SigMT

SignatureMT | 87 .44-40 cartridges and bullets used in both rifle and pistol. The most common bullet weight was and continues to be 200 grains. Other weights are: 225,216,210,180,166,140. Reloaded ammunitions may have had other weights. is had been the fourth vote in two days. Now, eleven sets of eyes furtively darted about the room and seled onto one figure who stared at the door knob. Mort was adamant that the farmer had not killed the cowpuncher. As strange as it seemed, Mort 'knew' that the cowpuncher shot himself. e prosecutor claimed that the farmer shot the cowboy to sele an argument over a dead cow lying in the farmer's garden. e jurors reviewed the court case which went something like this: "Men of the jury:" addressed the prosecutor leaning against the jury box: "is is a simple open and shut case. As the cowboy road towards Mr. Timm, Mr. Timm shot him from his horse with his .44-40 Winchester rifle. e bullet entered the cowboy's leg. e cowboy fell from his horse and bleed to death." e prosecutor held up a bullet saying: "the coroner dug this slug from the cowboy's leg. e sheriff found that Mr. Timm's rifle had been fired." Pointing to Mr. Timm, the prosecutor looked to the jury: "You must find Mr. Timm guilty of murder." Most cased in front of Judge Kepler were concerned with fence lines: "I remind the jury that the county has limited funds to provide room and board for the jurors in the Fort Benton Hotel." Looking towards Mr. Timm who was shackled and his lawyer Sam Boyle, Judge Kepler gruffly ordered: "Now, Sam, it's your turn. Don't take all day so get to the point." Sam Boyle, the local saloon owner and part-time lawyer, stood and addressed the court room: "My client states that the cowpuncher shot himself, fell from his horse and died. Mr. Timm had not cleaned his rifle aer he shot the cow which had torn down his fence and ate his wife's garden. e sheriff didn't examine the dead cow." Judge Kepler excused the jury. ey, all but one, agreed that the case was simple. e cowboy rode up to confront the farmer who shot the cowboy from his horse as the cowboy was drawing his pistol. Aer the morning vote, the foreman addressed Mortimer, the hold-out: "Mr. Kriebel, we all know that our balloting must be secret. However, we know you are the hold out. Why?" Mort stretches back against his chair, stares down the door knob, and whispers: "e farmer didn't shoot the cowpoke." Almost all the jurors know Mort affectionately as Jigs. Jigs drills wells and plays fiddle at hoedowns. He has a homestead near Floweree. One sister has a homestead on the Teton River and a second sister runs cale

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