The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-03
.COWAN CASE A
COMEDY OF ERRORS

bismarck, ". D., April S--Among ths
lalty in the hotel Hobbies IL is the gen.
eral consensus of opinion that the
prosecution has mott he strongest case
In the world against Judge Cowan
Judging from the witnesses and testi,
mony introduced at Saturdays hear
ING. Ludicrous statements were made
by nearly all and even the counsel fer
the prosecution laughed at the re-
marks themselves.
| with the exception of J. III. FuIker-
son or Crary and C. d. Stansbury of
ChuFehs Ferry, the rest of the wit
nesses provided much amusement for
the whole court. Hardly a statement
made by the others on the stand was
damaging to Judge Cowan in his adj
mtnistration of justice In the Second
judicial over which he presides. nor
detrimental to his -haracrer in private
NE. Even the two best witnesses, Mr..
Fulkerson and Mr.. Stansbury, admit
ted that they were under the impress
sion the judge was intoxicated on the
occasion he came to the train related
In the Churchs Ferry railroad station
incident, neither of them ever renem-
bered seeing him drunk before or
since. and they both had known him
TOR period Of twenty years or more.
1t hardly looked to the spectators that
this was especially damaging.
From the expressions on the faces of
the senator's generally, though no adj
mission has been made by them to
anyone, 1t would appear evident that
they are disguised with the whole af-
falr already at this stage of the game.
From the general run of witnesses and
testimony nothing has been brought
out that would appeal to even a lay
man as discriminating to anyone to
say nothing Of the case in question.
The charge of drunkenness against
Judge Cowan is one which was ex-
pected to be urged most strongly by
the prosecution, and yet there has
not been a thing that would appear
serious.
Yesterday it was reported that there
would be a movement on the part of
the majority of the senate to wait
patiently for a couple of days to the
rest Of the testimony introduced by
the prosecution and unless it was
stronger than that which was heard
Saturday, motion might be made to
go into executive session and conclude
to adjourn the trial at once.
One of the counsel for the defense |
said Saturday night: Wen not have
to take up the senate's time with pre- |
senttng any testimony whatever. if this |
Is all they have. thought the people |
they put on the stand Saturday were |
to be their star witnesses If they are
the stars, what circus the rest will |
be-"
The Cowan impeachment trial, after |
adjournment Saturday evening, has
been humorously called the comedy of |
errors" on account of the Iaughable |
which was brought out. most |
Of which was made ridiculous by the
brilliant counsel for the defense. Both
Tracy r. Bangs and MIR. Cuthbert, the
only two Of Judge Cowan's attorneys
who have thus far taken any part in |
the cross-examination. have
made the most of their opportunities
and the material they had to work
upon and brought out such things that
kept the whole senate and the GAL
leries in a continual roar
1t is understood that the counsel
for the prosecution will present an
other phase today and that Judge
Burr, Scott Rex and others will ap-
pear, so that the testimony viii be of |
a more serious vein.