The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-08-07

have to show something tending to I
prove that the car was stolen. APP
parently being unable 20 do this he
told the governor that County Attor-
ney Erickson told him the car was
stolen. This is denied by the county
attorney here who was prepared to go
ca the stand to disprove the state
ment. The governor granted the eX-
tradition papers, however. Attorney
Ryan told Braatelien that he would
get a writ Of habeas corpus from the
supreme court within ten minutes.
This alarmed Braatelien and the gov
ern0r showed some concern. A Stp-
ulation was therein entered into by
which the habeas corpus proceedings
were to be tried before Judge Paul OF
PlentywcOd, which was close enough
to North Dakota to enable Braatelien
to have all the witnesses present that
he desired The upshot was the hear
ing last Wednesday and Thursday,
which resulted in Braatelien and Hen
K erson admitting on the witness stand
that they had no evidence in their pos
session that Huffman stole the car or
was in North Dakota when the car
was stolen, or ever was in that state.
One Law for a Farmer, Another
for Bankers
The granting of extradition papers
/ by Governor Erickson in the case OF
/ the Dooley farmer caused much COM
ment in this part of the state. 1t was
pointed out that when this county
wanted to have Beiseker eXtradited
from North Dakota FOR rObbing this
county of huge sum that Governor
/ Nestos of that state denied the extra
dition. The difference in treatment OF
I the farmer and banker was all the
more manifest when it was taken into
consideration that there was no evi-
dence presented to show that the
farmer stole a Ford but that there
was abundant proof that the banker
had robbed the taxpayers OF more
than a quarter Of million.
The Hearing
In the hearing before Judge Paul
Braatelien employed Onstad d
Greer to represent him. Greer start
ed to present the case as well as a
LAWYER who has no case to present,
could. Braatelen, a nervous main
street lawyer, who was admitted to
Jle Ddf WllGIl AuGIllDGIS III OO4AAO
fraternal organization counted for
more than a knowledge of the law,
i soon pushed Greer aside and started
to try the case himself. The result
was, that due to his lack of mowl-
edge of the rules Of evidence and his
apparent animus, d case which
should be disposed of in three hours
was prolonged for two days. The
crowd in the courtroom were amused
at the grtesque posings Of the small
town North Dakota lawyer
Henderson Testifes
Henderson, from Crosby, went on
the stand and attempted to prove that
the car was his. He stated the num-
bers were changed and that because
his key would not fit the lock it was
"iimmed." He admitted that Huff
: man let him examine the car not less
than four times and that he coulC
: not prove that Huffman stole the cal
: or that he was ever in North Dakota
He said he lost the car at Crosby be
tween the hours of seven and clever
o'clock On the night of May 8, 1925
7 Harry Miller from Crosby stated
(. that he sold a Ford car to Henderson
z but admitted that he did not know
: whether Huffman ever was in tn
state of North Dakota at any time.
Braatelien Makes Damaging
Admission
Braatelien, who voluntarily went OF
the stand to prove that Huffman
showed a bill eff sale to the governor
admitted that he had not any mOr
evidence to present to GOvernO
Erickson than he had in that court
Asked whether he had any evidenc
that Huffman stole the car from Hen
derson or that Huffman was in NOrtl
Dakota on May 9, 1925, or was eve
in that state or in any way connected
4 with the theft Of this or any othe
1 car. Braatelien was forced to admi
! under oath that he had net. He trie
= to wriggle out of giving an answe
: for a long time and Greer tried t
! save him by strenuous objections bu
u the Judge ruled that he should answer
{ He also admitted that he y1as no
sworn in the hearing before the gov
ernor. "You are supposed to tell tn
4 truth before a governor without be
L ing swrn. 1t isn't usual" was the ar
swer of Braatelien as the departmeT
> of Justice men and the attorneys j
. the courtroom laughed.
: Huffman's NeighbOrs Refute Charg
y Several farmers living in the vicir
: ity of Huffman's farm went ON til
I stand and testified that he was at hi
! home on his farm on May 9 and II
d preceding and succeeding days. Al
y Wankel testified that Harry Huffma
! visited his house on.the night of Ma
: 9 between the hours of seven an
y eleven o'clock and discussed the pril
Il fight at Raymond on the precediI
evening. Mr. Abbott, another neigl
Dor, testified that he knew that Hui
man was working on his farm durir
the week he was alleged to be
> North Dakota.