davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26
Noah Gets Life Sentence
Murderer Of Gus Johnson on His Way to Bismarck
Today--Greeneaf Put Up Hard Fight For the
Dese ,erate---Story of the Trial o3

A short time before the trial ended,
Noah cwrote a'letter to States Attor-
ney Nashsin which he expressed a de-
sire to plead guilty in case that the
States Attorney could guarantee him
that he would, be sentenced to death.
His attorney plead with him to plead
'guiltytin theehope of saving his neck,
but he steadfastly refused to do so.
Apparently he wanted to die. All
along he has expressed the, desire to
de- except at times, when he assert
ed that he would yet be a free man.
It WILDE remembered that more than
70 year ago, Noah endeavored to COM
NIT suicide, at the penitentiarys by
breathing an electric light globe and
trying to swallow pieces of glass. ,,s..
Noah has taken great interest in
his trial and spent odd moments stu
dying the questions of law pertaining
to his case. He believes that he will
secure another trial, but this is not
at all probable. One OF his points is
the question Of Jurisdiction, another
the failure Of the clerk to call the
roll Of Jurors after recess, another
that the state failed to prove his age,
90 that there is nothing in the record
showing that he is over seven years
Of age, under which no terson Is cap
able Of committing crime, and last
ly that the state did not prove that
Gus johnson, who was murdered, was
the same Johnson whose name ap-
pears in the information,
The jury on the first ballot voted,
10 for life imprisonment and two for
the death sentence. On the second
ballot, there were eleven for life i'm
prisonment and one for death, and
the third ballot was unanimous.
Atty. Greenlaf, who defended Noah,
made game fight, but found the job
altogether irksome under the circum-
stances. He realizes that the defend
ant is a moral pervert, and stated
to the newspaper reporters that were
he again chosen by the, court to
defend Noah, he would rather burn
his law books and give up the practice
Of law.
Noah appeared before Judge Craw.
ford yesterday afternoon and re-
ceived sentence. He will be on the
way to Bismarck probably tomorrow.
The Trial.
Noahs trial proper started at two
o'clock Saturday afternoon. DR.. Titus,
the first witness examined, told of
examining the body of the murdered
man, and located the wounds. He
had been present at the post norton
examination. .,,,,.
During the giving of most Of the
testimony Noah spent his time in
reading copies of newspapers and did
not seem to be much concerned
the trial. At times, however, he
would consult his attorney. AT no
time did he appear the least worried
and never lost a wink Of sleep at
night, sleeping as sound as baby.
Patrick Garfield, neighbor Of Gus
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26
7THEJURY.'

III. ,sLATKEY. Minot real estate
dealer. y 81
4 JOHN BRAN, Glenburn, farmer.
H. J.. SCHOBERT. clerk in assist
ant superintendents office at Great
Northern station, Minot. ,'25t, Il
J. A. FERGUSON, Minot, freight
tracer. Great Northern. Az y
M. "A. HUNT. Minot, farmer.
P. p. WEEK, farmer.
JOHN SWORDS. farmer.
RAY IRWIN. Minot, farmer.
G.. 8. sILLMAN. Minot, farmer,
Il u. C. BJORNE. Minot. farmer. N
H. M. SHERMAN. retired farmer,
Sherwood.
JAMES "a. CLAYTON. Deering. s
David Marion Noah. the murderer
OF Gus Johnson, the Kenmare
farmer. was found guilty by a
jury Of his peers. the verdict, being
returned Monday afternoon at 4:4o
o'clock. He was sentenced to life i'm,
prisonment in the penitentiary at
Bismarck yesterday, and will be TAX.
en- at once, to spend the rest Of his
days at hard labor,
Noah's trial lasted five days, and
ended much sooner than anyone ina
gined it ever could. When the state
had concluded the examination Of the
witnesses, D. G.. Greenleaf, attorney
for the defense, stated that the de.
tense did not dtsire to cross examine
any Of the states witnesses. Mr..
Greenlea1, who has put up the hard.
est kind Of fight for his client, was
well aware of the fact that Noah was
guilty, and that all he could hope for,
was to save his neck from the moose.
In addressing the jury, he did not
plead with the members to set the
man free. He dwelt upon the terrible
act of body of mn sentencing
one of their fellow men to horrible
death, and pleaded for clemency.
States Attorney Nash handled the
case we'll, from beginning to end,
and lost no time in presenting the
evidence Of the state, thus saving the
county considerable cost. He urged
that the extreme penalty be inflicted.
The jury was out just an hour and
fifteen minutes. Judge Crawford was
at the barber shop when Informed
that the jury was ready to report, and
hurried at once to the court house.
AS the jury filed in there was q look
of determination on the face Of each
member, and Noah remained calm as
the foreman, John Swords, handed the
sealed verdict to the Judge. Noah
heard the wtrds which meant for him
a living death, with the stoicism
which he had displayed ever since
the first day of his arrest. Some
believe that he rather hoped that he
would be doomed to die. AS the
Jury filed past him, after the verdict
had been read, he shook the hand OF
each member, and was taken at once
to his cell, and placed under q strong
guard. ~
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26

