This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 26 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Choteau Acantha
Location
Choteau, Montana, United States of America
Date
Jan 25, 1940
Page
1
The author notes Montana now allows women to serve on juries and questions why women would want to participate. He argues against assumptions and invites explanations from women on their motivations for jury service.
The speaker recalls serving on a jury and finding no pleasure in the duty. They believe they would waive the privilege if possible, but until now have not shirked any civic obligation as a citizen of the state or country.
A courtroom meditation on the grim duty of jurors to weigh evidence and possibly condemn a defendant to death. The speaker reflects on the emotional toll of compelling testimony and the heavy burden of rendering a death sentence.
In the past week the press carried verdicts rendered by two mixed juries. The first jury had nine men and three women. The second included eight men and four women.
A Pennsylvania state trooper Benjamin Franklin portrayal is linked to a tragedy in Mauch Chunk. The report describes the trooper as a tall powerful man with a service revolver and a black jack and a fourteen year old girl as a victim drawn to danger.
A man faced a fatal shooting where a girl in the car rear seat wielded an imitation gun as a distraction. Nine men and three women deliberated before returning an acquittal, questioning whether a male or female jury would decide differently. The dead girl’s alleged improvised weapon, a wooden pistol, raised questions about self defense and juror perceptions.
Last week about seven hundred wool growers met in Helena for a three day convention. Soon around four hundred cowboys will gather at the Rainbow Hotel in Great Falls for a separate convention.
The Montana wheat growers held a convention at the Rainbow in Great Falls last fall with about one hundred farmers attending. A smaller meeting followed at the same venue.
Forest Ranger L. J. Howard won first prize of 5 for a Mt. Wright Lookout study of a white saddle horse against the evening sky. A. A. Wells took second for a Fisherman at Hidden Lake action shot, and Fay Lear earned third for a grazing pack horse train with mountains and snow in the background.
Patrolman A A Kemp warns all motorists that 1940 plates and drivers licenses must be purchased by February 1 to avoid arrest. The final date applies to all cars, blue and white tags must be shown, with no exceptions. By Wednesday morning about half of county auto owners had not obtained licenses. 916 cars and 536 trucks were registered, compared with 1854 cars and 1000 trucks last year.
The F. F. A. Junior Rifle Club of Chateau is granted a charter by the National Rifle Association. The club has twenty six members with William Sabo as president, Bob Dellwo as secretary, and Joe Lindseth as executive officer and instructor. The club joins about 3,000 NRA affiliated organizations and will follow NRA rules for safety.
Army recruits from the Spokane District embarked on a transport plane bound for their posting on January 18, 1940. Major Frank G. Chaddock announced the first plane shipment, with Lt. Fred D. Stevers piloting and a crew of three. Enlisted travelers included Emerson A. Butler, Dwane E. Collison, Thomas W. Howard, Leon A. Olin, Arthur A. Stokoe, and Harold E. Sunderland.
A fragment notes a meeting at Cheet hams hall in Dutton on the 5th with possibly fifty attendees and references last fall with around seventy five present. The writer muses on a wheat grower creator or lesser intelligence figure and a lone wolf remark.
Sheriff A. Peterson arrested two men sought by outside authorities. John McGinnis, wanted for larceny by Sheriff R. C. Jarrett of Big Timber, was identified from a police bulletin and taken into custody after Jarrett arrived to collect. John O. Hinkle alias Larry Woods, 54, an escaped convict from Iowa Fort Madison, was found at Perdrey working in coal mines. Hinkle had a sawed-off shotgun and a .32-40 rifle. he was jailed in Great Falls for extradition. A $50 reward was offered for Hinkle’s arrest.
Chateau Racketeers avenged an earlier loss to Fairfield by winning 34 to 27 before a big crowd. Gillette led with 15 points as every Racketeer contributed strong teamwork in a hard fought contest. The team had edged past Fairfield throughout the game and pulled ahead in the final five minutes.
Montana liquor and beer system earned $8,063,461.86 during 1937 1939 under administrator L M A Wass. The board handed $38,035,699.55 to the state treasurer for distribution and ended the period with a $160,088.71 balance. In 1939 alone $2,780,971.14 was turned over, expenses were $630,187.50, and profits funded various state funds including teachers retirement and public welfare. Governor Ayers prompted a transfer of about $500,000 for further distribution.
Local business men and citizens met at the city office Tuesday evening to explore forming a Chateau commercial club. J W Breen chaired the session and outlined a temporary setup while a committee surveys opinions for future meetings. Potential aims include securing a federal building, creating a farmers exchange, and improving graveling and oiling of the Dutton feeder.
Farm Security Administration officials in Teton County focus on boosting own feed and food production, crop diversification, and soil conservation. Secretary Wallace urges lenders not to finance farms planting all land to a single crop, while stressing long-term leases and land tenure stability to curb misuse of soil resources.
Several cases were decided or carried to next steps. The demurrer in T. A. Cornett v John Rose was overruled. The 1918 attachment suit Wm Root v R Chasse was dismissed. An eviction matter A W Pale v James R Fowler was taken under advisement. Una O McClure v Paul R McClure motion to amend judgment denied. An order to probate the will of Anton Nelson entered January 19. Neva Fields is petitioner. Geo Coffey represents the petitioner.
The Butte Chamber of Commerce calls a statewide meeting of Montana industry leaders for February 19 in Butte. About two hundred attendees are expected, including United States Chamber of Commerce officers. Discussions cover industry labor business agriculture stockraising civic clubs professions taxes social security labor relations and federal trade issues.
On January 17 1940 the state public service commission directed Montana Dakota Utilities Co to cut natural gas rates for Chateau Conrad and Aviler. The new rates take effect February 1940 and save gas users about 2804 76 annually. Minimum remains 1 50 per month.
The Teton Bulldogs defeated Conrad 53 to 20 and Valier 59 to 16 on their home floor, staging a strong fast-break offense after a practice layoff. Ledesky and Schmitz led with 14 and 15 points respectively, and the team used the entire second unit in both blowout victories. Fort Benton visits next Friday.
The town records a 23 below zero low after a night of 22 below on Tuesday. Water customers may run faucets to prevent frozen pipes and costly repairs per City Clerk J G Jackson. The week shows a string of subzero days with a high of 18 and a low around minus 9 to minus 21 through Wednesday.
The Montana case concludes Sheriff Albert O Peterson is entitled to 2243.83 dollars for 364 days in 1939 at 2250 per year. Judge C F Holt orders Teton County Commissioners to pay the amount, overruling earlier disallowance and directing the board to allow the claim.
T O Larson named county chairman for Finnish relief with Mrs Geo Carroll. Larson to raise funds at Citizens State Bank with mail receipt. First major gift arrives as a $100 check from Dutton. Brown notes aim to move vulnerable civilians from danger and provide financial aid as Finland awaits aid for national defense.
Charles Morgan’s excerpt celebrates books as passive vessels that endure all, retain a reader’s inner truths, and forgive errors. The Fountain follows an English officer captured in World War I who, paroled to a Dutch estate, studies contemplative life seeking invulnerability and inner peaceful brilliance. Library hours listed as Tuesdays and Saturdays 3 to 5 pm plus Thursday evenings.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.