The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1921-08-17

Fowler, 62, rancher, who had liy-
ed near Ennis in the Madison valley |
70 rabout 40 yea<s, was convicted of
sedition in the district court at Vir-
ginia City in October, 1918, and was
sentenced to term in the peniten-
Larry and to pay a fine of $4,000.
The fine has been paid. At the time
# his trail he had appeared without
counsel, but later on obtained the ser
yices Of George D. Pease of Boze-
man, who carried the case to the state
supreme court in an attempt to OBJ
sain a new trial. The supreme court,
denying the new trial, suggested that
the only remedy, if the penalty was
severe, was to appeal to the COVER
nor for pardon.
Following the decision of the court
t3etitions were circulated to obtain a
pardon for Fowler and were signed by
|. 557 persons living in the Madison val
ley, including ten of the jurors who
convicted Fowler, and 80 ex-ser-
vice men.
Fowler was convicted upon the
testimony, the records show, of R. A.
Paisley, a rancher, who told that IN
April, 1918, in a conversation regard
ing the putting in of a wheat crop
and the necessity of feeding the SOL
iiers, said: "Let the --- eat hay.
That's what / used to have to do"
This testimony was partially cor
roborated by Paul Paisley, son of the
other, and by his ranch han, E. G..
Crandall, although the latter admit
ted Fowler might have been referr-
ing to the people instead of the SOL
diers.
John M. Kennedy, who is referred
ITO as having been unfriendly toward
Fowler for a number of years, testi-
fled that when asked to buy liberty
bond Fowler had said he "would soon
err save and bury his money than use
it against his own people"
Testimony was also jut in to the
effect that Fowler had justified the
sinking of the Lusitania.
Several months after the convic-
ton affidavits were sworn to by the
Pasleys, which were later presented
to the governor, in which they said
they might have been in error in re
peating the conversation with Fowler
and they could not say his version OF
what he said was incorrect. These af-
affidavits added that they did not be-
ctc cFw.er meant % speak diSn2.-
ragingly Of the soldiers or institu-
lions of the United States.
For the purpose of impeaching R
A. Paisley, the principal witness at the
trial, counsel for Fowler called sew
cral Madison county men before the
board at the afternoon session.
! c. w Chown;n, q merchant Of En-
MS said he had been there for 2,
years and always Fowler had he'd Tx
reputation CT good citizen and up
right man. Chownin made the state
ment that while manager of the Ton
Hodgens ranch in Madison valley
Paisley, the chief witness against MI
Fowler, with the assistance of tn
witness Crandall, had m;sappropriat
ed GO bushels of wheat, which wer
afterward sown on Pasley's ranch
J and quantity of betting, which ha
been used in Hogdens' mill. He sal
Paisley in an affidavit, now in tn
possession of Hodgens, had admitte
= these facts.
Chowning told the board that in hi
opinion the testimony of Paisley
f should not be taken seriously becaus
h of his character. He said that ma
/. who would steal from his employe
S should not be believed on the witnes
f stand and for that reason he urge
the board to approve the commits
ton of FOwler's sentence.
No action was taken by the boar
VI today. 1t is likely that represents
tives of the American Legion will d.
- side to bring witnesses from Mad;se
\, county to answer some of the ties
;. mony before the board today.