johnson. told q the finding Of the
body IN the cellar. after outing tia
linoleum which Noah had Tackled
down over the trap door. Canneld
says that when he came to the John
son house and found Noah there the
defendant had told him that Johnson
had gone to Sweden and LETT him to
straighten up his affairs. Noah told
him that Johnson had received word
that his mother was in and that he
had taken Johnson to Kenmare the
night before, and that he had taken
the train Immediately. Garfield says
Noah told him he had bought some Of
the Johnson property. He talked fast
and smoked necessarily and appear
ed, to be laboring under mental
strain.
Magnus Johnson, another neighbor,
told of the appearance Of the body
when it was found in the cellar. .
,Thos. Doods told Of the finding Of
the body and the cutting Of the lin.
oleum. Johnson had bought some
new linoleum. intending to cover the
floor with it, but had been murdered
before he got around to it.. Noah
sought to cover up his tracks by
placing the linoleum over the trap
door. " ~ resp @'
James Porterfeld of Kenaston, ties.
titled as, to the sale of some OF John
sons grain at the National elevator
Elliott Rasmussen, neighBor, told
OF Noah's coming to his home, and in.
forming him that Johnson had made
arrangements with him to farm the
land on shares.
Ole Johnson, a Kenmare black.
smith, testified that he had recog-
nized Johnson's horses and wagon and
had talked with Noah concerning
tenn.
Dr.. Mclean of Kenmare told of
the coroner's inquest and the post
mortem. ,,
The Crime.
Probably no one will ever know
exactly how Gus Johnson met his
death, Noah has told so many differ.
ent stories concerning it. He made
two confessions, both giving different
versions of the affair.
TO Geo. MCGEE, then States Attor.
ner Of Ward County, in the presence
of several doctors and .stenographer,
Noah said he had killed Johnson with
shot gun which he had fastened to
trunk. That while Johnson was sit
ting at breakfast he had pulled the
trigger, to which was fastened a
strong piece of copper wire, and he
was not sure, but he thot the charge
Of the gun entered Johnson's side or
back. Johnson had not uttered a
sound after the shooting, dying al
most instantly. Patsy Coyle, his COM
panion, was in the room, but he said
had nothing to do with the shooting.
His companion has died since that
time. Noah said he did not know
what to do with the body. He first
thought of placing it in a box and
burying it somewhere on the farm.
Finally, he opend the trap door, and
dragging the corpse by the legs, pull
ed it to the hole, and let it slide down
the steps. Here it wa found by
neighbors. #
He said the idea Of killing johnson
never entered his head until half an
hour before he did the shooting.
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26

H. E. McFall, the paper hanger
and calciminer, has located in Devils
Lake. Mac is an excellent workman
and a mighty good fellow, and will
get along well, wherever he is. - nj
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26

G. J.. johnson and o. L. Tobiason,
two Of the independents best friends
We're down from Aurelia Saturday,
assisting o. G. Ryland Of Haitian, ~.
D., to make final proof on the claim
formerly owned by Ole Anderson, de>
ceased. his brother in law. ..z.
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26
Restaurant outiit

Restaurant OUTFIT
sasAt snap price. have drst eaAas
outfit, everything nsceasaEy. Al Cost
$3.50. will sell Ut Len than half The
cost. G.. D. SHAFT.
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26

Devils Lake has new rubber
stamp works.
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26

DR.. Thor Moeller, for several years
located in Minot, has opened ofnces
at Velva IN - !. 4
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26
Riverside
camille Co.
GRAND OPENING SALE,
M | ! Az : 26
We will serve Minot Ice
Cream on opening day free
from2 to 8 p. n.

