The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-02-16

ana Jesse dann, local farmer,
lusko county court house.
' Judge Donald Vanderveer presid-
ing at the trial was considerably
upset by the crowd of farmers pres
ent and warned against a den /
stration. Stool pigeons and pl 4
clothesmen were plentiful ana )
and mingled with the crowd in and
about the courthouse.
The charge facing the three is
Constructing the process of law"
and carries a maximum penalty of
one year in the penitentiary and
500 fine. This was changed from
the original charge of resisting
an officer" soon after the three
were arrested for leading Koscius-
ko county farmers against a fore
closure sale on the farm of Clar-
ence Gearhart of Leesville.
Expert Legal Defense
A strong legal battery of some
OF the best wor6ngclass lawyers
in the country backed up the farm
erS in the defense of the U.F.L.
leaders. The International Labor
Defense and the United Farmers
League had secured David ]. Ben
tall ana Albert M. Block, of Chi
cago and Paul Chaser of Gary,
Ind. The prosecution also consid-
ers the case serious enough to inn
port their best talent. County
Prosecutor Seth E. Rowdabaugh is
assisted by former Circuit Judge
L. R. Rowse and Walter Brubaker
local attorney.
AS the trial opened, the defense
moved to quash the indictment and
dismiss the case. The motion was
over-ruled by Judge Vanderveer.
The defense attorneys then re-
!, quested separate trials for each Of
. the three defendants. which was
, refused by the judge,
The rest Sf the day was taken
, VI "ith selecting a jury which is
not yet completed. Practically all
: the jurors are or were members
: Of the American Farm Bureau
: Federation.
1t is said that there are Is dep
2 uties and state police in plain
clothes in the. court room. Farm
ers told your correspondent that
s they recognized many plain clothes
: detectives In the crowd.
9 At one point while the defense
/ attorneys were questioning jurors
n slight laughter ran through the
4 crowd. Judge Vanderveer, appar-
E emily on edge all day, banged hi:
: gavel, and said, "Let us get this
straight right now. There will bt
no demonstrations in this court.
t Judge Overrules
When Bentall asked a prospec
t tive juror. "Have you heard Presi
, dent Roosevelt's statement agains
farm foreclosures" the prosecute,
> leaped to his feet to object. Thu
Judge sustained the objection
= Bentall was later. stopped when thu
judge said he was making /;
Speech.
J Judge Vanderveer is a youni
attorney who has been on tn
bench only since last fall. He pre-
sides over the trial self-consciousl,
and seems to lean somewhat on ex
Judge Rowse who is a member O
the prosecuting staff.
u Alfred Tala was very much ami
3 mated during the proceedings to
day and took an active part in
a conducting his defense. Jesse Has
, who is %. was calm and unwor
d ried. Once during the trial, TialI
Q playfully ruffled Hams hair. Mrs
Tiala is rather tense and nervous
: and Tiala often clasps her ham
1t to brace her.
e On Thursday, the selection Of
al the jury will be completed and tn
le state will proceed with its attemp
to send these militant leaders +
Y jail.
g A clerk in the judges office i
It reported to have said that oh
y never saw so many kilograms an
IS letters in his life" as have com
10 in to the Judge and sheriff pro
le testing the arrest of the three
These letters and kilograms ar
one of the factors for making 70
8. Vanderveer's nervousness.
~ Here's hoping that flood 0
= this mail reaches the Judge ever
day Of the trial.