News you can use
News you can use
By Emily Maher
The courtroom was the place to be according to the May 3 and 10 issues of The Havre Plaindealer. Lengthy articles ran in both papers about all the drama our ancestors were creating in one form or another.
William Hill was acquitted of maiming livestock. Hill had a homestead near Simpson. According to the Plaindealer: “There had been little expectation by many of a conviction in this case as the evidence was not generally considered strong.”
State Assistant Attorney General A. A. Grorud prosecuted the case on behalf of County Attorney Stranahan, and the defending attorney was Norris of Norris, Hurd and Hauge.
Mike Spanos was acquitted on a statutory charge on an alleged offense on a minor girl, which was a surprise to many. According to the Plaindealer “Under direct examination, by Assistant Attorney Grorud, the complaining witness, a girl of fourteen years, told a very clear straightforward story, making it appear most serious for the defendant.”
According to her testimony, the offense occurred in January in the room of a local hotel.
The Plaindealer continued: “Pressed by Mr. Grorud to tell what happened next she went on with much reluctance but with considerable detail told a story of yielding point by point apparently as she became more intimidated. Under persistent questioning by Mr. Grorud, revolting details brought out in a very clear and consistent story.”
But upon cross examination by defense attorney Donnelly, “… some discrepancies began to appear. The girl told another story of the way they went to reach the hotel and there appeared some discrepancy later on as to whether she had asked her father a few days previously, for permission to marry the defendant, which she said was refused. Under Mr. Donnelly’s direction, witnesses were produced which established a perfect alibi for the defendant, making it appear impossible for him to have been at the places the girl claimed. The state failed to combat successfully this skillful discrediting of the complainant’s story.”
The Plaindealer just could not help itself not to give a dig or two to Grorud, which readers will remember the newspaper owner didn’t like the State Assistant Attorney much. Or to Stranahan, either, because there’s nothing quite like a county attorney that won’t do their job right:
“The dismissal of the burglary case against Huger, Haines and Brower came after the jury had been sworn in. County Attorney Stranahan appeared and sought leave to amend his information as a wrong date was given therein. The defense objected to the amendment and there was nothing left but to dismiss the case for the term. It appears that the error had been noted by Attorney Kline some time ago but the correction had not been made. Mr. Kline had been retained to assist in the prosecution.”
Not only that, but County Attorney Stranahan made a motion to dismiss gambling cases against George Coulter, Art Michaelson and John Doe Andrew after attracting a lot of attention the previous year.
The big case against Royal A. Houger, Frank Haines and Ova Brower was dismissed for the term, but would come up later. Readers will remember these three being busted at the Border Saloon, one of Shorty Young’s establishments. But, it wasn’t all bag the appeal of the conviction of A. A. Grorud last year was dismissed by the District Court.
The following week brought news that Bessie Burt, or Elizabeth Headlee, had been acquitted of murder.
NOT GUILTY VERDICT BESSIE BURT TRIAL
Accidental Shooting During Scuffle Defense Explains Killing
Friday evening, the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty in the case against Mrs. Elizabeth Headlee, more widely known as Bessie Burt, who was charged with first degree murder in connection with the killing of Bernie Wilbur on the evening of April 10, last. The trial lasted less than two days and apparently commanded little interest except in the idly curious, drawn there partly by the past history of the deceased and the defendant. Their curiosity received slight gratification however as attempts to bring details of this into the case failed.
The defendant contended that the shooting occurred during a friendly scuffle for the possession of the gun and the state was unable to introduce evidence to contradict this. The witnesses all adhered strictly to the accounts given at the time of the coroner’s inquest, the only surprise being Jean Fenton who did not appear at the inquest, who positively testified that he saw the $1500 diamonds on the person of the deceased shortly after he was shot. The inability of the state to secure any evidence contrary to the story of the defense left no alternative but murder or accidental shooting and, under the circumstances, the court instructed the jury that it must either acquit the defendant or bring in a verdict of first degree murder. The following were the members of the jury:
H. E. Loranger, R. M. Holliday, F. T. Runkle, Geo. M. Guenser, William Spooner, H. P. Morrison, C. M. Urqhart, C. Gologski, P. B. Brendgard, L. Mayer, M. Bakula and W. R. Wray.
I don’t know about you, but I have never heard of a “friendly scuffle” to gain control of a loaded firearm.
Speaking of Shorty, he was showing a different side to the one of the owner of tawdry saloons and bawdy houses. In the City Council news article, it was reported:
A report was received from Engineer Swearingen advising that the site for the new reservoir had been secured and that same had been donated by Mr. C. W. Young. It was moved by Morris and seconded by Hockett that the site be accepted and that a note expressing appreciation and thanks of the city council be extended to Mr. C. W. Young for his valuable gift to the city of Havre and that the report of Mr. Swearingen be accepted and placed on file.
For all his faults, Shorty really cared about Havre and its progress. He served on the City Council for a few years and gave generously for the causes he cared about. Of course, his fortune wasn’t entirely made legitimately — what with his illegal booze trade and the soiled doves of his houses of ill repute — but he’s still working for Havre with the still existing Shorty Young fund giving money to the Elks, Eagles and Masonic Temple for local causes.
Reader Comments(0)