The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-13
Drunkenness Emp q.
On Evidence All !


address that was brilliant effort re-
plete with interesting personal facts
and filed with sarcastic references
Judge Cowan made the opening state
rnent in the impeachment proceedings
against himself.
His remarks were listened to with
tense interest by the senators. The
speaker was at all times forceful and
impressive at times dramatic. and his
earnestness and seriousness aided IN
driving home the facts he presented.
He appealed to the senators who are
sitting as jury on his case to be gov
erned by the testimony. not to be in-
fluenced by outside factors, and stated
he would be satisfied with the verdict.
When the high court of impeachment
convened at 10 o'clock this morning,
Tracy r. Bangs for the defense an
nounced the opening statement would
be made In person by Judge Cowan.
President Burdick announced what
/ Judge Cowan would say would be in
the nature Of statement, not a sum-
mary OF the evidence Of the prosecu-
ton.
lily Prepared.
/ Judge Cowan then arose. He stated
that he was lily prepared to make
such statement as the case de-
manded. Early in the proceedings he
had been entirely without counsel ana
had undertaken much of the work
alone. Later he had been represented
by most able counsel but there had
been little time except for current
work
impeachment Anticipated.
impeachment cases, he said, were
branded as criminal. and were such III
procedure, in all phases.
It am not fighting the case for the
mere salary Of a district judge, but for
my very life, for my wife, for my
family and for my friends. who have
stood by me so nobly," said the judge.
mo one ever saw me lay down. he
continued, Gin the face OF fire. am
here to fight to the finish. viii
fight till my eyes are closed in death.
/ am no hypocrite. know / am right
and am making no play to the gal
laries
who have lived as I have, and who
viii listen to the case to be governed
by the evidence and find q verdict
accordingly.
Impeachment proceedings are ont
OF date. This is the only country that
now holds such proceedings. We got
the law from England. the mother
country, and no case of this nature
III fV4n I'm
peachment is not the wisest way to
settle such charges as are made against
me, as any one familiar with the pro-
ceedings can readily testify"
House Proceedings.
The Judge then reviewed the house
proceedings, showing how the house,
sitting as a grams 9ury. and not hav-
ing time to investigate the matter,
appointed committee OF seven, six of
which reportedsndverseiy to impeach-
ment. He pointed out how the house
was afterwards Influenced by outside
interaMs, how .fndignation" meetings
wer@held and by representation the
people were made to believe some great
injustice had been done.
Due to Politics.
The Judge charged directly that the
impeachment proceedings were due to
political reasons.
He also stated that his opponents
were endeavoring by the same methods
with which they had influenced the
house. to dictate the senate's action.
He believed the senate would be gov
erned by the testimony and not by
outside and inimical influences.
Take Verdict Like Man.
II am willing to take the verdict
like man" he said land II It is
reached by the testimony presented
bv the prosecution and by what !
shah present will be entirely sat
ished.r
Not Drunk at Rugby.
The Judge then cited charge l,
habitual drunkenness since 1901 and
asked how man so drunk as the
board of managers charged for ten
wears could retain any intellectual
powers or control Of his body.
offered Himself as Exhibit.
Al general laugh was created when
he announced that he would offer
himself as exhibit !. in contravention
Of the claim. he was a physical and
mental wreck.
Different Kinds Of DRINKS.
He referred to the standard DRINKS,
the unspecified DRINKS and the I'M
classified DRINKS. and told Of the
large number Of instances cited for
which he had no notice.
The Judge read the law defining ha-
bitual drunkenness.
Rugby Charge Explained.
on the charge that ne had been
drunk at Rugby as testified to by
Scott rex and Attorney Campbell, he
stated that he went to Rugby to try
one case for Judge Burr and found
three awaiting him. He arrived the
night before II was very hot and he
couldn't sleep. Late in the night he
heard some one Ervsssass::ss :, e-ssss@ vent
TO the room from which the noises
came, and found friend was III. RE
had gone down stairs IN his night
dress, aroused the clerk and after
wards sat up ali night with the pa
tient, holding court the next day. This
man would testify to the facts.
Was Never Drunk.
mo man has eyer seen me drunlI
cs staggering since BECAME u district