Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-01-07

bet or wager at any such game, any such
person so offending, shall, on conviction, be
punished by imprisonment for q term not
exceeding five years in the county Jail, or
by a fine not exceeding one thousand dol
lars, or by such fine and Imprisonment, by
any court of competent juridiction.
IF the keeper of any house, tent, shop,
saloon, booth or other place shall knowing
ly permit any Of the games mentioned In
the preceding section, or any game or
games where fraud or cheating Is prac-
ticed. or where loaded dice. marked cards,
or waxed cards are used, within said house,
shop, tent, saloon, place or enclosure, every
such person so offending, shall, on con-
~yiction, be punished by fine, not exceeding
one thousand dollars and shall forfeit any
license he may have obtained to keep any
, tavern, saloon, shop or other place"
Ii will be seen from the above Quoted
law that the mere act OF playing In one
of the prescribed games rendered q per-
son liable to a term OF five years IN the
county jail-a pleasant prospect for one
convicted-besides a fine; while the keep
er of the place harboring such games Was
subject only tc . fine.
Upper Missouri Navigation
There was enacted by the first Montana
Territorial Legislature q law permitting the
incorporation of a company under the name
Of the Upper Missouri River Navigation
company, giving the corporation the pow
er and authority, and the exclusive right
to open and remove all distractions and
make navigable that part or portion OF the
upper Missouri river from the falls on
that river above Fort Benton to the Three
Forks or said river, or what is known as
"Gallatin City"
The corporation mentioned, was given
the exclusive right to the navigation of the
river with steamboats, and all kinds of
watercraft for a term of fifty years, and
to carry freight and passengers over the
same. The company was capitalized Tor
$50, 900. The incorporators WERE, N. w.
Burris, G. w. Stapleton, John d. Richie,
A. v. Brooke, #. Moore, b. B. Peabody
and Richard f. Lawless.
On Carrying Concealed Weapons
Contrary to the impression existing am
ong most people today, the carrying OF
concealed weapons was a crime In Mon
tana in 1866, as 1t Is today. The law en-
Fa1ted-at the legislative session Of 1884 pro-
vided that IF any person shall, within any
city, town or village inthis territory, whe-
Their the same Is Incorporated or not, carry
concealed upon his or her person, any
pistol, bowie knife, dagger or other dead
ly weapon, shall ON conviction thereof, be-
fore any Justice of the peace of the proper
county be fined In any sum not less than
$25 nor more than $100."
One Of the freak laws which was passed
by the first legislature of Montana Terri.
tory, is that regarding the payment of
care Of estray cattle. This law was passed
In 1864 and has been a bone Of contention,
the target of amendments, and the subject
Of ''one hundred billion words In the
speeches of members of stockgrowers' as
sociati0ns.
Search of the records Of early day laws
In the state library, where are housed fome
very rare volumes, has disclosed that few
Of the proposed new and so-called freak
Legislative measures are altogether with
out equal.
Among the statutes which were adopted
by the early legislative assemblies OF the
colonies was one from New Jersey passed
about the time Benjamin Franklin toured
Philadelphia with a loaf Of bread, which
provided that mo stallion under fourteen
hands high could roam at liberty In the
woods"
The early-day statute which related t.
estrays provides for taking up OF estray
stock and that the man who takes up said
stock Is entitled to a reasonable compen
sation for maintenance, provided, however
that 1t was not stolen stock"
The first bill TO become a law In Mon
tana was passed by the territorial eigisla
ture In Bannack in session December IL
1864. The measure provided for the es
tablishment and procedure for courts o
today. Original copies Of the first session
laws have become rare. They were printed
by a firm In Helena In 1866.
Legislative Session Of 1871
Seth Bullock, Who was one OF the typica
characters OF the Old West, and who wa
a resident Of Montana in the Territorial
days, was In the territorial legislative SEES
sion of 1871, when all Of the 81 member
but two, were democrats. Bullock was on
Of this diminutive minority. In his descrip
ltion OF this memorable session, written t
his friend, General Charles 8. Warren,
few years ago, Bullock relates some inter
esting and amusing incidents: -,
II first met Granville Stuart intimatel
at Virginia City during the regular sesslol
Of the legislature In the winter or lSIl
1871, being the seventh session OF tina
august body. Stuart was a member OF tn
Legislative council from the Joint iegislstiv
district of Deer Lodge and Missouia coun
Ties, while | was a member from Lewis an