The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-08-28
Berry Must Stand Trial

lCoIlI lilClI ld1I WIFI rage
Berry Must Stand Trial
They feel that all the efforts of
Berry to fix things in Great Falls SC
that he would escape trial have failed
and that like Chickens coming home
to roost" his exploits in Scobey last
summer, as published in the Produc-
ers News and the Great Falls Town
Topics have made it impossible for
even republican politicians to do any-
thing to save the skin of the keeper
of the notorious dive at ScObey.
Berry is not dealing with Sammy Ny
quist now. He is dealing with John
L. Slattery, United States District At
torney for Montana, a public official
who can neither be bnbed nor ter
rorized from doing his duty to the
citizens of the state. No one knows
better than Mr.. Slattery, who used to
live at Glasgow, the methods used by
the Stephens Bennett crowd to force
their will on the people of Daniels
county. That is the reason he is turn
ing a deaf ear to the friends of Berry
who are going to see him daily. He
is going to enforce the law against
Berry the same as any other dealer
in liquid poison.
Fears Understrappers May Turn
Berry would not fear the prison
sentence as much as the abatement
proceedings which are sure to follow
if he could trust his political subjects
in Scobey. But there is the grim fear
that once his throne is kicked from
under him by the strong arm of the
u. S. court, his political underlings
may turn on him in order to square
themelves with the public and get
cut of the nasty mess they have got
ten themselves into by allowing them
selves to be made the errand boys of
the Stephens-Bennett combination.
"Chickens Come Home to RO0st"
When Berry was in Outlook this
week he wore a worried look. He adj
mitted that the attacks on the public
in his official publication was getting
him in Dutch" with everybody and
was recoiling on his own head. Gross
defamation of character, fendish per-
sonal abuse, ard ridiculous lies al
ways have an opposite effect from
that intended, which Berry is finding
out to his sorrow. In a dazed sort OF
way he is now realizing that every
barrage of vituperation he puts cut
is boOmeranging on him with ire
mendOus force and effect.
BOotlegger Rule Not Popular
The truth of the saying that Gun
easy lies the head that wears {
Crown" was never better exemplifieC
than III the present case of the SEQ
hey Republican Boss. He is noy
monarch of all he surveys" in SEQ
bey. He has killed all competition il
his line. No other bootlegger cal
come in and sell booze IL Scobey il
competition with him. But something
is wrong. The farmers of Daniel
county are silent and morOse an
when they speak at all they say the,
do not like to have their county af
fairs run by saloonkeeper. The.
are bringing their wheat to othe
places this summer. The church PEG
pie and the better element in Scobe,
are pointing accusing fingers at Ny
ouist and asking him "Why don't yoI
shut down Berry Stephens ?" "Wha
has happened to the abatement cas-
you instituted against him almost
wear ago?" Lawrence is driven t
desperation by the same question
Berry's place is within a stone
throw of his Office. He could GO Their
any and every day. Berry, who neve
had much use for church man,
fearful that Nyquist may succumb t
an insistent public opinion If h
should land in Jail and turn on hir
to save his (Nyquist's) hide.
Settlers Keep Away
The extensive advertising of tn
Great Northern is bringing in pros
pective settlers who never befOr
heard about Scobey. When they Wis
that town and find cut that its polite
is run by a bootlegger, that this boot
logger maintains what is commonl
referred to as the Bucket of Blood
in the heart of the city right out o
the Main street and under the nose
of the officials, they have enough {
Scobey and the country around
They are not particularly intent 0
bringing up their children in such a
atmosphere. They have heard abol
the safety of passersby being men
aced while passing this joint, whiC
is the seat of frequent exhibitions {
gun play an1 wild riots. They hes
of the tragic death of Carl SigeTt an
how his dead body was carted ava
and thrown in the river like a des
beast. After hearing more of the d,
ings in the terror-ridden city the
make a hasty departure and than
their God when they strike other te
ritory where "gentler manners reign
Stephens Throne lettering
The Great Northern officials al
now waking up to what is drivin
settlers away from the line Of Il
new railroad despite their elab0rai