The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-08


- .1..s - !. 49, ;----t a'ssta'$s
Upon child's story-weli-kni OF
swintsh lusts and vile intrigues-de-
pends the fate OF Frank c. Hall, mer-
chant and former city treasurer. whose
trial TOR statutory rape actually began
yesterday morning before Judge A. l..
Duncan IN Department No. i Of the
district court.
Ellen Lacetta Pr,yn. 14-year -old
girl. yesteday told, and carried through
hot fire OF cross examination, a tale
damning Hall. Mrs. Harry E. Thomp-
son and Mrs. Nellie Mattison rs con-
nivers in her ruin. and revealing How
ard ]. sPruyn, her father. as a crimi-
nally negligent parent. @ ~ ~
Other Indictments seem imminent,
and attacks elsewhere will no doubt
be made by Halls defenders: but COR
roboration of the Pruyn girls story
win convict Hall just as surely as
proof OF its speciousness will save him.
Hint At Useful "Notes."
A vigorous effort to find flaws in
the girls testimony was begun yes
terday afternoon by E. G. Mulroney.
who a leading the defense. And
while confusion on minor points was
all the cross examination accom-
plished with the child. intination was
given Of Q possible stenographic rec
ord Of a previous examination in
which an utterly different story was
told. A subpoena was issued for the
appearance in court OF Lynde Catlin,
court stenpgrapher. who is supposed
to possess notes on q conversation
between County Attorney AnEevine,
and the Pr,iyn girl. wherein contradic-
tons Of the courtroom story are said
to exist. 49, .
Defense Gains Again.
The defense scored one other gain
and indicated another probable line
of attack when 1t secured from DR.. f.
D. Baker, physician at the State Or
phans' home. admission that the con-
ditions he noted during physical ex-
animation OF the Pruyn girl might
have been produced by experiences
other thaR sexual. intercourse,
Halls defense seemingly will con-
sist first of suggestions that the girls
story is factitious, second (and in cor
roboration OF the former point) that
actual prohf Of the commission of the
crime of rape cannot be made by any
physical examination yet given the
child or now possible.
The Stats's Advantage.
In support OF Its charge the state
has the remarkably clear and we'll
told story Of the girl supposed to have
been Halls victim. That story and
the cross examination Of it were the
outstanding events in the first day of
the trial proper. In substance the
girl charged these things:
The oirls Story.
That Frank Hall-middle-aged.
married ,grocer-first attempted to
seduce her when she was but IL
and had gone into his store to buy
candy: that Halls desires were
realized through the connivance of
Mrs. Nellie Mattison. with whom
she was then living: that Mrs.
Mnttison advised hef to submit to
Hall that they might get some
thing on HIM" that she did give
in at the Mattison home with Mrs.
Mattison's knowledge and ap-
proval; that Hall pursued her re-
lentlessly. gratifying his lust by
force when away from the Matti-
sons and by grace of the child's
fear Of her foster. mother" when
at the house; that Hall and she,
with Mrs. Mattison and her lover.
Jack ,Mahoney, made frequent
carnal trips into the country to-
gether; that when Hall quarreled
with Mrs. Mattison and induced
Dad" Pruyn. the father, to place
the girl in Mrs. Harry E. Thomp
sons "care" the only result was
the substitution In the vile ring OF
Mrs. Thompson and her gambler
lover. Sam Henderson, for Ma
honey and the Mattison woman:
that in two years she got from
Hall about $1,000. most of which
went to Mrs. Mattison and Mrs.
Thompson.
Girl eeN. Possessed.
The girl told her story coolly, clearly
as self possessed as though thrice ~
years Of age. yet not brazen. Rather
1t was az II the moral significance Of
q tcoutinued On Page six.).
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