The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1903-03-04
HANSON TRIAL
District Court.

Carl Hanson alleged to have murdered
Napolian Lemay in Oct 1901 was called
at three o'clock Wednesday The fol
lowing is a list of the jurors: Johl
Hagen, Hans Flum, II. W. Moore, Joh1
Roch, Edward Nelson, Hobert Stormes
Louis Mus, Olaf eleven, Roy Pierce
. and Chas. TapmahChas. Lacy.
There was little if anything in the ap
pearance of Hanson when he entered
the court room to lead one to think him
a murderer though circumstances point
ed that way States attorney took III
his side of the case in an able manner
after the peliminares had been conclud
ed. In reading the informa ton he stated
that the defendent together with one
i VIM. Ross, was accused of the killing of
one LeMay by shooting him with rifle.
The crime was committed in Ward
County, N. D., near u station named
! Delta, formerly known as "Elton Pit"
on the main line of the Great Northern.
The brother of the murdered man was
the first witness called to testify. His
testimony proved to the satisfaction Of
| the court that the dead man was Ne
polian LeMay.
The Condemed Botteneau County
murderer was the next witness called to-
the stand and told his story in the follow
ing manner: "My name is William Ross
and have known Carl Hanson. the de-
fendent, for period of fourteen o.
fifteen years having spent our early days
in Minot. We were working together
for Ed. Tegerson in the month of Octo-
Der 1901, on his ranch about forty miles
west of this city and at the time this
crime was committed by Carl Hanson.
Having left the Tegerson ranch under
the prtense of hunting stray horses FOR
our employer, Hanson said to me, "Do
you want mate for your horss We
went over to- camp where Hanson had
found LeMay the day before, and tried
to trade horses but did not arrive at
bargain. Then we rode around and
argued what to do. Then we came back
and stayed all night at the camp where
LeMay was Wegot up together in the
morning and LeMay started to feed his.
horses and when / turned around to
fill the manger with hay, heard shot.
saw Hanson with my gun in his hands.
and saw him shoot asecond time After
the kiilsng, we rode out upon hill to
see if any one was coming that way, and
made plans to kill any who did, to con-
ceal our crime. Then we returned and
robbed the clothing Of the dead man OF
52Oin cash and divided up, after which
we secured rope and dragged the
body to an old well where we gave it a.
burial. Before the killing Hanson told
me if we could get away with LeMay we
could get all the horses which were
three. 1 told him that he could do it if
he wanted to but that would not do it.
The gun belonged to me and was hung
on my saddle. After the burial we
rode around for few hours and re-
turned to our employers. For answer
to question be replied that he did not
care much how he got mate for his
horse. This is the story of Ross who is
condemed to die for the murder Of
Thomas Walch of Botteneau. Hanson's
story is the same with few exceptions,
one Of which is the denial of the shoot
ing which he testihes that Ross did.
The case went to the jur Saturday
night after the usual arguments put up
by the prosecution and defence.
After being out % hours, the Jury
first degree and sentenced him to i'm
prisonment for life at the Bismarck pen.
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