Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-06-01
F0URIN|.ER |.|| !.
g. ~. >:.r%, %- ~
BUT % MINUTES DELiBERATlON
CLEARS THE ALLEGED SLAY-
Err OF AAGOT DAHL,
GETS LIBERTY IN THIRD TRIAL
Prisoner, Awaiting Verdict, visibiy
Nevous for First Time in Six
Years.-Leaves the Court.
room Amid Congratulations.

A1tk1n. - Paul Fourier, who was
accused of having killed Aagot
Dahl near Quaring, Beltrami county,
March Z, 1904, is a free man. The
jury In the district court here re-
turned a verdict ct not guilty after
having been out but % minutes.
There was so little delay in receiv-
ing the verdict and while waiting for
the jury to come in Fourier was WIS.,
IDLY nervous for the first time in the
SIX years he has been under arrest for
the murder of N. o. Dahl and daugh.
ter.
When the jury was seated Fourier
became deathly pale as he scrutinized
the countenances of the men who had
decided his fate and when the clerk
OF court read the words mot guilty"
smile spread over his countenarce
and he was much relieved.
Fournier heartily thanked all the
members Of the jury and Judge Stan.
ton and dubbed over with apprecia.
ton as he left the court room, being
without the custody of an official for
~A~ A~A~~ ~AAAAS III OLA years.
AS Fourier left the court room he
was heartily congratulated by a great
many who had witnessed the trial.
Two years in the penitentiary and
one In the county Jail has not robbed
Fournier of his personal magnetism
and the little Frenchman seems little
affected by his close confinement Of
late years.
The verdict of the jury is received
here with appreciation generally, as it
is the general opinion that the evil
dence given by the states witnesses
was largely made questionable as to
truth, through efforts at impeachment
made by attorneys for Fournier.
scrutchin and Crowell, and the jury
also carefully considered the fact that
most of the testimony was clearly cir
cumstantial.
The closing of the trial was dra-
matte and the spectators were wrought
up by addresses of Mr.. McKusick for
the state and Messrs. Crowen and
Scrutchin for Fourier. Attorney
Scrutchin made the effort of his life
In his address.
IN his address to the jury Prescott.
or Chester McKusick gave the states
theory how N. o. Dahl and daughter
Aagot met death in the old mans lone
ly cabin near During, Beltrami coun.
ty, March Z, 1904. He said that late
in the afternoon Paul Fourier and
Wesley, the latter now in the peni-
Tertiary, went to Aagot Dahps cabin
saying they wanted to buy seed po-
tatoes and lured father and daughter
TO the old mans cabin, where the DO.
tatoes were kept. There they shot
them, the prosecutor declared. Nc
kusick occupied over an hour in his
argument to the jury.
w. H. Crowell of Bra1nerd opened
the argument in behalf of the defense,
reviewing the evidence in the case
and showing in forceful manner the
discrepancy In the testimony given BY
the states witnesses denouncing as out
rageous the too evident bitter hatred
OF the prisoner which had been 30
openly exhibited by the majority of
those testifying in behalf Of the prose-
cut1on. He appealed to the Jurors to
bear well in mind the gentlemanly
demeanor Of the man who had thrice
been tried on the most serious charge
In the criminal calendar, murder in
In the first degree, with his life at
stake.
Charles W. Scrutchin, chief counsel
for Fournier, followed Attorney Grow
ell in two hours talk. He carefully
analysed the evidence given at this
trial, and was bitter in his scathing
denuclation of the states principal
witnesses, whom he denounced as per.
jurers.