Imperial Valley press., 1928-10-29
W0LAT0RS OF
ALIEN LAND LAW
HEAVILY FINED

IL. j. IhOmaS OF llnpefldl ana ii.
Bishcn Singh were each sentenced
to pay fine of 81 200 or serve $50
days in the Imperial County Jail
this morning by Judge A. c. Finney
in superior court on charges of
conspiracy to violate the alien land
law Of this state.
Commitments, however, have been
withheld by the court. In the case
of Thomas such order was given by
the court to extend to November 9
for the purpose Of allowing defense
counsel time to make proper appeal
to the court s decision returned
this morning which denied Thomas Il
Lew trial. In the case of Singh simil-
ar action was taken to allow him to
have Il hearing on an Application for
probation following sentence.
Thomas was convicted after a
trial lasting nearly two weeks.
Singh had previously pleaded guilty
and took the witness stand for the
state at the trial Of Thomas.
The court was thrown into con-
siderable confusion this morning
when an argument between G.
J.. Brown, attorney for the defend
ant, Singh, and District Attorney
Ieald broke out.
The district attorney in making
his recommendation to the court
{ declared that in the case of Singh
lie had promised no leniency because
of the fact that Singh had pleaded
guilty and that he had appeared as
a witness for the state against
Thomas. He declared, however, that
this should be taken into considera-
ton in passing sentence and recon-
mended tC TIE court that Singh be
sentenced to pay fine of $3.50
! and that Thomas be sentenced to
pay a fine of $1,000.
When the district attorney mad
! conc Mded his recommendation At
torney Brown took the floor. He in
! formed the court that the district
attorney had uttered an untruth i'll
saying that he had promised Singh
nothing. He declared that the dis
trict attorney had told him in the
/ presence of Singh, that he, the dis
! trict attorney, 'would recommend
! Il small fine and no jail sentence
for the defendant, Singh.
The district attorney emphatically
j denied that he had uttered any sucl
/ statement and both Heald anC
| Brown declared that they were will
I ing to take the stand and enter their
/ statements as testimony but to this
court objected and cautioned them
! that there must be some mistake.
, At this Attorney Brown declared
; emphatically that there was no mis-
take and said that if it were his
! last words he would reiterate his
statement that Heald had made the
I declaration which he had previously
, phrased.
. Thomas Appeals
The court finally succeeded III
restoring order and Attorneys Utley
! end Mckee, representing the de
| tendant, Thomas, recommended thal
! leniency of the court be EXTENDED
Thomas in sentence in view of the
circumstances of the case. IheS
/ nointed out that if Thomas was
, aniltv of a violation of the Amer
1and Law it was unwillingly aho
""T'o", T"o coprt then proceeded to 4n pas, !,
onco ne co Thomas was first 10 ;
sentenced, the court LlAl"s i; event
sT", sItv nt fine of $1,000 or IN A., e>Fn' ao
.io 1"S Fine be not paid that the We
Pnndant serve one day s pmpll1,
anmrnt in the county jail for eae'
4S Of the fine unpaid. ,,.
Defense counsel then declared 'i"'
if would take appeal from the
court 5 decision in denying the de'
fendant new trial and upon re-
quest the court agreed that com
mitment would be withheld until
Nov. 9, for the defense to make pro
per preparations.
Singh was then give a like SEN
tcncc by the court. Application for
probation before sentence was de
MED Singh but the court granted q
request that a hearing on applica-
tion for probation after sentence be
! held. Such hearing was set for No
vcmber and both eases were then
continued to that date. Both are
free at present under bond of 1000
each.