The daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami Co., Minn.) 1903-1904, 1904-01-26
Evidence Against Him Insult.
ficient to Warrant Rey0-
cation Of License.
INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED BY
CITY COUNCIL LAST NIGHT.
Council Freely Expresses Opinion
Regarding FrequentComplaints
of the Same Nature.

Guided the nearing IN Une Case u
W. II. Bohannan, cited to appear
before that body to show cause
why his licenselshould not be re-.
yoked. The evidence was held
insufficient to warrant a revoca.
ton of Bohannan's license and
the matter was dismissed.
The matter was taken up after
the regular routine business had
been concluded. Mayor Luding
ton and Aldermen Bowser and
Graham and Recorder Bailey
were present. City Attorney
Russell reviewed the evidence
against Bohannan. He concluded
his remarks by stating that if
the council found the evidence
suticient to warrant the charge
that the complaining witness,
Henry II. Bell, had been detained
in the saloon against his will it
was the duty Of the council to re
woke the license.
Graham M. Torrance, Mr.. Bo
halnan's counsel, was then heard
in his behalf. He reviewed the
evidence of the defense and made
a strong point out of the fact that
the famous Ole Haverhold, who
had been much heard of in the
testimony had not been heard on
the stand. He thought that if
the defense had such a strong
case against his client it was
strange that Mr.. Haverhold, who
was his friend and companion
during all Of the time Of his spree
at the Exchange, had not been
examined by the prosecution.
He also stated that his witnesses
had sworn that Bell had been
seen outside on the sidewalk.
Mr.. Torrance made very able
presentation of his side of the
matter and in closing asked for
his client that justice to which he
was entitled.
Mayor Ludington stated that
complaints OF this sort had been
painfully frequent Of late and he
thought it was high time a halt
should be called. He believed
that he should be in favor of tax
ing the matter under advisement
for the present and stated it
looked like a very badly mixed up
affair to him.e
Alderman Bowser said it looked
like a case Of a man getting drunk
and spending his money to him.
He thought that the fact that
restaurants and lodging were
provided at many saloons was a
fact to be deplored as the woods
man who came to town to have a
time invariably remained until he
had spent all his money. He be
lieved restaurants in connection
with saloons were pernicious.
Attorney Torrance called the
attention Of the council othe fact
that the restaurant at the Ex-
change saloon was not operated
by his client.
Alderman Graham was from
Missouri. He did not set much
store, he said, by the statement
of Bell to the effect that he could
not get out of the saloon. He
considered this a very weak point
in his story. Bell had testified
that he had been in the Office a
great deal of the time. There
was nothing to hinder him from
breaking the window and jump
ing into the street if he felt and
knew as he said he did that he
was being detained against his
will.
Recorder Bailey carefully adj
justed his spectacles, cleared his
throat and stated that he agreed
with Graham. He did not think
that Bell had been detained
against his will. The evidence
covering this point was far from
being conclusive. He believed,
he said, that the old gentleman
had gone out for a little time, had
found the Exchange congenial
place to have it and stayed there
until it was concluded.
Alderman Bowser had been
making few inquiries regarding
the matter for his own informa-
tion. He had heard that Bell
: kept the sidewalk with difficulty
when he went to the Exchange
saloon. This was after he took
those two drinks of good whiskey
at Coteau's, the council would re-
member he said.
Recorder Bailey believed the