The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-10-30
COMEDY IN COURT
Trial OF Game Law yiolators Furnish
ed Much Amusement This Week


the Mutt and Jeff play backed of the
boards SO far as high class comedy
was concerned this week. The fellows
that put on the college stun were
novices beside the stun that was pull
ed in the new court room of the city
hall at the trial OF Erick Erickson.
John Harmanner, Alex Passonen and
John Gustafson for violation Of tho
game laws.
The trial started in the Morrison
office on Third street but was, on re-
quest of NJ. ii. Moriarty. attorney for
the defendants, adjourned TO the new
court room In the city hall. Blythe
way, this case has the honor of being
the first one tried in that palatial
room.
| Prosecuting Attorney Waffen ap-
peared for the state and Deputy state
Warden Gould and County Warden
Hanson loked after the state depart
ment's interests. The defendants de-
manded a jury and after much parley-
ing the following six were selected:
John Bauer, John Klesges, John
Smith, DR.. Nordstrom, Lee Wilson and
F.. j. Bregger. When II came down to
a choice between Herman Buenger
and John Smith. Mr.. waffen was un-
decided so he took a coin from his
pocket and said Head stands for
Smith, tails for Buenger, the one that
turns up sits on the jury He Tipped
the coin and II dropped near the
Judges chair
What is IL. Judge, said Waffen.
Its penny" replied the Judge and
the performance had to be done all
over again. Smith won.
The taking of testimony commenced
at $50. Hanson was the first witness.
He swore that on the night of Oct. III
he got young man named Nelson to
go along with him to Chicogan Lake
That he stood i'm the bushes about ten
feet from the four defendants and saw
them pull in the net twice. each time
taking quantity of ciscos In the
meshes. He stepped out and told the
men that they were violating the game
laws and that he was going to have
them arrested that he took a small
amount of the fish as evidence and
1ut Jox Iatn 4,
pany with Gould and Nelson to the
Passonen farm and got the net which
was exhibited in evidence. Asked
where his fish were he stated that they
decayed so that he had TO throw them
away.
Under a lengthy cross-examination
by Mr. Dwyer Hanson stuck to HIS
story. lie was followed by Nelson who
testified to about the same story, add
ing that Hanson gave him consta-
ble's star which he wore under hts
coat. Hanson had sworn that he didn't
arrest the men that night because he
was afraid. Asked what he was afraid
of he said that Alex Passonen said that
he would lay for him (Hanson) II he
made the arrest.
: II was during Mr. Gould's time on
the stand that the real session came
Atty. Waffen objected to question By
J Mr.. Dwyer and while waffen was tell
ing the court about II Gould answered
the question. After getting the ques-
5 tion fixed in his mind the court or
. dered the witness not TO answer the
q Question.
a The People rested with Goulds tes-
: timony and the defense put EriclS
Erickson on the stand, Erick was n
9 ready witness and brought down the
r house several times with his quaint
o story.
,. Erickson stated that he went out Ia
+ PASSENGERS on the day In question IL
visit his neighbor"; that they went
down TO the lake and while there Han
e son came along and asked them IL they
y didn't know they were violating the
c law They told him that they we're but
asked him TO give HIS attention to the
= rich fellows and not molest the poor
farmers at which Hanson said that II
!. they would tell no one he would lei
j. them so and would violate the laws
L with them.
a He then took off his star and 70,
u into the-boat and pulled in the nets
d telling US that he wanted some ol
J. these fish at home. One OF the deh wa.
q trout and when he saw it' said Erick
e son. He made a iunge for II like b,
II was a Wild man when he had taker
. his-shnre ofthe fish be had more thar