The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-30
THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 80. 1907.
WEST BOUGHT A Gun.
He Wanted No Cheap Affair, Says
the Man Who Sold It.
MANY WITNESSES ARE SWORN
Prosecution at Grand Forks IL Get
ting Ready to Close
It's Side.
Special to The Journal

Special to The Journal.
Grand Forks, N. D., Jan. 3O.-Robert
Brownlee was on the stand again this
morning for. some time, but nothing fur
Their was illicited from him in addition to
his testimony last evening.
DR.. r. G. Campbell was recalled to tes-
tify as to the direction of the bullet
after it had struck March. There was
nothing of material nature developed. y
T. Elleskd hardware merchant Of the
city, was then called and stated that some
time in November about two weeks before
the shooting, West had called at his place
OF business and purchased a revolver,
which the witness identified as the, one
used in the shooting of March. He said
West had asked him at the time if it was
good and seemed DESTROYS Of getting a fire
arm ON which he could depend. He iden-
titled the gum from private mark he
places on the barrel Of every gun he sells.
George Platky was next called and tes-
tlhed that some two. weeks before the
shooting West had called at his place of
business and asked to look at his re-
volvers, Rlatky had told some one he had.
nothing good in that line, whereupon
West said he did not want a cheap gun.
Saw March Strike.
Frank Carroll, brother in law Of P. Nc
Donnell, was next called. He was stand
Ing in the archWay of the Dacotah, leard-
ing to the stairway, on the night of the
shooting, and told the same story in many
details as told by John Mcdonnell yes
terday. He got confused in one particular,
however He first stated that when he
saw the two men, West was on the floor
and March was standing over him, but
later admitted that he had seen March
strike West terrible blow in the face,
knocking him to the floor
Carroll also swore that after West
gained his feet he had moved very rapidly
60 the spot where he fred the fatal shot.
f. Mcdonnell was next called. He is a
paving and sewer contractor of Duluth
put has been in this city the greater part
OF the time for several years. He told
OF March and West having a short con-
versation at the desk in the Dacotah
West was said to have answered "No," to
some question put by March. after which
the latter had struck him and West fell
to the floor, March afterwards striking
| him several times.
p, Scene Was Dramatic.
The witness was given the. gun and told
to initiate Vests action after he gained
his feet. This was done by the witness
| in very realistic manner. and he was
1
being the most dramatic since the trial
began. He said West was deliberate in
his movements and differed from the rest
! Of the witnesses in saying that before
shooting West raised the gun almost to
a level with his eye.
Thought 1t a Friendly Scuffie.
After Mr.. Waldo had been examined.
John Mcdonnell, brother of P. McDon-
nell, was sworn by the state. He stated
he was in the Dacotah hotel at the time
of the shooting When he first noticed
March and West they were. scuffling near
the hotel desk. and witness thought it
vas a friendly affair He was not ac-
| quainted with either West or March. He
had seen West 80 to the floor, but thought
he had slipped. He thought Vests hip
struck the floor first. and that he had
afterwards dropped backwards on the
floor. March was standing over Vests
body and had hold of Vests right leg
| with his right hand, striking him with his
left hand. or striking at him, and later
struck two blows with his right hand
but witness did not see whether they had
landed or not.
The most important part of the testi-
mony Of Mcdonnell was to the effect that
he thought March left West without the
interference of any one. He had not no
tced the approach of Mr.. Wood, and did
not see Wood pull March from West, and
was of the opinion that March left West
of his own accord.
The witness said that West staggered
! backwards a few steps when he gained
his feet. and then pulled his revolver
from his pocket, took seven or eight steps
toward the south end of the room
stopped on line between the south end
of the desk and the settee in the center
Of the room, and fired. holding the gun
~ eft Q1s1 or,1
sighting it with his eye in the usual man
ner when he discharged the weapon West
did not turn and face March when he
shot, but was facing southwest, and SIM
ply turned the mlzzle OF the gun towards
March.
Evidence Conflicts.
In this his testimony was not in accord
with that of almost all Of the preceding
witnesses. who have stated that West
turned and faced March just before he
fired the gun The witness did not think
that Vests head rested on the floor at
any time. March had struck several
Blows which seemed to have a great deal
Of force behind them. Witness could not
see whether the blows struck Vests
head or his body. and was Of the opinion
that but one of the Flows landed.
The witness had been watching West
closely till the shot was fired and then
turned his attention to March who was
standing near The telephone booth and
was backing slowly after the shot, and
was in the act Of placing his hands over
his side where he was shot when the wit
ness glanced that way.
After the shot was fired, March stood for
second where he was, ami then moved
into Fegan's cigar store and witness saw
, no more of him. West had moved twelve
or fourteen feet FROM where he rose to
his feet before he slot. The witness
heard nothing said before the shot was
fired except the exclamation by some one
of Don't shoot"
Wood Recalled.
The witness was then excused and w.
B. Wood Of the Hotel Dacotah was re-
called. In answer to Mr.. Bangs, Mr..
Wood said he had watched Vests face
from the time he rose to his feet til he
fired the shot. Mr.. Bangs next question
was:
could you or did you form any opinion
as to his mental condition.
Before the witness could answer the
question a vigorous objection was made
by the defense on the ground that the
question was incompetent and called for
expert testimony. Arguments were made
at some length, Mr. Bangs citing numer-
Gus authorities in support of his conten-1
ton After an argument by Mr. Coch-
rama tho on,,rt ho1d fho+ tho o,,o.%:o-