The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-29
.CON'W AY ON STAND
His Evidence Corroborative Of Wood
and Campbell.
SAW DEFENDANT SHOOT MARCH
State Is Likely to No More Than
Complete It's Evidence
This Week.

| 4, Grand Forks, N. D., Jan. 29.-J. j.. Con-
way, representative Of the Letthead
Drug company of Duluth, who was at the
Hotel Dacotah on the night of Nov. 80,
was. on the Witness stand all the morn
ing in the West murder case. He saw
everything that occurred from the time
March was seen standing over West till
after the shooting occurred a few seconds
later. His chief characteristic as wit
ness was to abstain from making any
statements other than those he was very
certain Of, and he showed a disposition to
answer Il can't remember" He did not
show any disposition, however, to color
his testimony either one way or the other
and answered in straightforward man
ner at all times. II tzk
Agreed with Campbell.
The greater portion Of his testimony
was a simple repetition Of the testimony
of w. j. Wood and J.sH. Campbell, the
witnesses who had preceded him. In one
material point, however, he agreed with
Campbell, and disagreed with. Wood. This
was as to the distance March stood from
West at the time of the shooting. Wood
said that March had been retreating from
West and was nearer the exit Of the office
leading to Feegan's cigar store than he
was to the settee in the center of the
room where West was standing, but Camp
bell and Conway both claim that March
was standing within four feet of the cen
ter of the room, but had retreated few
steps after the shooting.
Wood had evidently been watching West
till after the shot was fired. and before
he returned toward March, the latter had
taken few steps in retreat.
The witness was subjected to rigid
examination by Mr.. Cochrane for the de-
tense, but remained mistaken. He was
on the stand when court adjourned for the
noon recess. From the progress being.
made it is certain the state will require
the entire week for the introduction OF its
evidence.
March Was Twenty Feet Away.
The examination OF J. - Conway was
concluded at 2:15 this afternoon and John
e. Bork of st. Paul, with Noyes Bros. &
Cutler, was called by the state. His test1-
mony was to the effect that March was
twenty feet or more from West when the
fatal shot was fired, disagreeing material
ly from all prior witnesses. The jury and
the witness visited the Dacotah hotel to
get clearer idea of the distance.
March Standing Over West.
j. H. Campbell Of Fargo, who travels
for the Van Brunt Drill company and Was
in the Hotel Dacot ah when the shooting
occurred, was on the stand yesterday aft
ernoon.
He had seen neither March nor West
him, but he had known March for three
years and was a brother Elk, but did not
belong to the same lodge.
On the night of the shooting the witness
was standing in front Of the fireplace at
the south side of the room and was fac
ing north towards West and March, but
his attention had not been called to them
%1@ TX ,NlH 4 1N I1~
March standing over West, who was On
the floor
''ShOOt Again, I'll Die Came"
March had West by both legs and pulled
him two or three feet farther from the
counter. March then dropped Vests left
leg but retained hold of his right leg.
and leaning over. Vests body, with one
Of his legs between Vests, struck at him
twice with is right hand. Witness could
not see whether the blows landed or not,
but stated they we're struck apparently
with much force, and that March was in
such a position that he would strike about
straight down at Vests face. West
gained his feet and started south, and
took three OF four steps.
Mr.. Wood approached him and touched
his arm, but West moved a couple of steps
further and fred. Witness said that when
West fired the shot he had the elbow of
the arm with which the gun was fired
resting against his hip, and that he did
not bring the revolver up to his eye to
take aim In the usual way - -.
West was looking straight at March, but
may have hooked at his gun barrel also
Witness said that March appeared to be
standing still when West shot and that
after the shot was fired said,
in. ""I'm hit, shoot again. I'll die game"
Lasted About a Minute
The s-examination by Mr.. Cochrane
brought out the fact that witness had not
seen West fall. He thought March was
man weighing 100 or 200 pounds; he
looked sinewy and strong. He thought
March was six feet or more in height and
heavier In every way than West The
tile floor was very hard and he thought
that March had dragged West over it.
He noticed the fight was about minute
in duration not more than that.
AS Mr.. Campbell was anxious to leave
the city, 1t was decided to finish the ex-
animation, and court remained in session
about an hour later in order to do this,
developments except the introduction of a
photograph Of the floor of the Decotah
hotel Office, on which Campbell identified
the particular spot where March had been
standing at the time of the shooting,
which he located about four feet from the
settee in the middle of the room
The witness heard West say: Trouble
has been brewing for several weeks He
was abusing me in the Prescott and /
threw my paper down and came over here.
could not help It.. 7 ought to have shot
him again.