The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1916-02-18
kOOTENA| TIMES
ON bROWER CASE

Libby, the county seat of Lincoln coun-
ty, where Mr.. Brewer was taken to
answer the charge of violating the
game laws of the state of Montana,
under the caption, ''Brower Case Is
Dismissed-Ci Circumstance Show Mis-
soula Senator's Arrest Due to Political
Spite Work, prints the following:
The much advertised preliminary
hearing of Senator A. j. Brewer and
his business associate, w. S. Hollings-
worth, both prominent gentlemen of
Roman, the former state senator from
Missoula county, was heard in Libby
Saturday afternoon before A. L. Nor
ris, Justice of the Peace. 1t was a
lively little hearing, as preliminary
hearings go, as long as it lasted, but it
lasted pretty quickly.
The case against A. J. Brewer was
called first, B. F. Maiden representing
defendant, and at the conclusion of the
states testimony the county attorney
moved the court that the action be dis
missed without prejudice. This on
account of the failure of evidence on
the part of the states witnesses. John
Backus, one of the witnesses of the
state, on advice of counsel, refused to
testify. He was represented in court
by Montgomery G. Rice The other
testimony that the state had introduced
was OF practically no consequence, so
the state was left without any evidence
at the end or their case. What Backus
might or might not have testified to-
he alone knows at this time. He exer-
clsed his constitutional privilege of re-
fusing to testify and there the matter
rested.
Senator Brewer has received some
rather unpleasant publicity and motor
iety by reason Of his arrest and trial
in this case and the way some of the
Democratic papers in Flathead county,
notably the Kalispell Bee. have been
parading their venom against the hon.
orable state senator from Missoula
county simply because he happened to
be republican shows somewhat the
Trigger in the woodple." and plainly
there is ''nigger in the woodpile" in
this entire matter. At the last ses-
sion of the legislature Senator Brewer
led the fight in an effort to have the
state game wardens office done away
with and the business of protecting
game placed in the hands of the sher-
ifs office of the several counties,
urging it as an economical measure.
Failing that, he endeavored to have a /
law Ipassed whereby the state game
warden's office would stand the ex-
pense of the prosecution at trials of
people charged with violation of the
game laws. In that, too, he was un-
successful by reason of the large ma
jority of democrats in the senate who
stood by their governor and governors
satellite in maintaining this political
machine which parades under the name
OF the state game warden's office or
department at the expense of the peo-
pie.
The prosecution against Senator
Brewer was largely fathered and
pushed by the deputy state game war
den of Missoula county. 1t has cost
Lincoln county $3.50 Or $500. 1t has
placed the county attorneys office of
Lincoln county in an embarrassing
situation. The complaint was filed and
warrant issued during the absence of
Mr.. Blackford and doubtless if he had
been here personally at the time and
had personal charge of the matter and
known of the fimsiness of the testi-
mony that the game warden's depart
ment really had against Senator
Brewer, the warrant never would have
been issued. Of course all this special
activity on the part of the state game
warden and deputies from outside of
this county with regard to matters
In Lincoln county is further slam at
the local game warden, Herman Book
man, Sr.. who was required to sign the
formal complaint in the matter and as
sumo part of the burden in the matter
of conducting losing fight that was
framed up by one or two of his asso-
ciates in the game warden's office. The
protection of the game in our county
and state is seriaus matter that all
public-spirited, law-a abiding people are
interested in. The violations of the
game laws are often the result of
thoughtless holiday spirit that pervades
hunting camps where good fellowship
and good time tend to induce in some
people slight regard for the law
where otherwise they are unquestion-
ably substantial, law-abidng citizens.
There is absolutely no testimony pro-
duecd in this case tending to show that