We are now ready for business
in our new building. For 10.
days only We quote you some
low prices which cannot be dup.
Heated elsewhere on standard
goods. Living expense is high,
but twill not be il you attend
this sale. II
The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-05-26
Another Purchase

Our buyer has just snapped
UP $50 Mems Hand-tailored
D Observation-Disclosures were
made to. sell for $1,000, $3.50
and $500. During our sam
pie sale you can take your pick
Of the lot for
S 6.48
while they last
s 81 - Il ri sss.vgs So ga
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-19
CONDEMNATION IN ADVANCE

The patent disposition OF the demo-
cratic press, including the brilliant
local specimen, 10 condemn tho consti-
t%utional convention as 'rotton corrupt.
polluted ana VILE before the delegates
have even got well into the work, IS
a bright and shining demonstration of
their eaRernoss to get statehood. We
do not believe, however, that II repres-
onts the sentiment OF the democratic
delegates. who with q few conspicuous
exceptions, have conserved their lung
power and ave devoted themselves to
working industriously and harmoni-
oualy with their republican brothers 10
get the job done right So far, there
has been no real objection by the
democrats 10 any action OF the re-
pubiicans. snye in the case Of two or
three out Of over half "A hundred rules
adopted. and the charge OF Sitting
debate the latter reprohonsible prac-
tice being shown By the fact that the
democrats have done practically an
the talking SO far.
Now aa "a mattvr Of fact, amy rca-
souable member of the minority must
admit that he has received "a square
deal and no ono has been able TO point
TO any specific aot of the majority
which ia open TO just criticism. We
admit that this has surprised us, as
the Morning Journal has never dis
guished the fact that il regarded some
OF The members of the majority as
~danfcrons men to take part Ia the
framing 30 the constitution. Even the
devil. however, is entitled TO his due
N We have been unable TO discover,
90 far. the result of any pcruicious i'm
nuencc.
The following from the Aztec
Index replying to an attack in the
Pennington Times Hustler,souuds sen.
sihle.
ITO sit IN Judgment. try and con.
denim our constitution, before tho
convention had even perfected IAN
organization. comes with YrrY pool
grace from % who p%retcuds 60 adj
Vncntc Justice and equity. To follow
such teaching logically, one sees in'
tolerance prejudice and snap JudE.
ment combined a. defeat REASONABLE,
consideration ON Be- merits of the com.
ing constitution.
The attempt To- make partisan
campaign thunder" out of the con.
|stltuton ls detrimental TO the Impair
tlaI consideration OF that importau
document and mo- thoughtful pcrs0i
should pay any heed Co such attempt
"Kathtr. let The people who know
what they want Ina regard to direc
and progressive laws get togcthe
irrespective OF party lines. and ue
their Efforts right % to get "a pro
rresslye constitution adopted.
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-19

years ago. II has now risen TO the dig
nifty Of a ~favorite breakfast food and
on occasion makes its appearance at
picincs IN the appeiizing shape OF an
alfalfa sandwich. Indeed, Wads-
worth might have had alfalfa on the
brain when he wrote.
A creature not too bright or good
For human natures daily food.
Bet il is not the morris and per-
fofmnnces of alfalfa meal that we
would sing Ia these lines so much az
its aggressive march from the racine
10 the Atlantic. Even in stony. bleak
and forhidding New Hampshire has
this modest flower effected a lodgment
among the rocks. How Il was lone We
from the Boston Transcript thus;
The experiment. whose story is
told IN brief detail In this bulletin,
was made on The New Hampshire state
hospital farm near Concord, n the
experimenter Is william W Gordon,
connected with the outdoor manage
ment Of that Institution. He sowed
INC seed near the end Of April in light
land with "a sandy subs0il. which had
previously been wcei prepared ana
fertilizer M the rate OF 100 lbs to an
mere. Air Stacked lime was added az
the rate Of two tons to the acre, ana
iuocuiated soil from a piece OF ground
IN which q few alfalfa plants had been
growing for three years for expert
mental purpose was scattered over ana
narrowed IN. The seed Itself was soak
"a IN nitro culture and lightly covered
IF this should sound something Ike
m extract from a cookery book n a
~ because In New England alfalfa is
with honor as an exotic and a
thing. for whose preservation
he highest quality OF drug store farm
Ing - Indicated
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-19

