Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-02

| IN COURT To
BUCK CONLEY
Called to Tell About
Appropriations During
Last Legislative Meet.
Ex-Warden Says Asked
for unds to Buy Land,
but Not Walton Ranch.
(Trihune's Helena Bureau)

Helena. July Although a number
of the rebuttal witnesses called by the
state from distant parts of the state
were present in the district court Sat
urday in anticipation of being called
to testify in the case of the state
against Frank Conley, none was given
an opportunity, as Mr.. Conley was still
on the stand under examination as
to his cross claims when court ad-
joured until July s.
| OF the rebuttal witnesses who were
on hand. Ward Beley. state represent
ative from Wheatland county. and B.
y. Brockway, state representative from
Yellowstone county, were there to
testify as members of the house COM
mittee on appropriations in the last
assembly
1t is also understood that Kenneth
Dean, who was recaptured after his
escape from the penitentiary since his
appearance on the witness stand in this
case. about two months ago. Frank
"fItlock, who had also testified in the
case and other convicts from the state
prison. had been brought to the city
to give rebuttal evidence.
Asked About Conversations
Mr.. Conley during the forenoon was
questioned by Attorney General We'll
hngton ID. Rankin as to conversations
with Beley and Brockway of the house
committee on appropriations regarding
an item of $4,000 asked by him for
the purchase of land and improve
ments.
The witness was asked if he had
not told Mr.. Beley that the $50 900
was desired with which to purchase
aIn fn
inference being that this referred 10
the Walton ranch. He was also asked
II he had not appeared before sub
committee. of which Mr. Brockwav was
chairman, and made a similar state
ment
To these questions Conlev replied
that his recollection was that he had
not referred to the Walton ranch bur
that he had meant to impress upon
the members of the appropriations
committee that this money was desired
to purchase all the land needed BY the
prison, as well as the dairy cattle end
hogs
Presents Highway Items
The question of work done for the
highway commission was brought up
when the witness presented a state
ment showing the quantities of gasoline !
md oils receipted for by various per
sons at or around the prison, by which /
1t was shown that much of the sun- t
Plies went TO highway commission pur- |
poses
why was not this highway stuff coll |
ected from the highway commission?" I
asked Mr.. Rankin.
Il didn't have time" replied Con
ey. Il only had ii hours to get out
IF there
Conley was questioned under direct
ana cross-examination as TO two of his
counter claims. one of $4,000 for ice :,
furnished the prison during period
u l. years. and another of Sc. 900 for
rayeling expenses while serving as
warden
Wants $500 Year for Ice
He placed the value of ice at $500
year because that is the sum be is
low receiving in rental for the ice
'ond and ice house previously used in
connection with the prison
As to travelling expenses, he said he
lad never collected cent from the
tate. had kept no account of such
expenses but estimated that they would
verage not less than $50 month.
Percy Wittmer. mayor of Helena.
estified as to the methods of handling
laims In the office of the state board
# examiners he having served as clerk
o the board in 1910 10 1918. and also I
or few months in 1917
Court was adjourned until after the
'ourth of July holiday when Conley's
xaminatiOn as to his counter claims |
rill be resumed