The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-26
W. B. WOOD TELLS
STORY OF KILLING
JURY SECURED AND WEST TRIAL
BEGINS At GRAND FORKS
Case Promises to Be Bitterly Con-
tested by Counsel on the Part
of Both the State and
the Defense.


GRAND FORKS, N. D., Jan. 25.-The
Jury in the West case is completed at
last The twelve men, who have been
sworn to try the case, are: A. p. Win
slow, Hegton; E. o. Berg, Northwood;
Charles Kinney, Arvilla; Hugh Marshall,
Oakville; A. NJ. Wilcox, Lakeville; j. II.
Smith, II. r. Eastgate, Larimore; James
"A McGilliwray, Levant; Louis Stillmaker,
Peter Kegler, Johnstown; James Nc
Mennemy Vale; David Steedman, Union.
The jury was sworn, the case was out
lined by the state, and after legal argu-
ments on the form of complaint, DR.. II.
M. Wheeler, the first witness, was called.
DIR. Wheeler was followed by his partner,
DIR. r. D. Campbell, and their testimony
referred to the nature of the wound and
the cause of death. The wound was in
the left side of the abdomen, about three
inches above the groin. and the bullet per-
forated the large intestine five times. The
cause of death was septic poisoning. The
defense tried to obtain an admission that
death may have been due to other causes,
but was unsuccessful.
The states most important witness, w.
B. Wood, proprietor of the Dacotah was
called after Surveyor Lawson had given
testimony on plan of the hotel, ad-
mitted in evidence Mr.. Wood told his
story deliberately and coherently. He
said he had been seated on the evening
of Nov. 80 in the hotel Office about thirty
feet from desk talking with Robert
BrOwnlee, with his back to the desk. He
heard a noise, and Brownlee called his
attention to a fight, calling excitedly
Don't do that, Frank?'
Could Not Get the Gun.
He turned and saw March near the desk
leaning over and striking at West, who
was on his back on the floor. Wood cross
led over quickly and reached March in
time to prevent the delivery of the blow,
Selling him by the arm and swinging him
toward the center of the room West
rose, and Wood, who was now between
the two, noticed revolver in his hand
which he seemed to have just pulled from
his pocket. He called to West not 10
shoot and kept advancing toward him
West moved to one side and fired, and
March said he was shot West pocketed
his gun, but refused to give it up until
the police came.
This is the substance of the direct tes-
timony, and 1t was varied on croSS-eX-
animation only by The bringing out OF
the details which had lot been touched
on by the state.
The distance of twelve or fifteen feet
which he suppos I'd TO be between the men
when the shot was fired will be claimed
by the state to be much less when the
SSNAAAiehSCo u esAo-eI'ASS StNClI OAA SAOoS
animation are )b+ed UP. He testified
that the entire transaction occupied about
a minute, and tits will be given great
weight by the state. The cross examina-
ton will be resumed on Monday morning.
The court room was packed all day.
The prisoner seems cool and collected, and
listens intently to the testimony, jotting
down a note occasionally in a little book.
His father. and. sister. were present all
day, as was his brother-in-law, j. w
Rumsey, a banker of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
w. C. March, of st. Paul, father OF
the deceased, and his wife were also pres