Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1899-01-19
The Alleged OffenSe was
Committed in S91-Jury ~.
Secured.
Purchase Promptly Acquitted
by Jury-EyidenCe Insuffi-
Cient to Convict.


or blind pig in this city in 1891 in the
building now known as the Capital
house. Attorney ". H. Barnett OF Far
go is the defendants counsel and Attor.
ney Fredrus Baldwin assisted by At,
torney Ellsworth Is prosecuting the case
The case was set for trial in 1892, but
Purchase forfeited his bond and did not
appear for trial. Attorney Barnett
moved for dismissal Of the case against
the defendant on technical grounds.
Clerk of court Webber was placed oD the
stand and testified as to the records IN
the case. Judge Pollock overru!ed the
motion.
The selection of jury was then begun.
The necessary twelve men were secured
at noon and the trial of the case began
this afternoon.
Attorney NJ. Conklin, who was states
attorney in 1892, testified to his connect.
ion with the case at that time.
Mayor Alfred Steel testified to leasing
rooms in the building which was then
known as the Grand Central Hotel to
Mr.. Purchase. On cross examination
Mr., Steel stated that the rent for the
same had not been paid by Mr.. Purchase.
A. McKechnie who was chief OF police
in 1891 testified as to the rooms occupied
by Mr.. Purchase and wife. He also
stated that be had on three different oc.
ossions in November 81 purchased
whisky of 9 man named O'Brien, who
occupied room in the Grand Central.
he went in company with some other
gentlemen. Purchase. on one occasion,
invited him up to the room, telling him
that he had some good whisky. O'Brien
screwed the liquor on all the occasions.
Mr.. McKechnle could not recall all the
details of the search made Of the rooms
in 1891, but testified to finding some jugs.
In the case of the state of North
Dakota vs. George Purchase charged
With having maintained common nuis.
snce in 1901 the jury after being out
two hours brought in verdict of acquit-
al.
Judge Pollock and Attorney Barnett
were ANXIOUS to return to Fargo this
morning and for this reason the case was
concluded last night.
The defendant. Geo. 81. Purchase
testified that IN November 1891 he oc.
cnpied rooms one, two aud three IN the
Grand Central. He stated that room
four where Mr. Mckechne had testified
that liquor was sold was never used dur
ing the time he occupied the adjoining
rooms. He denied ali the charges made
against him and testified that he prsc.
ticed law, was United States commls-
s,oner ana justice of peace at the time Of
his arrest. The size OF room four was
not ssutficiently large to hold bar and
the the other furniture mentioned by the
witnesses.
Mrs. Geo. Fl. Purchase, wife of the
defendant. testified as to the rooms oc-
cupied by herself and husband. She
was positive that room four was unoc'
cupled by anyone. There were none O.
the loud noises which had been des
crlbed by ex Chief Mckechnie.
Josiah Pearson was recalled and testi.
fed as to his being present at the time
OF the arrest of Purchase. Pearson WAS
slightly mixed when cross examined by
Attorney Barnett.
Veterinarian Moore testified to the
fact Of room four being unoccupied. He
had visited Purchase OF en and was sure
that there was no bar, such as had been
described by some of the witness es fol
the prosecution. IN the room.
G. W. Ingraham testified as to the
size and location OF room four in the
Capital Hotel, which in 1891 was the
Grand Central He stated that 1t would
be impossible to put bar and the
furniture, mentioned by some Of the
witnesses, into room four
Ex Chief OF Police Mckechnle was
recalled and contradicted Josiah Pear
sons statement that he, Pearson, was
present at the time OF the arrest ot
Purchase.
The arguments by s. E. Ellsworth fo1
the prosecution and W. n. Barnett fol
the defense we're somewhat lengthy
Judge Pollock charged the jury te