The Dickinson press., 1884-07-26
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ssoapitulatioa Of the oass-An Indicted
Nan Turns states 1v1dsnos -Ssnsa tiou.
al Yaatimouy,

RsoapitulAtioa Of the 0ass-AM Indicted
Man Turns states 2v1dsaoo -Ssnsat t1on.
al Tsstimony.
Tor which twelve men are to be tried for their
lives, one after another, is . sad one. The
trial will best be understood by rehearsing
some facts which are undisputed. Charles
Ward, aged twenty five, and Frederick Ward.
aged thirty, sons of DR.. E. P. Ward, of J. v.
Farwell& Co., Chicago, were in April, 1883,
managers of the townsite Of Bartlett, Oak,
and had a few days before their death built a
shack on a valuable claim between
DEVILS Lake and Creel City, on which
one John Bell. liveryman in DEVILS
Lake, formerly of St Paul, also had
shack The night of April % they, with one
by night party. The Wards were ordered
off. They refused The shack was riddled
with bullets and Fred was shot down inside
Elliott and Charley Ward ran out, Charley fall
ing with several mortal wounds. Elliott was
permitted to escape after severe beating.
Their bodies were found exposed on the prai-
rie the next morning. The father of the boys
was within the bar when the case was called.
He and Col Harrington, whose son is de-
fendant have both silver locks. The counsel
were ali present but Col. Ball, who was called
and on motion of Deputy District Attorney
Pratt, the case went over to Thursday morn
ing at 9 o'clock The defense were ready to
go to trial with Uline. The counsel have de-
cided to try B. w. Lair of DEVILS Lake, first
His special counsel is Hon. A. P. Ward OF
Cynthiana, Ky, who has been here for nearly
month
Grand Forks, Special says: A not unexpected
sensation in the trial of Lair was the testimony
of Dick Turpin, one of the defendants, who
turned states evidence. After finding the
his shack lying on his back with hands clenched
and feet drawn up, and Charley near Bells
shack, about forty rods away, lying on his face
and shot in his back. Dick Turpin was pro-
duced and the indictments were both dismissed
against him, and he testified in substance that
on the night in question Uline gave him a shot;
drove down to Leopold's and got him, with
Wards Wa 0''''n'D0l off the 0t piltsans ciaim 'od Of
Bell. Lair had a rifle at Wards shack. Bell
called Ward out Fred came to the door. Bell
pulled him out and struck him. They scuf1led
around Turpin saw Fred draw his revolver
and then Turpin shot Fred, who ran away to
the shack, leaned against it and fell down.
The rest opened fire on the shack. Charley
cried out: 81 give up" He and Elliott then
ran out, and some of them followed Elliott.
Charley ran by him within two yards, and to-
ward Bells shack When he got near them
Lair, who was yard away from Turpin, got
down on his knee, took aim and shot Charley
down. Ledford cried to him to shoot Elliott,
who was running. away. On cross-examina-
ton he admitted signing statement in Noyes
office, denying 1 having gun or being with
was % tola 'A'an that would I'D save slasA' him me
The rest had done the same, under the promise
they were to have bail and not hair of their
heads should be harmed. No promise OF
threats had been offered, he said, for this state
q clean breast of it, he thought it would be bet
ter to tell the truth than to lie.
in the main. The additional light it gave was
that he had been engaged by Fred Ward to
the SAME which Bell claimed They got through
had been there that evening. Mr.. Irwin tried
to get out what transpired at that interview
1t was ruled out however. This wit
ness testified that both the Ward
handle; When Bell came up they were all in
bed. There was loaded shotgun in the cor
ner, which Charley took and put on the bed,
where he last saw it. Fred went to the door,
having his hand on his revolver. Some words
passed: Bell pulled Fred out, and they passed
HUN uOOI dIOuuu Ullc Sldck. llleIC WAS
noise of pounding against the shack. Charley
ran to the door and fired five shots with his re-
yolver. Retreating behind the door he heard
Fred say 81 am shot" When Charley had
shot they opened fire on the shack He lay
down on the floor. Charley closed the door
shots were fired through the shack. He was
caught and beaten but let go. Did not know
any of them.
The evidence of the coronor's inquest was
offered and Gov. Bates objected Lair ap-
peared at the inquest and admitte he was at
tho fracas and heard shots fired. In the argu-
ment in the morning during the recital of Tur-
pin DR.: Ward was deeply moved and sat bowed
with his face covered by his hands Col Ear
rington was also greatly touched The defend
ant became deeply serious. 1t is said other
pins
Grand Forks Special says: The event of tho
day in the Lair trial was the opening for the de-
fonse by Erwin, which was q mastery review
of the evidence adduced and the claim of the
defense that their clients were there in pur-
suance of their rights, and were assailed by
the Ward boys, who moved on Bells claim
armed and prepared to takeit by violence The
effort consumed an hour and half and was
listened to by q packed house. It made an in
cisive impression on the jury The testimony
for the territory consisted of DR.. Lanes
evidence on the nature of the wound causing
Charlie Wards death.
AS already intimated, the defense will be the
justification. No attempt will be made to de-
ny tho presence of any of the parties. 1t will
be claimed that the Ward boys were claim
able as q prospective Manitoba depot, that Bell
lived on it eight months and was only tempo
rarily off, that the Ward shack had been
moved off before and the boys moved on ii
that night, armed, and with threats to make ii
hot for any party that would attempt to move
them.
Grand Forks Special 11th:-The defense put
John W. Bell, one of the defendants, on the
stand, to prove his actual possession of the
premises in question. He was permitted to
tell that he occupied the house the Sunday
named, but not to go into the question of title.
on this question by Davis, Erwin, Van Ar1nan
and Ball. The court ruled all out pertaining
to the question of claim of right US the de-
PENDANTS expected. Bell related the interview
with Charles Ward about 9 o'clock of the
Sn ngh I'll they d brought b on the a shack in
Farrington's shack and Uline's, and gathered
the party to go and carry off the shack from his
claim. He did not see any gun or pistol in the
crowd. They got to the Wards shack after II
p: m. He was told by Uline to do the talking.
The rest were scattered around twelve feet
called, and told them he was prepared to move
the shack, and they should come out The door
opened and Fred stepped out, with his right
hand on pistol
ssHe struck me with his left hand" said Bell,
Sand warded the blow and advanced on him.
We tussled alongside the shack, humping
against it, to the window. Five shots were
fired out of the door in about two or three
minutes, and the flashes were toward me. We
got around on the other side of the shack.
There was command to scatter out and shoot
in the shack. There were several shots fired.
Then Fred fell down in front of me with his
hands near me- After he said My God, I'm
shotn he never spoke nor moved"
Bells further description was of Elliott
pleading for life and Uline's saying, 'Don't
kill this man." On cross examination Col Ball