"Well, it seems that it settled then," Adam replied, "Although, I do think the young man holding Miss Wigfall at this time, might need a little help in escorting her to jail."
Looking around at the crowd, he shouted, "Is there anybody here that is willing to help deliver justice?"
As expected, no-one was willing and Adam smiled, "I forgot to add that the county will pay five dollars to those who do so."
At the mention of money, the volunteers came fast. When the required number had been sorted out, Adam thanked those who weren't chosen or had second thoughts. He also told them that would be more opportunities in the future to help out.
Now that everything was ready, Adam turned to Elias, "Shall we proceed and get this over and done so that we all can get on with our day?"
@Flip @Javia
"And I'm the one accused of hiring things out!" Elias fumed. What he wanted to do was strangle the girl with his own bare hands. The nerve, trying to shoot him, and ruining a perfectly good fedora in the process. But wasn't that just like the Wigfalls? Hector not appearing to see what the trouble would likely be hiding safely inside, and his mother? God only knows where that witch might be.
On top of all this, the Mayor had the only law in town out on a private errand for him, so this new judge would have to handle the situation with a group of citizens in the young mans stead! It reassured him that taking Kalispell would be a simple matter, probably without bloodshed, or very much of it.
It was at that moment Cole Latham spoke up. "Your honor, this is highly irregular. Granted, the Marshall is not back full time, and his deputy, Pike, is not yet back to work, but seriously, paying men to accost an attempted murder suspect and deliver her to jail? I'm sure I've never heard of such a thing!" Although such instances were as common as lynchings. Latham was simply laying the groundwork.
"We'll see where this goes, but you can believe me Townsend when I say you have not heard the last of this, so let's get to the part where I sign a complaint and fill out a statement. And since we seem to be paying, twenty dollars to any witnesses to this crime!"
Adam sighed. It seemed that Cole Latham was the type to manipulate what was a common practice of the court to temporarily employ people to help it carry out its duties and use it for his own end. Since he was interested in playing games, Adam had no choice but join in.
"Fair enough, Mister Latham, but I warn you that there are many witnesses here that have heard you openly asked to pay people to be witnesses and that in the court's books constitutes as a bribe. Therefore, if someone accepts your offer and then testifies in court, their evidence would be deemed as inadmissible, whether they were truly a witness to this crime or not."
He then turned to the crowd, "If anybody here is thinking of taking up Mister Latham's offer, I will see it as an attempt to pervert the course of justice and I will have no choice but to deal with it as I would deal with anything of this nature...a fine of two hundred dollars or sixty days in jail."
Once again, Adam looked at the lawyer, "Well, Mister Latham do you wish to continue with your offer, or will you rescind it?"
@Flip @Javia
Latham smiled, the Judge was paying to have the woman delivered to the jail because the Mayor had the only deputy available on some other assignment. "Your Honor, you didn't take that offer seriously, but in the event you did, it was a joke based on your offer to pay citizens town funds to do the deputy's job. But we'll let that go. If there were witnesses, it would be the smoking gun in her hand, the bullet hole in Mister Steelgrave's hat, and her open admission that she not only did it but wanted to take another crack at killing my client!"
Of course, he understood compensation to those assisting in this situation. It was common practice everywhere, even in the larger cities where law enforcement might need the aid of the local citizenry in certain situations, yes that was somewhat commonplace.
Elias was fuming over the ordeal, and the new Judge with his different approach to law. He was already certain that no matter that several citizens had witnessed the attempt on his life, Judge Townsend appeared ready to allow this ragamuffin Wigfall woman to get off.
"So this threatening banter back and forth with my attorney, that's getting us nowhere and fast. I could care less about paying anyone for anything right now, what does bother me is that the Mayor sent for you rather than his one and only deputy to take care of this woman. Rather, regular citizens are employed because the Town Council seemingly has refused to replace the Marshal while he recovered, thus leaving Kalispell open to such things." Elias pointed out. "It may be common practice where you have been on the bench, but such a lack of action on the council's part has proven to be been detrimental to the safety and security of the people of this community!"
