The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-30
STORY TOLD AGAIN
State Swears More Witnesses Who
Saw the Shooting.

Saw the Shooting.
Grand Forks, N. D., Jan. 3O.-John E..
Bork, travelling salesman Of Noyes Broth
ers & Cutler Of st. Paul, was on the stand
in the West case yesterday afternoon.
He had been standing near the radiator at
the south side of the room when the
shooting occurred, with Conway, the pre-
vious witness, Payne and Waldo. He had
known March for two years, but was not
acquainted with West.
When he first saw March and West the
latter was lying on the floor with his feet
pointing toward the witness and March
was standing over his body, holding one of
his legs and striking downward at Vests
face. The blows seemed to have pretty
good steam, and were aimed apparently at
Vests face but the witness did not see
whether or not they landed. He thought
they were swing blows rather than
straight punches. March struck two or
three blows, witness did not know which
The, witness saw Mr.. Wood cross the
room and interfere, pulling March back
four or five feet
''West got up rather quickly" said he,
"and pulled his gun Immediately after
having gained his feet. l should say that
he took about dozen steps to the south
before he stopped to fire at March. West
had to dodge Wood as he went south. He
started straight for Wood and then went
around him; he did not run, but walked
rapidly. I should judge a half minute
elapsed from the time that West got up
from the floor till the time he fired at
March.
The two men were about twenty feet
apart at the time, aud March was moving
towards the door or archWay leading to
Fegan's cigar store. He was within four
feet of the telephone booth at the time
he was shot. After the shot he took a
step OF two more and said to West:
You've shot me-you, shoot again
Twenty Feet Apart.
Mr.. Bork did not hear anything more
that March said in that line, and heard
nothing about the expression 81 die
game" Witness was very clear as to the
relative positions of March and West at
the time of the shooting, and was sure
that they were separated by at least
twenty feet.
The witness was certain that Wood
tried to interfere, and that it was neces-
sary for West to dodge him before he
shot. Witness pointed out the positions
of March and West on the chart, and
also Illustrated the route West had taken,
and the manner in which he had walked,
and the position in which he had held
his gun, which was about on a level with
when West fired he had leaned forward.
The witness was given rigid cross
examination by both the attorneys for the
state and defense. He was very positive
as to some things, but in answer to many
others he answered a curt mo" or II
did not see it, or replies of that nature.
Another Travelling Man.
N. M. Waldo, travelling salesman from
Duluth, was the next witness. On the
night of the shooting he was standing
with Conway and Bork, the preceding wit
nesses. He also saw March knock West to
the floor. He was not positive as to the
time all the blows were struck, but re-
membered very distinctly that there were
four blows struck in all, some of which
were struck when West was standing and
some when he was lying on the floor.
After West had fallen March had him
by one leg and struck him. the blows being
aimed at his face Wood had pulled
March from West and the latter rose to
his feet very soon afterwards.
Waldo did not see West pull his gun,
and thought nothing of an impending
shooting till after the gun was fired, and
stated that one reason for this was that
he did not see any necessity for a gun
play. Witness agreed with Conway and
Campbell as to the location of the two
men when the shooting was done, stating
that March was about four feet north of
the settee and that West was east of the
settee on line between it and the glass
railing around the desk. Witness could
not remember as to great many things
that had TRANSFERRED, and on several points
could give no information. Court ad-
journed at 6 o'clock. with Waldo still on
the stand.