Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-29

sustained by the court. SaulS. now
ever, was permitted to tell of an in
terview with Governor Joseph NJ. Dix
on in which he quoted the executive as
saying:
Il have sent Potter over there to
friendly with Conley. Potter will take
care of Conley.'
Has No Malice
Under cross ss-examination by Mr.
Rankin, the witness admitted he had
been fired" by Potter, but contended
he had no ill-feeling again the present
warden. He said Potter had taken a
rifle and another gun from the prison
gun case and placed them in his Of
flee Asked by the deputy what he
was going to do with the weapons,
Potter, according 20 Sauls, said:
'Ill need them. I'm going to kill
that skunk treferring to negro en-
ployed by Conley) and I'll take care
of Conley."
Sauls told of A. F. McFatridge,
clerk of the board of examiners. TAX
ing affidavits from convicts during the
prison investigation. He said one con-
vict named Pearson had refused to
make an affidavit and had been con-
fined in a cell. The witness quoted
Potter as saying, regarding Pearson:
ANY man favorable to Conley can
not get any consideration from this
administration"
"Talk and Be Freed
Later. Sauls said, Pearson sent word
to Potter he was ready to make the
affidavit. Pearson. subsequently, was
placed on the outside as a "trusty,
according to Sauls, and finally re-
leased. He declared that convicts had
talked to the effect that they had to
make affidavits against Conley in or
der to get out"
Ar one time, Sauls related. the con-
yicts were trying to get letters to the
attorney general complaining about
having no meat. Potter. he said,
threatened to kill any man who car
rieG a letter He told of Potter Civ
ing $3.50 to Il convict named Margelin
and instructing him to go to Pacific
coast city and get an affidavit from
a man named Gillies. The witness did
NOT know the outcome of this trip
but he said he understood later that
Margelin was killed.
Sauls quoted Percy +. Dodds, mem
her of the legislature. as saying II
don't believe Potter is the right kind
of man to be warden of the peni
tentiary: his temperament is against
him
BeiittIes Convict Testimony
The witness said he had told r. Fl.
Macdonald associate counsel for the
state and the man who investigated the
nrison. that he would be the laugh
inr stock of Montana if you rely on
convict testimony to prosecute Conley."
NacDonald, he said, had replied that
bo had been instructed to get affidavits
from the convicts, but that he wanted
the Investigation to "be a fair and i'm
partial one.
Ssuls said that after he was fired"
Governor Dixon had promised he
.."ouId be taken care of" Governor
Dixon. he said told him:
I'm the governor My only request
;s TINT you don't tell anything that is
going on at the penitentiary.
Potter Refused Machinery
The former deputy warden said that
conlev had attempted number of
Ewes to turn over machinery owned
h., the state and stored at the Conley
e. WcTague ranch. Because of the
III selling between the present and
eaner wardens, the witness stated,
rnnIev had made the offers to him to
non ,a,urn the machinery instead of going
20 potter. The present warden, he
So said had given orders that the machin-
orv he not received.
cry Lemert, former state account
~ ~ now employed by the defense, was
an a 70 the witness stand late in the
ca.ivr ainruoon. He told of the book-keep
n,aei ~ systems used at the penitentiary.
ing M F. Rohn of Butte, head Of
.eatitird ..eeat;fed that the rental of teams was
ses,n ses,n s35 to $50 month. Conley, in
lro'i, r,nter claim. is asking payment for
a a, co"s 'se By the state Of his horses.
'he ". Choate. associate counsel for
the p defense, was II at his home .ns.v Wed, d.
eesu Attorney General s. c.. Ford,
lorl'' % 'xncIuded his testimony in be-
hall hall Of Conley Tuesday.