The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1919-12-12
STAAL CONVICTED. OF: f..
WHEAT STEALING

Carl Staal Of Roseland township
was found guilty by a jury in dis
trict court at Minot last Friday on
the charge of stealing wheat from
Oscar Anderson and Axel Lindquist,
and will receive his sentence some
time this week. The trial of this
case started Monday and was not
concluded until Friday. Staal was
very ably represented by Attorney
f. II. Sinkler of, Minot, while At
torney L. J. Palda of Minot, acted
as special prosecutor for States At
torney Hanson. The complainants
charged that they had wheat in,
bin in field from which they had
been hauling grain. They say they
left their two shovels IN one cor
ner Of the bin. and when they left
the wheat it was piled up in the
center of the bin. In the morning
they found the center leveled down,
and the shovels in a different place.
They suspected Staal and got into
an auto and drove to Kenmare,
beating him there. Staal was met
on the outskirts of Kenmare by
Deputy Sheriff Walstead, who ar
rested him. He was driving. a wa
gon with wheat in the bottom and
barley on top, the grain being sep
arated with tar paper. On top of
the load was some old furniture
and junk. Staal claims he held
the wheat out on the Farmers &
Merchants Bank of Kenmare, who
held a mortgage on it, as he intend
ed selling it and using the money,
which he needed badly, hence he
hid it at the bottom of the load,
He claimed that the wheat was kept
in his own granary at the bottom,
of the bin, covered with barley.
The state produced witnesses who
swore that they swept up some bar
ley at the bottom of Stalls gran
airy and did not find any wheat
mixed with it. ,..
This is the first case in Burke
county where a conviction was Sc.
cured Of a person charged with
stealing. wheat, although several
persons have been arrested on this
charge. In one other instance the
person arrested entered a plea of
guilty to the charge, and received
his sentence. In all other cases the
defendants were either dismissed
before trial, or after trial. We find
that the same condition also exists
in the other counties Of the state,
and attorneys who have tried a
number of cases Of this kind tell US
that it seems to be the hardest.
thing in the world to secure . con-
viction on the charge of stealing !:
wheat for the reason that it is next
to impossible to secure any evil
dence. Usually the farmer finds a
load or two of his wheat gone and
he reports the fact to the sheriff.
He is not in a position to say wheth-
er the wheat was taken two days
ago or a week ago. The sheriff
makes a thorough Investigation, and
with what circumstantial evidence
he has may suspicion one or two
parties of the theft but has no
proof. If he arrests the suspect
the chances are that no conviction
can be secured, and unnecessary ex-
penses are caused.
For this reason it behooves all
farmers to look after their wheat
themselves in every way possible.
While the authorities will do every
thing in their power to bring
thieves to justice, they are only
human, and cannot secure c0nvic-
tions where there is no evidence.
When thousands of dollars worth
Of grain is out in the field, many
times mile or more from any farm
house, it is naturally q temptatiin
to the criminally inclined, and es-
pecially after they have been ar
rested once, and evaded punish
ment. The proper thing for every
farmer to do is look after his grain
and keep it where it will
not tempt thieves.