Celebrating History: More action in court

By Emily Mayer

It isn’t much of a surprise to see a lot of court news in the Hill County Democrat as its owner, J. K. Bramble, was an attorney. Cases regarding prohibition were among the entries, including this article found on the front page of the Dec. 4, 1919, edition:

MORE INFORMATIONS FILED.

There were three or four new informations filed in the district court this week by County Attorney Stranahan relating to alleged blind pigging cases. We presume these cases are as groundless as the ones heretofore filed and this endless chain of expense to the taxpayers of Hill county continues. The people are getting a little tired of this business in Havre. There is too much of this court grind. The taxes next year in Hill county will be something awful and it will bankrupt the county. The vast sums of money already spent is disgusting to the average taxpayer and the patience of the people is becoming exhausted. It is about time Stranahan was letting up on this foolishness. There has been enough of it. Hill county has a little too much court business as it is and this continuous filing of groundless informations is getting a little monotonous.

Bramble’s anti-Prohibition views also found its way to his editorial page. These two entries were found within the pages of that particular column:

And nine gallons of whiskey in Havre was simply wasted. Had Hill county’s sheriff not been so slow he might have saved up this jug for Xmas and he and Stranahan could have had a grand time in the old town on Christmas eve. It is a mystery to us why the sheriff did not scrape up some of this precious stuff with a spoon for evidence in a blind pigging case.

The Non-Partisan sheriff and Stranahan seem to have I in for poor, old Dutch Em, but they are too slow for the aged pioneer. They failed to get the evidence. Some one Smashed the jug, which might have been full of vinear or bevo.

Bevo was a non-alcoholic malt beverage made by Anheuser-Busch starting in 1916, due to Prohibition. Advertisements for the beverage could be found in Havre papers. The name comes from combining the words “beverage” and the Slavic word for beer, “pivo.” It was popular throughout the 20s, and songs were even written about the brew. But, due to bootleg booze and those making spirits at home, it waned during the decade’s final years and production ceased in 1929.

And it’s highly doubtful Dutch Em had Bevo in her jug. She was a well-known bootlegger in Havre, among her other notorious talents. Her home was located on the north side of the 100 block of Third Street; the post office parking lot is there today.

Bramble’s distain for Hill County Attorney Stranahan continued in the Dec. 11, 1919, edition, with this article found on the front page:

GEORGE FRANCIS CASE DISMISSED

After Jury and Witnesses Are Summoned, County Attorney Dismisses the Case.

IS GREAT EXPENSE TO COUNTY

District court in Hill county convened at 10 o’clock a.m. Monday morning. Judge Green of Choteau presided. A jury of 50 persons had been summoned, but not all of them appeared and a venire was issued for more.

The case of the State of Montana versus George Francis, accused of grand larceny had been set for trial and Judge Greene was on hand to try it, but County Attorney Stranahan filed a motion to dismiss the case. About 60 witnesses had been subpoenaed for this trial, many of them coming from a long distance. This case has cost the county a vast sum of money to bring all these witnesses here to testify at the trial, to prove an alleged stealing of a colt by Francis from Phil Clack and just as the trial is to proceed, the county attorney gets up and dismisses the case. The taxpayers of Hill county must stand the expense of all this boy’s play on the part of the county attorney. Why did he not dismiss the case ten days ago and not call all these witnesses at great expense to Hill county? He surely knew as much about the case then as he did when the trial was ready to start. Have the taxpayers of Hill county no rights? Are they entitled to no consideration?

If the county attorney has not the ability to fill this office, he should resign. The people are getting tired of his amateur antics and especially of his squandering the taxpayers’ money. Even the non-partisan league is getting sick of him and his methods are getting rather sickening to the real solid element in Hill county.

Another case Judge Greene presided over was a robbery case against Ova Brower. Two articles made it into the editorial columns; the first one complained about the lack of heat in the courtroom in the courthouse, and the other appears below:

The case of the State of Montana versus Ova Brower, charged with robbery, was tried in the district court here yesterday and resulted in a verdict for the defendant. The jury found that he was once in jeopardy and could not be tried twice for the same offense. There are some Japanese now being tried for gambling and as soon as this case is over, the jury will be discharged for the term and this will finish all criminal cases for this term of court. Up to this time no convictions have been obtained and quite a lot of money has been spent in holding this term of court.