Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-02-06
BENNETT'SFlRST
CASE A VICTORY
County Attorney Wins Convic-
ti6n of Strnad on Charge
of Larceny.

The penalty which Frank Strnai will
pay for breaking the seal on box car
in the Great Northern yards On the
morning Of July u, 1913, and taking
therefrom a quantity of smoked meats
and merchandise will be fixed in district
court this morning by Judge j. Il. Leslie.
After deliberating three hours, the jury
that for day and half listened to
evidence submitted by the state and IN
behalf of the defendant brot in 4 verdict
OF guilty shortly after last evening
fixing of the sentence being lett to
the court.
The closing hours Of the Strnad trial,
which was the first prosecuted py
County Attorney II. q. Bennett since he
assumed office January =, was marked
by a lively battle between Mr.. Bennet,
his chief deputy, ". J. Tighe, and
Attorney w. r. O'Leary, who, with -
w. Doyle, represented the defense, and
the decision of the jury that Strnad was
guilty of the crime with which he was
charged left Mr.. Bennet winner not
only Of His first case but Of q case IN
which the opposition devoted its best
efforts to the attempted acquital of It's
client.
The opening address for the state was
made by MIR Tighe, who devoted ~
minutes to an able discussion OF the
points covered by the witnesses and TO
II demand for the conviction OF the
defendant. lie was followed by Nj.
DIeary. who. silmmoning all VI MS very
considerable ability as an orator, com
bined an eloquent and even iloWerS pea
fer Strnads acquittal with savage
attack on Special Agent Charles Norton
MI. OIeary charged Norton with franz
inc fake ease il which he sought to
convict an innocent man whose inopport-
unc arrival at the Great Northern
freight house on the night in question
placed him in position to meet the
special agents need Of a victim.
Mr.. O'Leary ignored practically all
other testimony submitted during the
trial ecntering his attack on the special
agent ana attempting to show that the
witness had periuled himself. Vt the
conclusion Of his address he charged
Specjal Agent Miller Of perjury also,
hut devoted only 4 few minutes to the
points covered BY Miller's testimony.
Norton as the states principal witness,
crew the brunt of the attorney 5 ire.
Concluding for the state, County At
tornev Bennett made his maiden Spcect
us Il puUliE ftfoStCuloI- ~ ifdd bS1o't'
noiseA about the courthouse that the
Strnad case was finishing with battle
royal between the new prosecutor ant
one Of the citFs prominent legal firm:
ana when Mr.. Bennct began MS address
the seats i'm Judge LesIie's department
were well filled with a crowd of inter
ested spectators He began briefly re
viewing the preliminary testimony, thel
matched hs oratory against that of hi
opponent and that he acquitted hlmsel
not without distinction was attested b,
the verdict returned three hours later
In turn. he pursued all the methods en-
ploved bv the speaker WHO brings TO hl
assistance logic. wit. humor and rldicul
and when he had finished the impression
that had unquestionably been made b,
the opposing counsel was in more q
less demolished state.
Following Mr.. O'Leary as he did. it wa
necessary for him to both cover hi
own side OF the trial and at the sam'
time defend Norton in the attack tina
had been made. and III which perJur.
was alleged of the witness whose testi
mony must stand il the states conten
lion was to prevail Probably the mos
noteworthy point in Mr.. Bcnnets pie;
was His support of Witness Norton.
Strnad was arrested on the mornln'
of July u by Agent Norton, who picket
his man up at the Great Northern
freight house At the trial Norton test
fled that Strnad had in his possession ;
sack Of meat. small case of cannet
soup and two hams, and that Strnad thel
admitted his guilt. by other witnesse: