The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-04-15
Judge Palda Contradicts Pros
ecution Witnesses and Gives
Many Of the Details
INSTANCES were THATAT RUGBY
N JUNE AND TWO At M|N0T
Stock Yards Case at Minot Detailed
Cowan Was There Looking For
Horses He Had Purchased and Had
Been Turned in With Herd.

Bismarck. N. D.. April 15.-Three
instances of alleged drunkenness up
on the part Of Judge Cowan were dis
puted on the witness stand this
morning by Judge ]. H. Palda, Jr., Of
-Minot. The first witness called for
defense there we're the instances Of
June 1S, 1910, at Rugby, testified to
Scott Rex and Campbell at the Minot
stockyards testified to by d. G.
Greenleaf and in Burke's Office in
Minot, testified to by Attorney Kelso
for the prosecution. On each Of
these occasions Palda was present
and he declared on the stand today
that on none of them was Judge
Cowan intoxicated, with reference to
the Rugby incident Palda said hat
Cowan opened court about o'clock,
June Is, working steadily through
three cases without intermission;
that Cowan arrived at the court
house in the afternoon of that date
before Paul Campbell; that 1t was an
extremely hot day and that the at
torneys and others, except the Judge
removed their coats in the court
room, and that at no time during his
stay in the city or in the courtroom
was Cowan intoxicated. On the aft
ernoon there was an Insignificant in
cident when Cowan asked the attor-
neys as to a question that had arisen
but nothing further. The evening of
that day was spent at the Brynjolf-
son potatoe farm. Asked as to Camp
BELLS statement that there had been
q discussion in the courtroom as to
who would dare beard the lion in
his den." The morning that Cowan
had fallen asleep on the bench, Pal
da said there was nothin gto it. The
Sunday In Minos when Cowan was in
Burke's Office was reived from noon
until about O'clock; Cowan, Palda
and a young man who has later been
ascertained to be detective employ
ed to watch Cowan, were on auto
trip. In Burke's office they together
with one other drank a pint Of beer.
Cowan left the city later in. the aft
ernoon. boarding the train while in
motion. He was not intoxicated.
Palda said with reference to stock
yards incident. Palda said that he
had seen Cowan walking on top Of
carrell rail looking for some horses
J@oL uO udU lCud6Ou anu WIN udu
been mixed with the big band again.
That at the time he said Cowan was
angry. They spent the entire after
noon there, also a part of the even
ing together. Senator Kennedy and
President Burdick also were there.
Pulda said that Cowan was not in
toxicated nor did not, so far as he
knew, have drink of liquor that
day.
Cross-ExaminatiOn.
On cross-examination nothing new
was developed, Geo. Bangs and
Palda several times locking horns.
The next witness called was Mar
tin Topness of Rugby, juror in the
second case tried at Rugby by Cow
an. He declared that Cowan was not
intoxicated. He was questioned with
reference to a conversation with Paul
Campbell, in which the prosecution
counsel wanted to know II the wit
ness had made admissions as to
drunkenness upon the part Of Cowan,
the witness replying that he had not.
Nels Sostrun, the third and last
witness of the morning session, said
he was a Juror in the first and third
cases tried by Cowan ut Rugby in
June and that Cowan was not intoxi-
Gated and that he had shaken hands
with him that morning. He remem-
bered the little incident in the after
aeon Of the first day when Cowan did
not Immediately make ruling upon
a question and that the sheriff had
spoken to Cowan but he declared that
Cowan was not drunk but he could
not say whether he went to sleep or
not.
Burdick Became RiIed.
1t was shortly after the defense had
commenced the introduction Of evi-
dence yesterday that President Bur-
dick Of the senate became somewhat
riled up over the action of the attor-
neys for the prosecution. It was just
after Judge Palda of Minot had been
called to, the stand with the announce
ment from the defense that they wish
ed to have his evidence submitted out
of the regular order that he might
proceed to the east where he had an
important business engagement. This
announcement was met by a state
ment from George Bangs that he
would not agree to the releasing Of
the witnesses, and after some little
controversy between the opposing at
torneys, George Bangs stating that he
wanted possession Of the Cramond
hotel register before proceeding with
the witness, President Burdick sud-
denly announced that recess would