The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-29
MARCH WAS
AGGRESSOR
TRAVELLING MEN so TESTIFY IN
WEST TRIAL AT GRAND
FORKS
STRUCK AT WEST WHEN DOWN
Rigid CrOss-ExaminntiOn Develops
Some Inconsistencies of
Minor Character in Tes-
timOny. offered.
TRIAL ATTRACTS BIG CROWDS
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
GRAND FORKS, n D., Jan 2S-J. J.
Conway, of the Leithead Drug company
of Duluth, was the first witness exam
ined in the West case today. He was on
the stand all the forenoon and part of
the afternoon. He was in the Dacotah
when March was shot and saw most OF
the affair from the time when West be-
gan to rise to his feet after the assault
He located the positions of the two men
practically as the witness Campbell had
done, placing them nearer together when
the shot was fired than the points desig-
mated by Wood.
Campbell was a very careful witness,
and did not seem willing to commit him
self further than was necessary, qualify
ing his statements whenever possible on
the ground that his recollection Of the
events was imperfect He was rIgidIy
examined, but while his statements
varied considerably as TO details, his main
story. was consistent. He was the first
witness who saw March knock West
down. ~~
John E. Bork was called to the stand
about 3 o'clock. He was also present in
the room, saw March standing over
West and striking him, saw Wood pull
him off, saw West rise to his feet draw
HIS IGNOlNSE anu move FORWARD and SIDE
wise and shoot. He also observed March
and noticed his position.
Sprung a surprise.
The witness created some surprise by
locating the two men much further apart
| than any previous witness. He located
the men on the plat at a distance which
! measures about twenty-five feet plac a.:
| March some little distance from the spOC {
indicated by Wood, and six or eight feet
from where the other witnesses thought
he stood. He also testified that at the
time when the shot was fired he noticed
that March stood with his heels together.
This, the state will contend, is physically
impossible if the testimony of the witness
as to locations is correct
n. M. Waldo, another travelling man,
| was present and saw the shooting, also
the assault that preceded it, He saw
March strike West two blows, one with
! each hand. West raise. his hands to his
| head to ward off the blows, and fell back
ward to the floor. March then grabbed
| him by the leg and struck him again at
| least twice, when Wood reached him and
| pulled him off
! Mr.. Waldo described the movements OF
( the men just before and just after the
| shooting, and gave his views of positions,
| distances and time.
Varied as to Distance.
These statements, being based on OBJ
! servation and recollection, were not al
| ways quite consistent with each otherN r
with those of previous witnesses The
! witness was very careful, and frequently
! declined to make positive staten ents.
! The witness was still on the stand at the
| hour of adjournment, and will probably
remain there some time in the morning.
I The trial continues to attract large
| crowds, and the seats are invariably ia K
| en- long before the opening hour Tie
| relatives of both March and West attend
| every session. West himself is in his
usual health, but suffers from nervous
! ness, which is a trouble of long standing
with him. So far almost all the ques-
tioning for the state has been done by
! Mr. Bangs, and for the defense by Mr.
| Cochrane. Assistant States Attorney
| Rex, who has been III for some time. was
a spectator at the afternoon session, this
being his first appearance since the trial
| begun