The producers news., 1920-02-27


Sidebotham's friends to have the
application of the attorney general
for pardon endorsed by the United
Walsh and Myers-but they, on &C.
count of the unsavory nature of the
case, it is said here, declined openly
to have anything to do with it; hence
the appeal was made through their
colleague from Idaho.
Sidebotham's co-defendant, J. C.
C. Wilmot, is now confined as a
prisoner in the United States peni-
tentiary at Leavenworth, Kan, for
the same crime for which Sideboth-
am was yesterday pardoned. Both
Wilmot and Sidebotham were con-
victed in trial before United States
District Judge George M .Bouruuin
and a jury at Helena, and sentenced
to three years in the penitentiary at
hard labor. Upon appeal, the judg-
ment was confirmed by the United
State circuit court of appeals at
San Francisco, upon the ground that
tho "evidence was sufficient" to sus-
tain the conviction. The supreme
cou1t OF the United States denied an
application for a writ of error in the
case of Sidebotham.
HAS POWERFUL FRIENDS.
Although the evidence in the case
showed that the Northwest Trustee
company had defrauded poor people
in Montana and Washington Of over
100000, powerful friends obtained
a pardon. Sidebotham, with Wilmot
William Rae, former state treasurer,
now assistant cashier of the DAILY
Bank and Trust company Of Butte;
A. M. Anderson, former secretary of
Great Falls, and Dominick Bertoglio
United States grand jury for the
frauds. At the trial it appeared
that S. V Stewart, governor of Mon
tana, was the owner of 1000 shares
of the capital stock of the Northwest
Trustee company. These shares were
given him by Sidebotham in return
for which the governors name and
office was used as bait to get suck
ers, it was alleged. The grand jury
considered the case against Stewart
as we'll as against Edward Norris,
former governor of Montana, but by
a narrow margin failed to indict.
Sidebotham is now an employe of a
New York bank owned by the Stand
ard Oil Company. His sister is mar
ried to H. B. Thayer of Philadelphia.
Thayer, who is a millionaire, is also
connected with the Standard Oil CON-
pany. Wilmot apparently has no
friends among the Standard Oil COM
pany's officials, it is said.
KELLY AND GALEN CONVICTED.
In the trial Of the case at Helena
To- Of n
in fact, there was so many of them
seriously impeded by their joint ef-
gested to the array of counsel that
they "appoint a steering committee" "
The eminent counsel were Henry C.
Smith, ex-justice of the supreme
, court, representing Rae and Alder
son; Judge E. M. Lamb of Butte rep
resenting Bertoglio; J. w. Speer, rep
resenting himself and Sidebotham and
Wilmot; j. H. Hawley, ex-governor of
Idaho, representing Sidebotham; D. M.
Kelly, ex-attorney general and Stand
ard Oil attorney, with. A. J. Galen, ex-
attorney general, also aided in the de-
fense Of Sidsbotham.
AS the result of the trial of this
case, Kelly and Galen were convicted
of tampering with the jury that re-
turned verdict in favor of Anderson,
Rae, Speer and Bertoglio, and con-
victed Wilmot and Sidebotham. The
appeals of Kelly and Galen were dis
missed by the United States circuit
court of appeals and by the United
State supreme court. Kelly paid a
fine Of $3.50 after an execution had
been issued against him by the United
States district court of Montana.
STEWART LOST NERVE.
Shortly after the indictment of Rae
and Anderson, who were then holding
Office in the state house, panic
seized Governor Stewart. He tseti-
fed in the criminal case that he re-
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