The river press., 1914-12-23
MONTANA NEWS BRIEFLETS
A Budget Of Readable Short Items
From Various Parts Of the State.

tana are in prosperous condition and
doing a good business, according to
the report of H. S. Magraw, state
bank examiner. This report shows
that the banks of the state did more
business from Sept. II to Oct. 81 than
they did between the last previous
call and Sept -. Loans increased, in.
vestments in bonds and warrants in
creased nearly half million dollars.
Butte, Dec. 15.-Once owner of one.
third of Anaconda Hill and one of the
lOcatOrs of the Anaconda and st. Law
renee mines, Valentine Kropf, the pio-
neer miner and prospector who died
Friday night from a fall he sustained
on the street, left just enough money
to defray his funeral expenses. With
millions in his grasp number of
times since Sc reached Montana, in
1864, the old-timer at no time eked
out more than bare living. u
Helena, Dec. 15.-Montana produced
four and half million dollars worth
of dairy products during the year end
ing today, according to the annual re-
port to Governor S. V. Stewart of State
Dairy Commissioner. A. G. Scholes.
This estimated output is divided as
follows: Creamery butter, 4,45O,OOO
pounds-$1 ,335,000: dairy butter, L.
225,O00 pounds--$33O,5OO milk con-
sumed, 100000 gaiions-s1, SOC, 900;
ice cream, $500 600 gallons-$95O,OOO
cheese-$10O,OOO
Bozeman, Dec. 15.--Not guilty was
the unanimous verdict brought in by
the jury after forty minutes delib-
Grafton in the case of the state against
c. A. Smith, mayor of Butte, charged
with criminal libel. The specific char
acter Of complaint in this case was an
article appearing in the Butte Socialist
which charged Otto Pufahl with being
a "public degenerate from excessive
alcoholism" The prosecution sought
to fix responsibility for the publication
on Mayor Smith, who was formerly
editor of the Socialist, while the de-
Tense maintained that the defendant
was not editor of the publication
at the time the alleged libel was con-
sumated.
Great Falls, Dec. 15.-At the coming
( session of the legislative assembly
that body will be asked to make an
appropriation of between $4,000 and
$65,00O, the amount to be determined
later, which money will be used to re-
fund to the counties and individuals
those sums which were subscribed to
raise fund that Montana might be
represented at the coming expositions
to be held in San Francisco and
San Diago. Such was the state
ment made here today by David
Hilger of Lewistown, chairman of the
Montana exposition commission. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Hilger the states rep
resentation at these great fairs should
be state representation and not sup
ported by private donations and that
as Idaho appropriated 100000 to a
like purpose it should not be permitted
that Montana should be represented
through charity alone.
Helena, Dec. l5.-Figures compiled
by Secretary of State Anderson from
the records in the office of the state
auditor show that Montana has reach
ed the $3,500,OOO stage. In other
words, the expense of conducting the
state government from Jan.l, 1913, to
Dec. l, 1914, nearly two years, was
$3,575,7SO. These figures include the
expense of the legislative session two
years ago and the salaries of the dis
trict Judges
Billings, Dec l5.-F'riends this eve
ming brought to Billings the body of
William A. Wells, who committed sui.
eide by drinking carbolic acid at his
ranch on Sage Creek, 80 miles south
east of Bridger. Wells was one of
the most prominent saloon and stock
men in Eastern Montana and pioneer
of the state. Trouble with his wife,
from whom he had recently separated,
is believed to have caused his despon-
dency.
BoZeman, Dec. l5.-William Win.
chester was found guilty of kidnaping,
as charged. and was given two years
in the penitentiary. Fighting for his
liberty in the district court here on a
charge OF kidnapping during the labor
troubles in Butte last August, Win
chester pleaded an alibi asserting
that at the time when he was alleged
by the state to be participating in the
kidnapping of Richard O'Brien he was
following the funeral procession of
Felix McAlevy
Helena, Dec. 15.-Annual inspection
Of the national guard of this state has
been ordered by the war department
to take place in March, and accom-
panying the order fixing the dates, is
letter intimatng that the money ap-
proprated by the federal government
for the maintenance of the Montana
guard may be cOnsidererably reduced,
and the allotment made in the future
ON the ha sis of the actual nm, hor of