His eyes narrowed as the hired escorts led Jamima Wigfall off toward the Municipal Building and a jail cell. He was furious, but threats were useless in this situation. This situation was some sort of pissing contest between Latham and Townsend, he had no time for that. And, much to his chagrin, the men across the street would be only too happy to pass along the whole sordid affair to his daughter, if she had not heard of it already. "Shall we go fill out whatever it is you need?"
"Work is fine for killin' time, but it's a shaky way to make a living."
As Ben watched the group make its way to the courthouse, he couldn't help but being amused. When he had the gunshots, like so many others, he rushed outside to see what it was all about. The ensuing aftermath had been very entertaining. In fact, if he hadn't seen it for himself and instead had heard about it he would have assumed it to be a play that Miss Hardy and her company would likely be doing.
He looked over to his cousin, the mayor of this humble little burg. For a few moments, he thought about how Matt performed. Something wasn't quite right about the way he had acted. The way he had acted...
A sceptical look appeared on his face and he made his way over to his cousin. After a brief greeting, Ben said, "Well, I have to hand it to you, that was some performance."
Matt looked at Ben with a slightly confused expression on his face, "Performance?"
"Yeah, you know that ol' pretending to help when you weren't really helping routine."
"I have no idea of what you're talking about."
"You don't huh? Well, whatever it was it sure got Steelgrave riled up."
"It did. Didn't it?"
Ben nodded, "It did. I just hope you know what you're doing."
"So do I," Matt said solemnly, "So do I."
@Javia @Flip
Elias and Latham walked to the jail in the Municipal Building and purposely dropped back a short way so that Latham could talk with his client in some privacy, as several people were trailing the procession. The men who watched over Elias' daughter were not among them.
"Elias, now we play our cards a bit closer to the vest. No threats of any kind. You have a right to be upset over all of this, but anything that looks like ongoing hostility will work against us. You want the law to be able to do their job on this case. You want this to go to trial and then we'll see just how this judge operates." Latham explained.
"Yeah, alright. I see what you mean and what we want to see happen." Elias responded. a bit cooler now than he had been a bit earlier. "Look, I don't see much of anything happening to the Wigfall woman over this. It sends a message that it's going to be alright to take a shot or two to Elias Steegrave, well, we'll see about that, won't we? I mean to say yes, they'll get away with whatever charade they're pulling, and yes I do believe this to be a charade." Elias agreed.
"All the more reason not to make more of a scene that we have already. File the complaint and the charges and we get out of here. Got it. Trust me, this is the best way. Attempted murder is nothing to scoff at, and I believe that is exactly what Wentworth and this Judge Townsend are up to." Cole Latham said.
@JulieS,@Javia
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
Meanwhile, behind bars in Kalispell's Jail, Jemima kept her morose silence, regretting not what she had done, but only that her aim had been so poor. Still, attempted murder was surely still a hanging crime, and as she held the cold iron bars before her, she ruminated darkly on HIM.
No, not Steelgrave, silly reader, Him, Aurelian, and upon how, at the moment of her death, hanging at the end of a rope, he would look up at her and realise it was she he should have married all along, she, Jemima Wigfall, who would die gladly in order to avenge his wrongs, not that weak sappy annoyingly pretty Dietrich woman. Ah, how happy she would be, lying beneath the sod, with Aurelian, kneeling at her graveside every day, bringing her fresh flowers and weeping over her last resting place.
The paperwork was completed, and Jemima Wigfall was behind bars, Elias Steelgrave bid his farewell to both the Judge and the Mayor then left the Municipal Building with his attorney Cole Latham and headed for the telegraph office to retrieve Elias' horse.
"Come up to the office, Elias. We should plan our next move regarding this shooting," Cole suggested. "As you can see, this Judge Towsend, the Mayor, and of all people, this gambler, Ben Simmons, seem to be in league with one another, and that might pose some problems, though I cannot fathom why the gambler is involved.
"I thought that odd as well," Elias replied. "Simmons must have some connection to the Wentworth clan if it is only Matthew. Still, it is strange that Simmons would accost him in broad daylight like that. It deserves some checking into." Ellias unhitched his horse and the two men began their trek of half a block to where Latham had his office, Steelgrave leading his horse.
