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MONTANA
A News Review of the State
SORORITY GRANTED NATIONAL CHARTER
BOZEMAN.—The Zeta Kappa women's fraternity of Montana State college has been granted a national charter and will be installed as Delta Gamma chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta. The Zeta Kappas were organized five years ago as a local and its members have taken an active part in all phases of women's activities.
Alpha Gamma Delta fraternity was organized at Syracuse university in 1904. It now has 30 chapters.
LIVINGSTON JAIL IS TENANTLESS 30 DAYS
LIVINGSTON.—"There hasn't been a soul in the city jail for more than a month," declared O. T. Ragland, police judge.
In December there was but one arrest and that man, who was accused of disobeying a minor city ordinance, forfeited his bond. It is the first time in four years, at least, that Livingston's jail has been empty more than 30 consecutive days, according to Mr. Ragland.
ACCUSED BANKER SPENDS THE NIGHT IN JAIL CELL
HELENA.—George W. Casteel, president of the Banking Corporation of Montana when it failed, pleaded not guilty to violation of the state banking laws, when arraigned Monday. A similar plea was entered by C. A. Tweed, former cashier of the bank, with whom Casteel was brought back from California Sunday night.
Tweed managed to obtain bail immediately on arrival here, but Casteel was compelled to spend the night in jail. He said he did not know whether he would be able to obtain bonds. "That," he added, "depends on my friends."
UNIDENTIFIED BODY IS FOUND IN COULEE
SIDNEY.—Mystery surrounds the identity and manner of death of an unidentified man whose body was found by Tom Rice in a coulee about four miles from Sioux pass, near here.
Though the body was badly mutilated by exposure and by animals, Sheriff O'Brien and Coroner Combs, who visited the scene after the find was reported by Mr. Rice, say that there are means of learning the general appearance of the deceased. They say the body had lain in the open for about a month.
Authorities are working on the theory that the victim had lain down during a snow storm and had frozen to death.
OIL RIG IS DESTROYED BY OVERHEATED STOVE
HARLOWTON.—The Big Elk Oil rig southwest of here burned to the ground, the crew having just finished the night shift, and being at the bunk house at breakfast when the fire was discovered. The bunk house is situated about 150 yards from the rig and it could not have been more than 15 minutes after the departure of the crew, according to E. S. Churchwell, manager of the company, when the derrick house was discovered enveloped in flames. The origin of the blaze is thought to have been from an over-heated stove. The fire quickly spread to the huge 72-foot derrick, the supporting timbers of which were soon eaten through by the flames, and the superstructure toppled with a crash.
CASH SHIPMENT DELAY CLOSED FERGUS BANK
LEWISTOWN.—Delay of 24 hours at Great Falls in a shipment of currency dispatched from the reserve bank at Helena to the Empire bank at Lewistown forced the Fergus institution to close Saturday, officials of the bank announced.
Arrangements had been made to meet the usual heavy payroll disbursement on Feb. 1, with a consignment of $200,000 in bank notes from the Helena bank. Depletion of the cash reserve necessitated payment of several checks in silver, caused rumors which resulted in a heavy run and the subsequent closing, officials stated.
Officials stated Sunday night that the finances of the bank were sound and that plans were being made for a speedy settlement.
BOY CAUGHT IN SPREADER CYLINDER SERIOUSLY HURT
GREAT FALLS.—Carl Sanders, aged 7, is at the Deaconess hospital, suffering from severe injuries sustained Saturday when he was caught in the cylinder of a manure spreader driven by his father, John Sanders, a farmer near Belt. The boy was seriously cut and bruised about the head and body, but no bones were broken. He is expected to recover.
According to the account of the accident received at the hospital, the father was unaware of the son's presence about the machine until after the lad had been entangled in the cylinder. When the machine was started the father noticed that the cylinder was not working properly, but he thought it was obstructed by a piece of ice. Continued efforts to make the machine work were without result and Mr. Sanders stopped the team and went back to examine the cylinder. He found the boy caught in the spikes of the cylinder, badly injured.
TAX PAYMENT HALTED BY BANK FAILURE IN COURT
FORSYTH.—A suit to enjoin Rosebud county from selling land belonging to the J. E. Choisser estate for delinquent taxes has presented a real problem of law.
Mrs. Choisser, as executrix of the estate, had paid the taxes Nov. 30, and had also paid several other taxes on other lands on the same day. The taxes were divided into four payments, all being paid by checks on the Bank of Commerce. Three of the checks passed through the bank and were cleared, but the check on which suit was brought was deposited in the bank Dec. 11, two days prior to the closing of that institution. The check was written for the amount of $281.87.
At the time the check was deposited by County Treasurer G. G. Davis, the Bank of Commerce had a trustee fund and checks were held in trust until Dec. 13, when the bank became insolvent and closed and the check was returned to the county treasurer.
