks in he'
shorthand notes of the testimony.
Prosecuting Attorney Macdonald
stated that the case was an import
ant one, and that he was not inter
ested In Hancock politics or In any
Of Hancocxs disorderly houses, but
that as prosecuting attorney of the
county he intended TO learn II pos
sible whether the defendant we're gun
~ or not as charged" If Mrs. Bietela
is RAINING such place as is claimed
in the heart of the city" he said y
should bc stopped" He said he woui'
do his best to see that persons violat'
ing the law In this respect are prose
cuted.
In their testimony yesterday boti
Officer Wright and Alderman Dunstai
stated that they had called the atten
ton of the mayor to the reports ina
the Bietela house was disrepuapi
place. and the former testified tina