The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-12
STEELE WANTED
J0RDAL ARRESTED
RENvILLE COUNTY MANS BRIEF
BID FOR NOToRIETY is
TURNED DOWN.

Bismarck, N. D., April Ito have
Rep. Otto P. Jordal OF Goodrich ar
rested and brought before the bar of
the senate during the impeachment
trial of Judge John F. Cowan. was
put IN the form OF a motion by SEN
ator Steele of Renville county yester-
day Immediately after recess at A
O'Clock.
Mr.. Jordal, it win be remembered,
was the chairman of the Cowan in
vestigating commiettee in the house
during the recent legislative session.
He was appointed to that position by
Speaker Hanley, and with the six other
members of the committee, conducted
the examination of the impeachment
articles introduced against Judge John
r. Cowan into the house of represent
tatives.
Six of the members Of the committee,
including Mr.. Jordal, signed the ma
jority report of the committee, which
stated that there was not sufficient
provocation for preferring impeach-
ment charges against Judge Cowan nor
his trial In the senate, which Is now
pending. 1t was Mr.. Jordal who stated
to the house at that time that a GER
tain state official had been caught
listening at keyholes during the exam
ination of witnesses by the committee
when conducting the examination.
1t was also Mr.. Jordal who, on the
day the house reversed itself and pre-
ferred the impeachment charges, made
the speech that has made him famous
all over the state, that he didn't know
If Christ were to be tried by that house
of representatives he doubted If the
result had been different, and he wound
up with the now noted peroration, "and
am not surprised he was crucified
by an angry mob, when an intelligent
body of men presecutes this man,
Cowan."
Matter Left to Committee.
Immediately upon the motion Of Sem
ator Steele that Mr.. Jordal be ar
rested and brought before the bar OF
the senate, Tracy Bangs of the defense
arose and stated that while in such a
matter no remarks would be made by
him, yet ne had been informed only
few moments before noon that Mr.. Jor-
dial had been heard from and that he
believed he would be here today.
Senator Steele stated that he based
been made in the senate chamber that
morning by Homnes that Mr.. Jordal
had refused to release the papers in
connection with the testimony taken by
the house investigating committee and
that he had said he would not come
to the impeachment trial even though
he had been subpoenaed. The senator
from Renville said he thought the mo
ton was well taken.
Senator Williams of Mclean county
thought the motion should be so
amended so that the matter could be
referred to a committee to properly
report to the senate it's findings. Sena-
tor Gunderson felt the same way, and
President Burdick said that he thought
the appointment of committee would
solve the difficulty
Senator Steeles motion was put and
lost, and the Williams motion prevail
ed, with a slight amendment suggested
by Counselor Ct. A. Bangs that If be
made sufficiently elastic to cover all
the subpoenas served by the prosecu-
ton.
The intensity of the moment was
made amusing by the announcement
from the chair that another "fair and
impartial committee would be appoint
ed. President Burdick possesses the
art OF knowing just the right time to
spring one of his pungent witticisms
that Will turn the tide in another d.
rection and put everyone in good
spirits.
On the committee appointed were
Senators Williams, Steele Of Renville
and Gunderson.
Tedious Testimony Begins.
The rest of the afternoon was a de-
cided contrast to the wild excitement
of the morning session, and from the
mid afternoon recess to adjournment