quartz and feldspar, known as peg
Matte, which he's the appearance of
granite and gneiss, and is spoken of
MS mica schist. 1t is in this rock that
all the leading mica deposits occur.
The strike Of the formation is north
east and southwest.
There appears to be two veins Of
ore bodies paralleling each other,
separated by coo or SEQ feet Of coun-
try rock.
The south ore body has been
opened up by two shafts and cuts,
some 300 or 400 feet apart. Both
show quantities OF mica in a more or
less broken up form. Al a depth Of
forty feet the best showing is made,
and it gives ono the impression that
a large mica deposit might be de-
vcloped at or near this point.
The north vein shows a strong
outcrop of mica schist which can be
traced on the surface for some 2.O1Q
feet or more. Very little development
has been done on this vein. Two
shafts sunk TO a depth of ten feet
each show a little sheet mica in a
more or less broken up formation.
1T is impossible to form an esti-
mate of the width of either ore body
from the meager amount of develop
done.
II would recommend the stripping
or %uncovering of e portion of the
ore body adjacent to the western
SHAFT. then quarry or mine three or
four cars of mica from the ground
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-19
A PICTURESQUE PLATFORM.

The Vaughn "News' published in a
picturesque town has promulgated a
picturesque platform which is too good
to pass over. 1s is as follows;
First-Me will continue to make
The News republican In politics, but to
not expect II 10 be Of much service 20
the party until 1t gets out OF It's
.swaddling clothes.
Second-We win adhere TO the truth
az all times, our memory not being sur
flciently %rctentive to make us ellglDle
10 membership IN the Ananias club.
Thlrd-Every item Of news or COM
taken from other papers VIII be
credited. We do not want 10 be
charged with plagiarism; and right
we wish to state that we have
arranged for "a weekly service OF prlet
breezy comment from u wei
known paraErapher In Washington, u.
G.. which vii appear IN tins column
under caption. swirl Paragraphs
They viii make timely, catchy n in
teresting reading.
Fourth-We expect to swlpe from
the city dailics enough Associated
Press news to keep our readers IN
with the worlds happenings
each week. BY so doing, We expect to
get sand-bagged once in a while, as
was the case when the News published
the report of Bradley going after Dr.
Cooks proofs of finding the north
pole. That was a canard,
Fifth-What local news We print
viii be told in plain and simple IAN
guage. with an occasional dash OF
humor or pathos, The country editor
does not need the help OF a dictionary
or encyclopaedia 10 make an interest
paper. The nearest approach 70
of these IN M possession IS a
thumh-worn, ~dog-earned, aded 4N3
Of Wegster's, which was swept
under an imposing stone, where
had probably lodged when some
fromcr publisher threw 1t at the
"deyil" We have hung Il on the wall
over the spot where the CITY OF
Mexico is marked, So that II may nc
touch with something near It's age.
sixth-We win accept no unsigned
communications, and viii require our
correspondents 10 be brief IN thelr
communications ana truthful.
Flnale-We viii carry on our
all unpaid subscribers for thirty
only. II our readers cannot see
within that time that their suhacrlp-
70 the News IS a paying invest
they viii never see 1t.
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-19
BOOSTERS BOOST OTHER
BOOSTERS.

Example is better than precept ana
the ginger germ circulated by Alhu-
querque and other towns Is still cir
culating. The Ration Range says;
There Is nothing succeeds like sue
ceedine. A short time ago Albuquer-
que business men got together ana In
the warmth of good fellowship gem
Grated new life and renewed enthusi-
asm. The regeneration has not been
spasmodic or temporary, as has been
indicated by the steady progress made
along All lines OF telling endoavor.
''Thc Range advocated just such an
other pe%t-to-gether banquet patterned
after the plan and purpose of the
Duke city. Tho fact that ColfaN coun-
~ has taken up with the idea has en-
.gendered favorable comment from
other quarters. particularly in the
Morning journal, the representative
paper of the city furnishing the i'm
petuH,
Therefor We are led TO ~soliloqulsc
that another evidence has been given
wherein boosters boost other Boost
prs. 10
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-19
& co.

