The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-10-20
THE BEER QUESTION
PARTIALLY SOLVED
Exciting Time Before City Commission Friday
Nisht-Faction Lines Drawn in the Pro-
ceedings- GreenIeaf Appears for
Bakec1an and Doukherty
question OF who drank the city's with the goods

beer, was solved partially al d
special meeting OF the Commission
held Friday night, at which time the
a lengthy investigation took place
The inquiry was so comprehensive
that it could not be completed that
night, so the meeting was adjourn
ed until Monday night.
The Investigation was conducted
ed by States Attorney Mash, the
by City Attorney Bosard, assist
members of the board sitting as a
Jury. They often asked questions of
the witnesses, and at times did some
cross questioning themselves.
Dank Greenleaf appeared for Ofi-
GERS Bateman and Dougherty and his
lively cross examining lent consid-
cradle spice to the proceedings.
.IArthur lie Sueur, President Of the
city Commission, was the first wit
ness called He told the story OF the
disappearance Of the beer, which had
been confiscated from the various
pigs since Sept 81, 1909, and stored
under lock and key in the boiler
room Of the basement OF the city hall.
To his knowledge 722 bottles of beer
were locked in the room, much OF
the amber fluid being taken from
Agnes NUNS pig. II helped take it to
the boiler room myself" he said. I'VE
drank one or two bottles of it, to
be able to swear at the trial, Just
what we had seized, and l warned the
officers that the beer was to be kept
for evidence and should not be touch
ed. Later the States Attorney said
some cases were coming up, among
which was the Muhs case, and that
he wanted the evidence. Investigate
ed. and found that practically all
of the beer had been taken, not only
In that case, but in others. Some Of
the labels had been scratched of and
the bottles were empty. You know the
rest"
Mr.. lie Sueur stated that the States
Attorney, VIM. Brakeman, then Cap
tain OF Police and himself were in the
room at the time the beer was
counted
Peter Vandenoever, Police Commits
sioner. stated when placed on the
stand, that he knew nothing of me
beer deal and did not drink a drop Of
it himself. He was not Police CON-
missioner at the time the beer dis
appeared.
Upon making the investigation, he
found "a bottles Of beer left, which
were taken in the Blacky Parks,
Marsh, Weigand and Great Northern
hotel raids. Ee testified as to the
KEYS to the boiler room. one being in
the possession Of Chief Of Police VIM.
Bakeman, and the other is left in the
Sergeant's desk.
VIM Brakeman, chief of police, up
on being placed on the stand, testi-
fed as to the number of bottles Sc
cured in the various raids. He had
knowledge Of the beer being placed
in the boiler room. He said that he
did not check up the beer in the
boiler room to ascertain II any had
been taken. He said that from tho
first Of the year, practically everv
member Of the force has had access
to the boiler room. as they could So
cure the key at the desk If they de.
sired. Dan Kimbalr was day sergeant
and Mike Hardigan night desk SER
geant during most Of that period. He
testified as to some Of the beer being
removed from the boiler room by Pat
Hvland. then chief Of police, upon a
a court order. ~
Asked as to whether he knew Of
any Of the beer being drank, he said
that himself and Dan Dougherty had
q uOACu OUIIlcS dpIOCO.
The beer was that taken in the
Alice Lacy case, in which no warrant
had been issued. He said that he and
Dougherty occasionally went into the
boiler room and drank 4 bottle TO-
gether.
Brakeman said that last spring
when Mike Hardigan's father was III,
the policeman wanted a few bottles
Of beer for the sick man and he told
him to help himself. Hardigan took
two bottles from the room three
different times.
He said that some plumbers work
ing in the boiler room, three different
times must have had access to the
beer He noticed that once they ap-
peared to be carrying out bottles Of
beer secreted in their clothing Speak
ing to the desk sergeant about It, the
sergeant followed the plumbers to