"It might be difficult to trust the Wigfall lad, I mean, that is his sister after all," Latham warned.
"Hardly, I had just sent a confidential wire to Carson Tyndall about the idea of the saloon-brothel and gave the lad reason to keep his mouth shut. I am well aware that ordinarily, the lad cannot be trusted to say anything when it is imperative to not do so. I am sure he understood the ramifications quite well."
Postmaster Nolan Ashworth had just finished putting up the mail when Jemima Wigfall was brought to the building that housed his office as well as the Marshal's office and jail. His curiosity peaked, and he finished up then went out after Latham and Steegrave. He had heard the shot, but needed to have the mail up on time as he was not the most securely employed person in town. It was a well-known fact, that Ashworth and Lathan were as thick as thieves with Elias Steelgrave
With his office nestled on the second floor of the white building on the south side of St.Regis Square, Cole Latham was close enough to the courtrooms in the Municipal Building as well as the Stardust Saloon. The office was sparsely furnished, but with enough places for folks to sit, his desk, chairs, and a coat rack.
"The question will be, what will this new Judge do, what was his name?" Latham asked
"Townsend," Elias replied.
"Yes, Townsend. Hmmm, how will he handle this? It was so much better when Robinson was here to take care of things like this. Anyway, I don't like the fact that Mayor Wentworth and he are involved in this case, though it really should be open and shut."
"Christ Cole, she tried to blow my head off with a street full of witnesses to attest to that." Elias bellowed.
"Yes, yes of course, but that really will have nothing to do with this Townsend and how he will rule on this case," Latham said quite matter-of-factly. "And, she was speaking in tongues while openly admitting that she would kill you all the while our Mayor and this Judge were soaking it all in."
"I'm sorry I missed all of that," Ashworth admitted. "She's crazy as a loon, I see it every time she comes to get her mail, hers and that witch of a mother she has. She pleads insanity, it'll be asylum in Helena for sure."
"Fine by me. I'd much rather she'd hang, but putting her away is just about as good." Elias acquiesced.
The young man who tried his best to contain her? What was his name?" Cole wanted to know, "He's the one who said he'd heard it before, and he might be the only 'expert' witness we would have."
"Oh yes, yes, Craddock, he's called 'Scrappy'? If it weren't for him she would have shot me and who knows how that would have ended." Elias recalled, "Do you think he'll testify?"
"I don't see why not. Now you should keep a low profile but it's not like you're here in town all that often."
"Anything happens it'll get blamed on you." Nolan Ashworth asserted, and he would get no argument from the other two on that.
They reached the White Building, owned by Abner White and named after him. It had been an apothecary at one time until Abner's eyesight began to fail him Then he rented it out to a bootmaker, and his former upstairs rooms to Cole when he moved to the Veterans Home in Billings.
"Now whatever happens, we need to play this smart." Cole insisted as they climbed the stairs and entered the man's office, each taking a seat. "The damn thing should be open and shut case of attempted murder, but I'll be honest, I have my doubts you'll get a fair shake in this deal."
"One would think that it was plain as day, but you are right, a Steelgrave these days will have it rough." Elias agreed. "I suppose that if she gets sent to the asylum in Helena that would be good enough. What I hate is they say I ordered that torching, hell, if I'd've wanted it done it would have been the whole damned place that went up in flames, and it just might yet!"
"Now you can't raise a finger against Redmond now. Anything happens to him or his and they'll be coming for you, and with the reputation of your cowhands, I'd be surprised if they didn't call out the Army and we certainly can't have that." Cole said.
Ashworth leaned forward a bit, "And you best get word to that boy of yours. Anything he does will be blamed on you now. I could be way off course, but I think this gambler fellow and the Judge are in league together, why? Not a clue, but they bear watching."
"Nolan has a point Elias. but we'll be the ones keeping an eye on the both of them. Maybe this Judge Townsend is pure as the driven snow, but we can't afford to take any chances."
"As far as Case is concerned he's off on some wild goose chase for the man that took the shot at Guyer. I haven't seen him since right after the shooting. So that means, his boys are on their own. until he turns up."