The Minneapolis journal., 1902-02-05
IN HIS OWN BEHALF.
West Tells the. Story of His Trouble
With March.
INTENSE INTEREST AT G. FORKS
Dead Man Accused Him Of writinc.
Letters Derogatory to His
Sister-in-Layv. .a

Special to The Journal. - -@ .
Grand Forks, N, D., Feb. 5.-The feature
OF the West trial this morning was the
testimony of the defendant, who took the
stand and told the entire story of the
trouble between himself and Frank w.
March, whom he shot on Nov. 80 few
other witnesses were called during the
morning but their testimony was of no
Importance.
West told of his acquaintance with
March and gave an interesting story. He
dlu not seem badly unnerVed and spoke in
clear and Ineligible manner.
He stated he became aware that March
was a fighting man some time before the
shooting and repeated stories that March
mad told him regarding what he had done
to other people at various times
West stated that on Nov. so March had
accused him of writing letters to St. Paul
derogatory to Eileen Cavanaugh, Mrs.
Marchs sister
West denied having written them. West
then repeated the testimony given by Mrs
Corners yesterday afternoon regarding g
the threats of March to kill him The
witness said he tried to reason with
March, but that March would not listen to
him.
March threatened to lick him about noon
of the goth, upstairs in the Prescott, and
had pulled off his coat. But West had
run into his room and locked the door.
An immense crowd is present at the
trial.
More as to March's Disposition.
G. R. Elgas yesterday afternoon told
the story of the events in the Dacotah as
he saw them. He did not see the shoot
Ing, but came in moment after and saw
March near the archway Of the hall. He
spoke to West and asked him why he did
1t, and West replied that che couldn't
help it," and that he had 'tried to get
away" Witness was positive that West
did not say that he ought to have shot
again. The state could not shake him
on that point Elgas said that March was
a quarrelsome man.
F. S. Lycan, W. A. Joy, w. H. Burr, DR..
Ramsey, T. B. Holmes, w. A. Currie, F.
Shelbrrne, c. Dameral, F. ]. Dudley, 7.
]. Sirrs and S. Mcdonald were examined,
and they all agreed that March was
quarrelsome man. Some of the witnesses
qualified this by saying that it was true
OF March while he was drunk, otherse did
not qualify it. Mr.. Joy said he was quar-
relsome when drinking, and that he was
a drinking man. ~
DR.. Ramsey repeated the story Of the
trouble with the hackdriver at Butte,
which had been excluded in the morning.
1t was admitted as corroborative evidence.
Dameraps testimony was weakened by
the admission that he and March had
trouble a few weeks before the shooting.
The other men are among the most
prominent business men in the city.
Threatened to Kill West.
Mrs. Addie Connors, cashier at the Pres
colt, was an important witness. She said
that on Nov. 20, ten days before the
tragedy, she heard quarreling in the hall.
She heard March say "I'll fix you," and
West replied, "You may kill me if you
like" To this March reDli ed. eyes TIL
kill you, kill you, kill you!" She
was positive that she heared this
expression three times. No amount
of cross examination could shake
her statement or confuse her. Mr..
Bangs tried to get, an admission from
her that in addition to the words which
he had repeated she heard March qualify
the expression with "Unless you keep
away from my family and let Flee (Mrs.
March's sister, alone,'' or something to
that effect, but the witness was positive
that no such language was used, and that
no language was used which could be made
to bear that construction.
Good Day for Defense.
The day was certainly field day for
the defense, as not only was the motion
reputation overruled but the testimony
itself was Of such character that in all
but few instances it stood the test of
rigid and thorough cross ss-examination.
It is believed several of the remaining
witnesses will furnish testimonysa "a good
deal more sensational than any yet in
troduced Among other things March
other men that evening, and it is under
stood that it was of this March spoke
when he told Blackburn that he had got
zone rat that night"