Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-06-19
Judge Cowan's Answer to
Attacks on His Record

To the voters Of the Second Judicial
District of the State of North Dakota:
Gentlemen: 1 @.>s: :=s.. -, W..
In all my public life have never be.
fore published a letter or circular in
my own favor nor against a political
opponent. I have lived among you
for rs years and my public record and
private life have been such, up to this
time, that you have seen fit to honor
me with your votes and friendly as
sistanse SO that I have held some of
the most important positions in this
state through your Kindness
! am a candidate, as you know, for
reelection as Judge of this District
Mr.. Michael. H. Brennan of Devils Lake
is my opponent. He seeks a nomina,
ton upon the republican ticket and
also upon the Democratic. seek the
nomination only from the republicans.
l write this letter for the purpose Of
doing justice to the friends who have
so loyalty supported me in the past
and are supporting me now, and also
to do justice to my own family who
have been grossly insulted by my op-
ponent and his friends who have taken
the pains to send even to my children
marked copies Of the many disgraceful,
disagreeable and untruthful statements
that they have so vigorously circulate
ed against me in attempting to injure
my reputation among you. Il also am
1mpelled to write this letter in fair
play to myself, and in defense Of the
reputation that I have made among
you with your kindly assistance and
my own faithful efforts to prove my
self worthy of your trust and conf
dence, and competent in the discharge
Of the duties you have imposed upon
me as one Of your public officials. =
Mr.. Brennan has prepared and circu-
lated thus far in the campaign, two
circulars, both unsigned by him or
anyone else. One entitled Judge Cow
an and his record" The other en-
titled ''The Court Records" Mr.. Silver
Eerumgard, one Of the Democratic lead
ers Of the State, has taken much pains
Ito traduce and vilify me in the Nor.
yegian paper, Norman den, published at
Grand Forks. All three OF these pub.
LEGATIONS cover very largely the same
ground although Mr.. Serumgard gives
me much more personal abuse and
publishes much more of falsehood rela
tive to my personal character than is
contained in the circulars referred to
MIR. seralmgard' object can be plain
~ seen. He. desires, Of course, t
stab me in the back among my Scan
/ dinavian friends OF this District, By
/ presenting me in an absolutely false
Hight, by many false statements to the
public in "a Language intended to. ap
peal to the scandinavian voter ant
] which ! cannot read or understand
until translated. $S Il 5s3 @%; =
cannot, of course, answer In this
iletter all Of the various charges tha
i he makes against me and he, NJ
doubt, will make other and probabl,
far more serious, charges, for he hal
declared that such Is his intention AMI
knowing Mr.. serumgard,s vindicatiyt
1 disposition and his absolute unscrupu
llousness n accom- Fishing any purpos,
| that he undertakes, + eelscertain tia.
he will not stop short Of anything
however. unfair or untruthful to dc
complish my defeat BY your votes Sol
1.-THE ruin OF my reput alton among you
will only treat IN detail q number
Iof the most prominent charges made
iagainst me as Judge that are includ
led III the articles Of NJ y sreumgars
u Ito the 2Normanden as well as inS the
Icirculars publish led by Mr. Brennan
At the outset, let me say that III this
District there are fifty-three attorneys
Engaged IN the practice Of their pro
4 fession These are the men above an
Il others who have the greatest know.
Hedge OF the Judges qualifications and
i they certainly do the most Of the bust
ness before him. Now, am proud
say that among these attorneys
/ fort y.seYen Of them are my true and
llloyal friend and are working for my
4 fremont ion and ELECTION regardless
of whether they are republ leans q
sI,democr Ii, WI ileI} only Six of them in.
i Guiding Mr. Brennan, nv on onent
land his partner i GRAY, are seeking
mot only to defeat me as a candid ate
Ibut To ruin and destroy rny mutation
as Imam, as a 4Iayye and as al judge
i These SIX men are working together
to- acconaplis h their object q and are
1 sparing A pense Sor trouble to work
my ruin. They have even gone 70 th,e
expense OF hiring outside parties, fol
II - Nh III, TIIt3 ne FARGO m