Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1911-05-05


truths. Is the statemen u Judge Cow
an declared the testimony 81 the
states witnesses would be impeached,-
but not shred, not on iota, not one scin.
tilla of violence has been produced toll
do It. The testimony Of the state 5
witnesses that Judge Cowan drank
W'hiskey IN the drug stores III Devils
Lake stands unc ntradicted. tor
iney Sinkler then declared that the EYio-
tlaton Of the law can never be justi-
fed, and went on to prove by quota
lions from the code of the state that
the action Of Judge Cowan was outrag-
ing public decency, and that It was
misdemeanor under the CODE He went
further, and showed that Judge CoWan
violated his own injunct ional order.
What kind Of a judge IS this q, de-
manded the speaker. There has not
been scintilla of evidence Eon the
side Of the defense. You have Judge
Cowan's own statement Gentlemen,
I ask you, how are you going to escape
finding John F. Cowan guilty under
this charge. If you do, you cannot be-
fore God justify that verdict. You can.
not find that Cowan is not guilty with
out placing yourself in. position of
violating your sacred oath of Office"
False Certificates.
Judge Cowan declared the speaker
has fled false certificates, as set; forth
In the charges; there has been conclu-
sive evidence In this case to show that
from twenty to thirty cases have heen
decided for a period ranging from two
to to ten years. Quoting from section
S767 of the revised codes. Attorney
Sinkler showed a provision that such
a false certificate is a misdemeanor.
There is no loop-hole," he declared, by
which you can find that Judge Cowan
did not commit an impeachable of
fense." 55#a
Favors Friends.
Attorney Sinkler then referred to a
few Of the delayed cases in which
he declared the evidence was such as
to justify the conclusion that John
Cowan decided cases, or rather failed
to decide cases, to benefit friends and
punish enemies. Taking up the case
or Dowell VS.. Norton, Attorney Sinkler
read from Judge Cowan's statement to
the effect that his belief was that Pat
Norton was trying to get land illegal
~, and that is why he did not decide
the case. "This statement is untrue
on the face of it." declared Sinkler! IF
Pat Norton was trying to steassthat
land why didn't Judge Cowan decide
the case against him. You gentlemen
know why. Pat Norton is entitled to
that land, and Judge Cowan knows 1t,
but he has failed, yes, declined, to- de-
eide that case because he wants to pun
ish Pat Norton, and you who saw the
look OF vindictiveness, of hate, on Cow
ans face, when Mr.. Norton was on the
stand the other day, know that am
speaking the truth. The question and
the one question that is before you sen
ators is to decide as between this re-
spondent and the State of North Dako-
ia, is whether or not Judge Cowan is a
lit man for judge. ~. .,<$
The Charges. -
1.-THE state in this case charges in
toxication, it charges drunkenness in
public places, negligence, neglect of
duty, open violation of duty, collision
to benefit friends and hurt enemies,
utter disregard of duty, all this, and
more has been shown by a mass Of ev-
idence in this case. The fair name of
the state of North Dakota is at stake
IN this matter. You represent this
state, and the eyes Of its people are
upon you, and not only the eyes of
North Dakotans, but the great COM
monWealths surrounding are watching
this trial. You can place the stamp of.
your approval on John F. Cowan. You
can send him back to the Second Judi
cial district and say to the people, he
Is good enough for you. But, gentle
men, you have duty to perform, and
you must justify yourselves before
your consc1ences. For with conscience
unsatisfled there can be no rest. This
is sacred duty, this is no ordinary
case, 1t is a case involving the most sa-
cred rights of great commonwealth.
and you as representatives of the peo-
pie, sitting as judges, must render such
a verdict as your judgment and consci-
ence dictates.n
An interesting feature of the after
noon session came when Chief Grass
OF the Sioux nation was called to the
PRESIDENTS desk by President Burdick,
and through an Interpreter made a.
short speech. Chief Grass is the sue
cessor of Chief Gall, who was success
sor to the famous chief, Sitting Bull,
and is character Of more than ordin-