Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-03-06

pT. T. Edmonds 10 Nanderveer. Its
particular significance, according to at
torneys. is that it wholly absolves Grimm
from any legal participation in an al
legged raid on the /. W. W hall in
centralia just prior TO the shooting to
death of Grimm and three other parade
participants and the wounding of several
others.
Edmonds. testifying for the defense,
asserted he had an interest only in
absolute justice with both God and
man.
He met with many rebuffs in his
search for the truth, he testified. sew
erG4 persons showing him the door and
urging him that he make haste in leav-
ing their houses and offices
Was Arrested in Olympia.
Edmonds, in the letter not only alb
solved Grimm. but suggested trial tactics,
which, according to state counsel, were
intended to circumvent this. Admitting
that he could not find evidence. up to
the time he wrote the letter, January 4,
'wnlen Implicated Grimm az a participant
IN any alleged raid on the hall, he sug
sested line of defense, which state
counsel AYERS. If adopted, would tend to
implicate Grimm
Edmonds admitted that he had been
arrested in Olympia for circulating what
purported to be preliminary pledge list
Tor the prosecution, thus seeking to
sound public sentiment when it was
thought the trial might be held in the
state capital. He declared his arrest
there unjust. aud that he had been vim
dicated By his release later.
chambermaid Found Letter.
1t was brought out that the letter was
left in hotel bedroom in Olympia and
that it was found in a pillow case by a
On redirect examination
testified that the letter had
never been sent to Vanderveer
Suggestion that defense counsel build
his defense on the cases of Lovejoy and
John Brown was made in the letter. /
which told how the suggestion had oc-
Cured TO the minister after perusal (
Of those cases in the volume Decisive |,
Legal Battles Of the Country" by Hill. I
Presentation of the letter during
eros examination came as a I
distinct surprise. the incident being one
of the most dramatic of the trial
Gould not the outside firing be fin
and one or two others. showing it to be
perhaps as legally indefensible as the
lohn Brown case was one of the sug-
yestions contained in the letter. which
speaks Of the 'tremedous historical Sc !
iuences, the Lovejoy aud John Brown
'ases had.
Edmonds endeavored during the
'eading Of the letter, 10 explain. but
'ourt stopped his Interruptions of the
eading." 'The western law of reach
ng for gun should apply" the letter
aid at one point, Abel asking Edmonds
he meant to try and show . that
irimm was reaching for a sim when
illed. The minister said he was try
ng TO convey what Il former service
nan had told him.
The Letter.
The letter from Fdmonds TO Wander
.eer, dated January 4. 1920, which
tate counsel has had in its possession
ionery of Ralph II. Pierce, Seattle at !
orney. is as follows:
Dear Mr. Nanderveer:
Please forgive the apparent pre-
but l want to relay 10 YOU
hat | felt was inspiration-in that
believe re Centralia case !;
lit would be a line of defense :
as seemingly palpable other 3
ise unaxplainable facts and SO have :
le strength Of truth. 6
2.-I would not risk endangering
ovement by recoil that might come.
Might Arouse Sympathy. t
SIT would furnish solid ground v
'r an appeal to the latent justice of an t
verage man. a
Briefly to combine the public do p
.nse of Lovejoy and the remarkable :,
Continued on Page fwoo