Storyteller / Shared NPC
Everything that could be done was that a trial was set for Del Vincent, charged with attempted murder from the events on Main Street. But it was not as simple as the charge stated. He never actually fired on anyone and when he was called to surrender he did.
Speed Guyer was not so sure that the man needed to be hung, but that was out of his hands, a Judge and jury would decide his fate, deserved or not. Meanwhile, he would watch over him as was his duty, well, his Pike’s, and Charlie Wentworth’s It was an easy enough job, Vincent was no real trouble, took his meal without giving the girls from the Lickskillet any lip. He was no trouble, and he certainly seemed out of place on the Evergreen.
That thought about the Evergreen reminded him of the time that the Evergreen riders had come to town to break out another Evergreen hand, and how that turned out. His soon to be father in law and the men who watched over Leah Steelgrave had stepped in to help him and Pike. But they had come with the intent to get their man out. What if they again wanted to get their man out? What if they came again to do just that? This suddenly required some serious thought about how to prepare for a possible jailbreak.
So, what to do? That was the question, a pressing question that had but three options, keep him where he was, move him to the County Sheriff’s cells, since no one was using them, or move him to the basement cells. He chuckled, this town had more jail cells than most of the cities around them, granted, none we all that close, especially Helena, which had a prison.
The basement was the best solution to this problem which had presented itself uninvited, However, there was the safe side of things to be considered. And that was the obvious choice. If there was trouble, it would come through the front door where there would be no prisoner to liberate.
So long as no one was killed.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
The Trial went as expected, although there was an alternate Circuit Jude, an A.E. Blaisdale, who seemed to be a fair-minded juror. He listened to the evidence presented by all those involved in the street shooting, and then Blaisdale heard the defendant's side of the situation.
It did seem that Del Vincent was the victim of a ruse by the deceased Zeb Freeman when attempting to surrender, but the fact remained he fired his pistol in the direction of the Marshal at least if not others. And for that action on Vincent's part, Judge Blaisdale sentenced him to the Montana Territorial Prison for three years. He stated that he saw no reason to hang the man as it was stated that he did not aim at anyone, but did fire in the direction of the law.
It was a cold, miserable morning when Del Vincent was shackled and led to the prison wagon for the trip south to Deer Lodge to the Territorial Prison. Speed stood on the boardwalk and watched as the wagon rolled out of town, then turned and walked back into the office. The case was closed.