The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-02-16
Probe Resolution Causes Sen.
SatiOl at Bismarck.
VERY Prominent IN STATE
Charges Against Devils Lake JurIst Al.
leoe Personal and Official
Misconduct.

Bismarck, Feb. 13-Resolutions Look.
ing to the impeachment of John F.
Cowan, district Judge Of the Devils
Lake district, were introduced in the
house Of representatives by Represen.
tative A. A. Davis of Grand Forks
county and were the political sensa,
ton OF the week. The fact that an ef-
fort would be made to begin such pro-
ceedings has been noised about for
week or ten days and Attorney Guy
Divet Of Wahpeton has approached
several members Of the house judiciary
committee with a statement of facts
that the complainants against Judge
Cowan would undertake to prove If
Impeachment proceedings should be
voted by the house. Attorney Divet
represents the complainants in the
case, whose identity has not been
made public, but is said to include a
number of citizens of Devils Lake and
the judicial district over which Judge
Cowan presides. Judge Cowan has al
ways been active in the politics of the
state and served for three terms as
attorney general. Retiring from that
position he was elected district judge
on the advancement of Judge Morgan
to the supreme bench, defeating John
Burke, the present governor of tho
state, who was the Democratic candi-
date for the place. Cowan Is one OF
the strongest campaigners in the state
and, notwithstanding the fact that
Of judicial temperament have been
brought against him at various times,
he has had the people of his district
with him at all times and has easily
defeated any candidate who was
brought against him. The charges
against Cowan in the present proceed
1ngs are of personal and official mis-
| conduct and the resolution presented
to the house calls for the appointment
OF committee Of five members Of the
house to Investigate the charges and
conduct the proceedings to eventuate
IN vote of the house as to whether
impeachment proceedings shall be
voted or not. Cowan is a pretty lively
| fighter and the chances are that the
| proposed proceedings will not go un-
ON motion to reconsider the passage
Of the resolutions was so for the pas
sage of the resolutions and As against,
so that the house is pretty evenly d.
vided. Cowan's friends claim the pro-
ceedings are political and that, IN
able to depose Cowan by vote of the
people, an effort is being made to use
the legislature for the purpose of GUST
ing him from office. Neither are the
factions of the Republicans at all
united in the matter Some of the In
surgent leaders claim an effort is be-
ing made to make use Of that faction
for the purpose of getting rid of Cow
an, and yet a number of the insurgent
leaders are supporting Cowan in the
fight that is being made against him.
II the house finally votes impeach.
ment proceedings, which is not at all
certain, the case will go to the senate
for trial after the close Of the regular
session
!. /. +
The proposition. to adjourn before
the end Of the customary sixty days
has gone glimmering. The committees
| of both houses are swamped with bills
and the end of the sixty days is only
three weeks away, and out of this
time comes several Sundays and hon-
days so that the legislative body has
only about fourteen working days left
All of that time will be necessary to
dispose of the measures now before
the house, if no more are introduced,
and more are coming in every day. So
far little in the way of constructive
work has been accomplished. Only
eight or ten bins have gone to the
governor, and none Of the appropria-
ton bills has yet been disposed of.
The several Investigating committees
have yet to report and this will take
part Of the remaining time. Such i'm
portant matters as apportionment, ap-
preparations, election law revision,
educational legislation and other bills
OF much interest have not yet come
out Of the committees.
:. + !.
Woman suffrage Is dead-defeated
by the senate. The matter has been
discussed back and forth since the
opening Of the session and the hopes
Of the suffragists have risen high only
to be dashed when the final vote was
taken In the senate. The suffrage bill
went to committee of the whole SEN
ate and was reported favorably, by a
tie vote of the senate, in which Lieu.
tenant Governor Burdick cast the de-
Gliding vote in favor Of suffrage. But
when the matter came on for passage
the suffragists were unable to muster
but one more vote, making total OF
twenty three, and the bill had twenty
I'VE votes against it. Steele of Rem
Vile and Bessesen and Davis led the
fight for the suffragists, but were I'M
able to line up the necessary twenty
A~> vrAoc ~ no Sc fho NIL Ap,/.rx. +bo