Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-25
WILSON'S FREED
BY JURYMENA
ASSAULTTRIA
Find Brothers Did Not Assault
Hunters During Fracas
on Farm.

| U11 Il al kIs
1t took a justice court jury just
about a half hour late Tuesday evening
to reach a unanimous decision for
acqulttal in the case of Dave and
Richard Wilson, charged with third
degree assault on Walter Armstrong
and Deputy Sheriff Jack Abrams, at
the conclusion of a trial that had
lasted from 10 o'clock in the morning
until 500 o'clock in the afternoon.
The case was tried before a jury in
the court of Justice of the Peace G.
A. Wilson.
The case developed out of a con-
troversy on the Wilson brothers farm
in the Big Bend country, between
Armstrong and Abrams, who were
hunting ducks on the place, and the
Wilson's. who objected to the presence
of the hunters on their property. Tes-
timony in the case revealed that the
river front had been something of a
battle front on the morning of DC
tober Ii. Abrams and Armstrong ap-
peared before Justice Wilson the next
day and swore out complaints for the
arrest of the farmers, charging them
with a~ssaulting them with clubs. a
hammer and stones. The Wilson
brothers were arrested and released on
$500 bonds each.
Attorney John w. Stanton appeared
for the farmers. County Attorney w.
J. Tighe conducted the prosecution.
Conrad Heard Threats
Abrams and Armstrong both testi-
fled that they were hunting along the
slough early in the morning and had
shot q few ducks before they were
approached by the farmers. who order
ed them to leave the place. They testi-
fled that the Wilson brothers called
them many vile names and threatened
them with a club and a hammer. Their
testimony regarding the threats and
the farmers use of explosives was cor
roborated in the testimony of Clarence
Conrad, who was hunting with Abrams
and Armstrong. but who was across
the slough from where the dispute
arose. He testified that he had heard
the farmers threaten to get a gun and
drive the hunters off the place.
Abrams appeared in the court room
with a bandage over his right eye. He
testified that Dick Wilson had struck
him over the eye with a claw hammer.
He also testified that one of the Viii
sons had struck him in the back of
the head with q stone when he was
leaving the property. He said that he
had knocked Dave Wilson down when
Wilson had attempted to strike him
with 81 club.
1t was brought out through the
testimony that Armstrong had held
attempting to take q club away from
him. Abrams had held the other
brother AWAY from him as he seemed
bent on kicking at Armstrong. Arm
strong said. Dave Wilson testified that
Abrams had pointed the shot u at
his stomach and told him If he didn't
stay away he would shoot him. This
was denied by both Abrams and Arm
strong.
Virtually the entire trial was based
or conflicting testimony regarding
what actually took place at the edge
of the slough. The hunters said that
they made no attempt to injure the
farmers beyond the necessity of de-
Tending themselves. The farmers said
Abrams threatened to shoot them.
Both Armstrong and Abrams testified
that Abrams had pointed his shot gun
toward the men after they had reached
their car and threatened to shoot them
if the farmers continued to interfere
with their leaving the property in q
~peaceable amer.
Abrams said that when he and Arm
strong started toward their car which
was parked several hundred feet up
the slough. the farmers climbed into
their wagon and drove up to where
the car was parked, Dave Wilson then
threw a rock, barely missing Arm
strong. Abrams said. A second later
he was struck in the back of the head
with a rock hurled by Dick Wilson,
he said.
Did Not Arrest Men
Questioned by Attorney Stanton as
to why he did not exercise his right
as an officer and arrest the men in
stead of taking part in a hand-to-hand
encounter with them, Abrams said that
he was trying to leave p%eaceably, but
that the farmers refused to let them
leave without forcing the issue. He did
realize the extent of his injuries
until later, he said.
DIR. C.. j. Bresee testified that he
had dressed Abrams wounds.
Several persons We're placed on the
stand by the prosecution who testi- |
fled that they had been insulted ut
different times when they had hunted
on the Wilson property and picked
cherries on their farm. This testimony
was objected to by Attorney Stanton,
but his objection was overruled.
Five of the jurors in the case are
said IN he farmers