Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1904-03-03
THE TRAIN
WRECklNG CASE
The Week Being Taken Up in Justice Pearson's
Court With the Taking of Testimony Of L. E.
Hanson in Connection With Attempt to
Wreck the N. P. Train.

VV1S~N VA1S
Before Justice Pearson Thursday
were brought, by Sheriff Eddy.
the two Asyrians, Kanan and Ogell,
who were Thought to have been i'm
plicated in the recent attempt to
wreck the west bound North Coast
Limited train last Saturday night and
who were brought to the city last
night on q charge made by Section
Foreman Hansen that they were the
men and that he suffered two knife
wounds at the hands of Kanan.
1t was with great difficulty that a
connected story could be elected from
the men as they understand English
but little and speak it worse.
AS near as could be understood, how
ever, it seems that buLh inca tell a
pretty straight story as to their
whereabouts during the time before
and after the attempt to wreck was
made and altogether the story related
by Richard Kanan, who did most of
the talking, is a pitiful one.
He told of how he had lived on his
quarter for two years, had broken one
hundred and fifty acres the past sea-
son and had hurt his health In remor-
ing great qualities of rock that he
might till the land. How his wife lay
sick all summer and besides the farm
work which he was forced to carry on
unaided, he had also to do the house
work, including the washing and cook
ing and looking after his sick wife.
He said that he had never had any
trouble with any one and that feeling
as he did and with what he had to
look after at home that he had nc
time to think Of such things as wreck.
ing train.
Further questioning brought out
further items of misery that the de-
fendant has endured through the cold
weather and which is said by the
officers to be true.
Asked where he was laSJ saturday
he said that he left home at about
eight o'clock in the morning to go to a
neik hbors, Adam Schatz, for load OF
manure which he was compelled to
use for fuel, as he had no mouey with
which to purchase coal. 1t was also
said in court that he was seen in Me-
dina trying to get some provisions and
that he was refused as he had nc
money with which topay for the same.
He said that he started for home
from Schatz's at about three O'Clock in
the afternoon and that he arrived
there at about sun down and remain
ed home after that with the exception
Of going over to his brothers house
for pail Of water with which to pre-
pare the evening meal.
On Sunday morning he said that his
brother came to his and asked him 10
80 to Crystal Springs with him. He
said that he did not want to 60 and
leave his wife but was at last per.
suaded. They left home at about
eight clock Sunday morning for the
Springs and after stopping a number
Of times enr0ute to get warm, arrived
there at about sun-down. While they
we're at the Springs they stayed with
Frank Tamerson and he (Kanan) was
kept there till Tuesday owing to the
hclemency OF the weather and his
sick appearance. They then return
ed home, stopping on the way at Me.
dina to try to get some provisions
which it appears that they were un-
lie to get.
Mr.. Hansen was then brought in and
Kanan was asked if he knew him. He
said that he did not know him. He
was then asked had he ever seen him?
He had Did he know what his busi-
ness was? He did. He knew that he
worked on the railroad. Had he ever
seen him before? He had not. There
the man seemed to be somewhat rat
tied owing to his poor understanding
OF the English and 1T was with dlf1i-
Guilty that anything was understood
that he said.
Mr.. Hansen was sworn and he again
stated that he was positive that
Kanan was the man that had cut him
with the knife and that he did not
recognize Ogell as having been one of
the party he had had tussle with.
He was admonished by the states at
torney to be sure as he must
realize what a scrape his charges were
getting the man into. He said that
he realized what he was doing all
right and he was persistent in his as
sertions that Kanan was the man.
In telling his story. the man Kanan