The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1930-06-20
WANDA HASS ON
TRIAL L ALL

Continued from page one)
born to her. Its father, she said
was Hugo. The baby died in in
fancy and was buried in a grove
on the Hass farm. She said tina
she had pleaded with the broth
ers to give the child a formal bur
ial, but had been refused. She
told of searching for the body
herself and of being driven away
from the spot. She said that hel
father met the same treatment
when he sought to help her after
she had told her mother of her
grief. She left the Hass farm in
1922.
Charges Brutality
After that, she said, the broth.
ers and their mother grew bru-
tai toward her, though Hugo
abused her and caressed her by
turns. She went elsewhere to
work and finally obtained an at
torney, Mr.. Rankin, who arranged
a settlement with William, the
oldest brother, by which he paid
$500 and $1,000 more on condi-
ton she would go to California
to live. Other conditions were in
volved, she said, among them one
that Hugo would not marry. She
said she found these conditions
were not fulfilled and she decided
not to leave. The attitude of the
men and their mother toward her,
she said, put her in fear of her
life and she began to go about
armed.
On the day of the tragedy, the
sheriff has testified, she started
to town from a neighbours place,
where she was working, and met
Hugo, driving a grain wagon. She
stopped him and, after some o n
v%ersation, which, the official quot
ed her as saying, ended with an
invitation from Hugo to "Shoot
if you feel that way about it."
shot Hugo in the stomach. He
died next day.
Tells Of Fear
Wanda testified her first fear
of her uncles came in 1925. She
said Hugo first threatened her
life in 1928. Her only protection
from then on, she said, was to
carry a revolver whenever left
alone at the Tobin home, where
she was working at that time,
and as had occurred in April z
when Mr.. and Mrs. Tobin were
at the bedside of a relative who
was i'll in Plentywood.
This was the day of the shoot
ing. She met her uncle at the
lane she said, and from
the grain tank in which he was
he waved for her to stop.
She told of having a heated con-
.versation with Hugo and said that
he threatened her and started to
climb over the side of the wagon,
whereupon she shot him
Wanda related conversations
she had had afterward with Coun-
ty Attorney Blackwell and Sher-
IF Madsen in which she said they
advised her to plead guilty to
second degree murder, saying that
would be easier than standing a
Jury trial.
She told of being accompanied
o the undertaking parlors by Of
icers to view the dead body of
Ter uncle and Of her grief upon
hat occasion.
Mr.. Rankin testified regarding
he negotiations for the agree
pent which was made with Will
lam Hass and which called for
he payment of $500 at the time
md for an additional $500 if
he would leave the town of Out
ook, where she was living. He
Itated that it was Williams wish
apparently, 10 get the girl out or
hat part Of the country.
Produces Letters
Miss Hass came to see him in
Billings in 1929, Mr.. Rankin said.
nd told him that the $1,000 had
lever been paid. Mr. Rankin pro-
luced in court numerous letters
hat he had received from Miss
lass regarding the agreement
With her uncle.
Robbery Story Reappears '
The old county treasury rob- {
cry cropped up during the course /
I her testimony. The jury was
old that she had asked that Tay-
Or and Salisbury not be allowed 6
o g her. Charles e. Taylor is s
tate senator from Sheridan coun-
y and publisher of the Producers t
at Plentywood. Rodney D. {
'alisbury is a former sheriff :
she explained that she was 6
fraid they were to friendly with I