the board of directors as consulting
engineer. The mine has been sold
by Mr.. Anderson to the stock COM
pany, he not having sufficient FUNDS
to properly float the proposition. At
a recent meeting of the board of di-
rectors Mr.. Anderson was elected
president.
Mr.. Fred S. jackson, the attorney
general, who recently bought stock in
the company, in speaking of Mr.
Prices report on the mine, said yes
t rday: u believe this report is en-
tirely reliable and base my opinion
upon this and frequent conversations
| have had with Mr.. price, and from
what l know OF the market condi-
lions of mica. l believe that the An
derson mica mine is q very valuable
discovery and one that will prove a
profitable investment fer the hold
ers of stock. / am o member Of the
board Of directors OF tho company
and expect to give the company's af-
fairs my best attention"
At a meeting or the board of di-
%rectors at the offices Of the Ander-
son Mica Mining company, 7t6 Kan
sas avenue, it was decided to raise
the price per share from twenty-five
to fifty cents after November /, this
raise being based upon Mr.. Prices
report. Several thousands of dollars
worth Of machinery for the mine
have been purchased and will be in
stalled before cold weather sets in.
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-19
OPERATOR STRIKES
II RICH IN BIG
MICA MINE
of Valuable Stuff in
Glorieta Mountains Makes
Fortune for Former Santa FeI
EmpIoye,

Few people are aware that n Of
the most valuable deposits OF the
commercially useful mica exists not
far from the Santa 10 railway in the
Glorieta mountains north of this city.
How a Santa NE telegraph operator
is making "A big stake out OF this
mine Is told in the following in the
Topeka capital:
Mr.. G. j. price, the well known
mining engineer hes just returned
to his hemc in this city atter a So
journ in New Mexico during which
time he made & thorough investiga-
ton Of the mica mine discovered
about eighteen months ago by II. s,
Anderson, a Topeka boy, and a son
of w, S. Anderson. Mr.. Price, who
is a great friend Of young Anderson,
places his official o.. X. on the mine
and believes that Anderson has struck
Il fortune in mica.
Mr.. Anderson was surely lucky.
While working rs q telegraph oper-
ator for the AtohisOn. Topeka ana
Santa Re Railway company at Ri
bera. n. NJ, Mr.. Anderson discovered,
while sweeping out his station one
day q substance which very much re-
sembled mica. He inquired OF some
Of the older heads of I,ihera and
learned that the stuff really was
mica. Tn Mexlcans of Ribera APP
peared to know considerable about
mica and enc dag Anderson learned
that O gang of Mexicans were camp
ing in the Glorieta mountains To-
Gated about nine miles from Ribera,
in an attempt to mine mica. Ander-
son drew 500 OF his savings ana
bought tho mine. Later he discov-
cred that the Mexicans had failed to
prove up on the 200 acres, so he filed
on the property himself. 1t later de-
veloped that he Mad become the
owner Of one OF the biggest mica
propositions in the world. Mr.. Price,
upon hearing OF Anderson's streak of
good luck, decided TO look into the
proposition himself. Mr., Price. upon
being interviewed by a Capital re-
porter yesterday as TO his findings,
said:
The company which has recently
ben IoIHith, uMhe ten OldiiilS' '"'h
500 feet wide BIZ $500 feet long. g
total area approximately Of goo acres.
These claims have been staked off
and recorded, but have not been sur
veyed nor accurately measured, The
claims are located in san Miguel
county. New Mexico, about nine miles
northeast of Eibera on the Gloricta
mountains. at ma elevation of about
1000 feet above sec level. The prop
erty is reached from Ribora, q small
town thirty miles south of Las Vegas
on the Santa Fe railroad, by a fair
mountain wagon road, a distance of
from nine to ten miles. The mica
occurs in a rock composed of white
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-19

Buffalo, n. X.-"I am writing 10 tell YOU
that l am pleased with your medicines. 1 had
been sick for a long time with prOlapsus. L
heard about Lydia +. Pinkham's Vegetable
Compound. and l have found that il is the right
kind OF medicine for me. 4 felt relieved after
taking one bottle and l kept on taking il till now
l am wei and strong. and am able TO do my
Mrs. Henry kossow, 472 Genesee ST.,
NJ Y.
Since we guarantee that all testimonials
which we publish are genuine IS il not fair
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-10-19
JUST BUSINESS.

The enthusiasm shown by south
western farmers over the exhibits for
the National Land and Irrigation EN-
position la Chicago Is founded on SAN
business The results last year We're
tangible. real and ON a dollars and
sense basis The display of New Mex
icu's crops and the demonstration OF
hcr possibilities m onc of d largest
cities boz the country brings local OPP
portunitics before the class OF in-
yestors that New Mexico needs. The
show last year brought thousands OF
dollars bon capital to New Mexico. CON
s%equenuy the New Mexico exhibitors
are doubling their space this year.
Il pays 10 advertise and this Is the
best advertising on earth.