The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1907-09-12
Judge Goss Places Register of Minot Land
Office Under $1,000 Bonds---fiearing
Occurred Yesterday.
TRIAL PROVED TO Be HIGHLY SENSATIONAL

L. D. McGahan, register of the
EMinot land offi.e, was given q
Rhearin e before Judge Goss in his
gchambers Wednesday afternoon
at 4::30 O'Clock. The register
was charged with twu offenses,
first with threatening to do bod
FLY harm upon the person OF T.
IL. FIX, by making a threat to
shoot Mr.. Fox, and second with
assaulting Mr.. Fox.
! McGahan at the conclusion of
Ethe hearing, was placed under
$4,000 bonds to keep the peace,
and was given until Thursday
Eevening at 6 O'Clock to furnish
said bonds with security. The
sbonds are to be in force until
Sdistrict court sets again when
\ the Judge can either continue
\ them or release the defendant
from them all together.
Mr.. McGahan was represented
by G. Aurland who looked after
every detail in a very careful
and efficient manner. The at
torney for the defendant endeav-
ored to have the action dismiss
ed entirely on the grounds that
4 in the complaint McGahan had
been charged with two separate
/ ,offenses, but the Judge refused to
grant the motion, and instead
gave the state one charge upon
which McGahan should be tried.
Accordingly, States Atty. Nc
Gee elected to try McGahan on
the charge of threatening to do
Mr.. Fox bodily harm.
Fox was the first witness call
lpnd for the state. His story was
substantially the same as that
told the Independent reporter
last week.
Fox stated that on Wednes.
day afternoon, Sept. 4, he walk
ed into the Minot Drug Co for n
drink of soda water aud saw Nc
Gaban and Tom Mu ply in the
place. He lay a nickel down on
the fountain and said," Gentle
men, I would treat, but have on.
" a nickel" After drinking a
glass of root beer, he walked out
and McGahan followed.
Outside the drug store, Nc
Ganan asked Fox if he intended
going away Friday and Satur-
day and Fox replied that if a
certain man came to Minot, he
would, as he had some business
to look after. Fox declares
that McGahan informed him that
he (McGahan) wished to go to
VIM. Blacks place near Chilcot
hunting one OF these days, aud
ordered Fox to remain in the
lsandoffice saving, eff | go, you
must stay. l am boss of the
land office, and you've got to re-
main"
Fox declares that he told Nc
Gahan that he yet had five days
left Of his leave of absence and
intended to 60 if he wished to
and at the same time he told
McGahan that the register had
used up all of his leave and thir-
ty days besides.
This started up a war of words
between the two officials and
Fox declares that McGahan call
ed him a number of very vile
names, and at the same time
Threatened to shoot him, draw
ing his hand back towards his
hip pocket. Fox says McGahan
also struck at him in front Of
eahe drug store, and Fox told
McGahan to 20 away and leave
hiE, alone and they would settle
this matter some other time.
Fox then states that McGahan
said; You cowardly
/ III put a ball thru you, I'll
shoot you.'
Fox then walked to the land
office, McGahan following by his
(side and all the way down the
|controversy was kept up, in or
(dinary tones of voice, so that no
one was particularly attracted
by the difficulty. Fox says he
went up the steps and entered
! the door of the land office lock-
ling it. He went to his private
|ofice and called Judge j. H.