Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-20
Trial of Cownn, the Omaha Attorney.
DruUfnu ia n Close,

| Trial of Cownn, the Omaha Attorney,
| Drawing 10 n Close.
The trial in the district court Of W. p.
| Cowan, the Omaha attorney charged with
! suhornation of perjury, is drawing to a
close and the case will probably be given
to the jury this morning. The evidence
is all in and the opening argument for the
state has been submitted by Assistant
| County Attorney Kimbal Attorney organ
| for the defense had just commenced his
opening argument when court adjourned for
| the day.
The unusual spectacle of both attorneys
| for the state going on the witness stand
and testifying for the prosecution was wit
! messed at the trial yesterday. Assistant
County Attorney Kimball was placed on the
stand and examined by County Attorney
Kilpack to prove that the oath had been
administered to Robert Johnson, the self
confessed perjurer and main witness against
Cowan. Then in order to corroborate the
testimony Of Johnson County Attorney Kill
pack himself went on the witness stand and
was in turn examined by the assistant
county attorney. The county attorney testi-
fed that shortly after the trial Of Law
renee and Tracy, the chicken thieves. dur
ing which Johnson admitted he gave per-
jured testimony and alleged that he did so
on instructions from Cowan, the attorney
defending the chicken thieves, Cowan came
to him and asked whether the grand jury
was not investigating his (Cowan's) case
He told him that he was not at liberty to
divulge the doing of the grand jury, and
then Cowan, he said, admitted that crime
had been committed and said that the grand
jury ought not to be hard on him, for If
he had done wrong, others before him had
made similar mistakes Continuing the
county attorney testified that Cowan told
him he was about to form a partnership
with a lawyer in Ord, Neb, and that If
indicted, whether he was guilty or inno-
cent it would ruin his prospects for life.
I'm fact" said the county attorney, "Mr.
Cowan practically admitted to me that he
had induced young johnson to testify.
falsely"
The evidence of County Attorney Kim
ball evidently had its effect on the jury, as
the members all listened most attentively.
In his opening argument Attorney Organ
for the defendant seized the opportunity to
arraign the county attorney bitterly for
going upon the witness stand, a proceeding
which, he said, had been condemned from
time immemorial by the supreme court of
the state.
Among the witnesses for the defense who
testified as to the good standing and char
acter of the accused we're Judge Baker
Judge Lee Estelle, County Recorder Thomas
Crocker, Deputy Sheriff Jones, j. R. Rath-
burn, j. B. West, Attorneys Jeffries and
Herring, all of Omaha.
The case Of the State against Charles
Perrine, indicted on the charge of robbing
j. j. Jones, was dismissed yesterday, as the
state has been unable to locate the prose-
cutting witness.
The case against Mrs Kate Feeley of
Underwood, charged with shooting with in
tent to kill, was continued until next term.
The case of the State against j. A. Greg
ory, the horsethief and desperate, charged
with shooting Constable Moss of Loveland,
will be taken UP at the close of the Cowan
trial. 1t is understood that Gregory's at
torney will submit a motion for a continu
ance, also for a change of venue to an
other court, alleging prejudice against his
plipnt her