Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-11-22
.DLLACE MUST
FACE TRIAL ON
MURDER CHARGE
Robbery Charge, However.
Will Not Be Pushed
Against N. D. Man.

Estevan, Sask., Nov. 20. On a
charge Of numbering Paul Matoff. q
Regina liquor agent at Bienfait, Sask.
on Oct. 4 last, Lee Dillage. of Ignite,
N. D., was Tuesday night committed
to stand trial at the next session of
kings bench court by Magistrate J. c.
Martin. The decision came after a two
day preliminary hearing. Dillage
made no statement.
N. r. Craig, counsel for Dillage,
made plea for the dismissal Of the
murder count but Magistrate Martin
stated there were several matters of
evidence which cast suspicion upon
Dillage. It has not been properly ex-
planned, he said, how the $4,000 was
removed by the bandits from the ex-
press office, occupied at the time of
the murder by Matoft and Dillage,
who 1t is alleged had just concluded a
liquor deal.
1t was decided by the court that the
charge Of robbery with violence laid
against Dillage would not be pro-
ceeded with.
Esteyan, sa.sk., Nov.s22.-James;L La.
kGpste, Regina truck driver, who Ia
charged Jointly with Lee Dillage Of
Ignite, N. D.. with the Staying OF
Paul Matoff, a Regina liquor agent at
Bienfait, on Oct. 8 last, admitted al
the preliminary hearing here Tuesday
that the story he told at the coroner's
inquest here Oct. 8 of the "highjack-
Ing" Of the whisky truck and Dill
ages automobile south of Bienfait
after the murder and robbery OF
Matof, was false.
La Coste admitted telling the story
to Sergt. Morgan Of the Saskatch-
evan provincial police. on his return
D Bienfait and also stated that he
told Dillage that he thought him
crazy to tell such a story, as Dill
age had just told him that Matoff had
been killed. However, he stuck to
the story to shield Dillage from fed
eral officers in the United States and
maintained this falsehood at the
coroner's inquest. d.
Chief Witness.
Colin Rawcliffe, Canadian Pacific
railroad ~telegrapher, was the crowns
chief witness at the trial, his test
mony consuming three hours. He de-
scribed sale of 10 cases Of liquor by
F. MatoH to Lee Dillage, the payment
by the latter of $4,000 and death OF
the liquor vender from a shotgun
charge at close range.
Dtllage was represented at the trial
by N. r. Craig, Moose Jaw, and by
Dudley Nash. Minot. LaCoste wal
defended by W. W. Yynd OF Estevan.
Describes the Shooting.
The crowns witness testified thai
on the night Of the murder Rawcliffe
was playing pool at II o'clock when
Abe Zellickson came to inform him
that the freight consigned to Matof1
in the freight house which had beer
closed at $3.50 would be delivered tc
Matoh. Abe ~Zellickson, Harry Eel.
lickson. Lee Dlllage and the witness
went to the station where a truck
was waiting to receive the liquor. The
work Of loading the liquor began and
shortly after Paul Matoff entered AND
gave assistance.
The witness testified that LaCoste
arrived about midnight at the station
and while the others were still busy
transferring the liquor Dillage and
Maton entered the ticket office, where
the transfer of money for handlins
the liquor was to take place. Raw.
fclihe said that he presently heard the
firing of shots and through the, broker
window saw the body OF Mator and
Dfllage holding the fallen mans head
Dtllage had q sawed-of shotgun, hi
said.
Speak to me. Paul! Speak to mel,
are the words that Rawcliffe says Dill,
lage uttered while holding the mans
head. 3.,t
When asked II Dillage's erie,
seemed genuine he said he thought 4
did and that at first Dillage could no,
that the man was dead.