The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-19
A v. c. I. l.
WITNESS
Officer Of State w. c. 4. u.
Testified for COwan
Testimony Was Striking Feat
IRE Of Morning Session
s----~--
Bangs and Cuthbert Clashed
Over Conversation

Witness Tor the defense was called
this morning In the person OF Mrs
Jean McNaughton Stevens Of Towner
state superintendent of penal and
refornatory work Of the womens
Temperance Christian association,
grand chaplain Of the Eastern Star and
former county superintendent OF
schools OF McIIenry county.
Mrs. Stevens has been an active
temperance worker all her life, and is
a frequent contributor to various news
papers Of the northwest
Much Of her work has taken her in
side jails, visiting criminals and the
debanched,
Her Story.
she spoke in a clear, low tone, and
undivided attention was given as she
related incidents in the crowded court
room, at Rugby curing the famous
Slavin trial when Judge Cowan was
accused OF being asleep on the bench
and unders lae influence of liquor.
Aside from the wife of the defendant
young ksrl complaining witness, were
the orix other women attending the
proceedings
girl in the action and occupied seat
beside her throughout.
Arriving at Rugby at 8 O'Clock, Jan.
~, just after the Jury had been i'm
paneled, Mrs. Stevens was greeted
~.
by Judge Cowan, who shook hands with
her.
she occupied seat at the coun-
sells table SO was close to the judges
desk all during the trial
She stated that he chatted with her
each day. greeting her every morning
when she entered the courtroom.
The courtroom was paekad like
sardines IN 3 box" she said, and
crowded each day OF the trial making
It very hot and stuffy, as the room is
small anyway
No Oder ~ Hoexe.
she said there was no odcr Of intoxi-
eating liquor on Judge Cowan's breath,
and that during the whole proceedings
his demeanor was fine When ask
ed IL he was asleep on the bench as
had previously been testified by wit
nesses for the prosecution, she said:
Other Judges Eyes Closed.
II saw him sit down with his eyes
closed, but when rulings were neces-
Rary they were given promptly and de-
cisively. ! have seen other judges do
the same thing, listening with their
eyes closed. so think he was not
asleep and attributed his closed eyes
to the close condition of the courtroom.
Track Bangs asked what other
judges she had seen listening with
their eyes closed and she answered,
Judge Morgan at the Eastern Star
meetings.
No crcss- Examination.
There was much surprise when
George Bangs announced there would |
be no cross examination.
Mrs. Stevens was excused to return |
home to her sick husband.
Burr Again on Stand.
Judge A. @. Burr, was the first wit |
ness called 70 the stand. He offered a |
second correction in his testimony al |
ready given regarding the date stipu- /
lated FOR the Slayin trial.
When first on the stand Judge Burr |
said the slavin trial was called on the
morning OF Jan. IL. which was later
changed to Jan. q
This morning he said after exam |
lining the records the jury was called /
the afternoon of Jan. 25. and Judge
Cowan arrived and began the trial.
Jan. &C.
cuthbert on Delayed Cases.
The testimony Of u. r. Cuthbert OF
counsel for the defense who followed /
Mrs. Stevens on the stand, covered
several specifications in the delayed
cases occupying the rest OF the morn
ing.
Cross Examination.
There was one instance during the
cross-examination which may have
appeared to the Disadvantage of the
accused, when George Bangs and Wit
ness Cuthbert got into an alteration
over q conversation between the two
in the Sevilla hotel at Devils Lake
last month, before the opening OF the
proceedings.
George Bangs asked Cuthbert III
Cowan was under the influence OF
liquor while on the bench hearing the
Mckee Haley case, which was OBJ Il
1ected to BY Counselor McClory on the
grounds that he was not familiar with /,
this feature OF the case. The chair
sustained the objection, bat Bangs
brought out the incident In another
way. by bringing In personal con-
versation with Cuthbert,
Case Described. /,
Cuthbert stated the hearing began
at 8 o'clock In the morning. continuing
till ia the afternoon, ana he thought
possibly Judge Cowan might have
taken two or three drinks during the
noon recess. but would not swear tv
the same; that he appeared fatigued
during the morning session. but he
knew he had been up late the night
before, Bangs asked him to refresh
his memory with the things he said
to him last month, and asked him ii
ne did NOT recall having said Cowan
might have been under the influences /
n liquor but they didn't want It to II
yet out for fear II would in1ure his Z
prospects In the campaign
Clash ~ Opinions.
The witness stated he had told him ]
lust what he had said already ia the !
stand nothin9 more; that hi didn't